Independent Advice and Debt - future plans
As part of the Voluntary and Community Sector Support Programme, the Department for Communities aims to develop a refreshed independent advice and debt policy and delivery framework. This policy and delivery framework will include a focus on the future commissioning of quality advice services to allow for a more strategic integrated approach, in which the debt levy funding will also be a key element. A review of independent advice and debt sectoral needs will inform how we can better support the sector to deliver outcomes set out in any future Programme for Government.
Future plans
We are committed to engaging with a wide range of organisations in the sector, including those supported through our existing funding programmes as well as those that are not, as well as involving other stakeholders such as other Departments, Local Government partners and independent funders.
We are also working with an Independent Advice and Debt Reference Group comprising a range of sectoral interests, through which we will draw on lived experience, expertise and knowledge, and together explore a range of insights and ideas in the design of new approaches.
The Strategic Investment Board are assisting the Department with this work and are conducting a series of engagements, including thematic design workshops. These workshops are taking place at different locations around NI. Each workshop will involve up to 40 participants and will focus on various key themes, including, but not limited to, identifying the evidence of need for advice provision in NI, identifying gaps in support and identifying the priorities to support independent advice and debt delivery in the future.
Have your say
You can sign up for one of the following events: The workshops are open to all organisations who engage with or support independent advice and debt delivery.
Supporting materials for the workshop events are available.
| Key Themes | When | Where | Eventbrite Booking Details |
| Role of Independent Advice Sector | Thursday 27 April 9.30am – 1.00pm | Portadown Town Hall- Minor Hall 15 Edward Street, Craigavon BT62 3LX | Registration now closed |
| Need for Independent Advice | Friday 12 May 9.30am-1.00pm | HillCrest Trust 10 Trench Road, Derry/Londonderry, BT47 2DS | Registration now closed |
| Partnerships and Collaborative Working | Thursday 1 June 9.30am – 1.00pm | Stiles Community Centre 11 Fountain Hill, Antrim, BT41 1LZ | Registration now closed |
| Best Practice | Friday 23 June 9.30am – 1.00pm | The Junction, 12 Beechvalley Way, Dungannon, BT70 1BS | Registration now closed |
| Debt specific | Wednesday 23 August 9.30am – 2.00pm | Conference Room A, NICVA Headquarters 61 Duncairn Gardens Belfast BT15 2GB | Registration now closed |
Places are limited, therefore we request only 1 person per organisation register and attend each event.
If you require any further information, please contact: AdviceServices.Team@communities-ni.gov.uk