New strategy gives ‘firm foundation’ to future of independent advice services in NI

Social Development Minister, Mervyn Storey MLA, today published a new strategy to ensure people across Northern Ireland continue to receive good, independent advice when they need it.

Entitled, ‘Advising, Supporting and Empowering’, the new strategy will improve how advice services are delivered for the public in Northern Ireland in the future, and suggests a series of actions over the next five years to further enhance these existing services. Examples of these actions include:

• Develop and implement a referral and signposting guide
• Develop collaborative processes for use by advice organisations
• Market availability of information and advice tools online and web presence
• Deliver required training for frontline advice service staff; and
• Funders and advice providers should align, simplify and streamline the present mechanisms to work closer, more collaboratively and avoid duplication.

Commenting on the strategy, Minister Storey said: “This strategy allows us to build upon the good work already being carried out by generalist advice services, and will help to manage the changes and challenges that lie ahead.

“We have a responsibility to help people for the longer term, to support and empower them to manage their own affairs, and give them greater control over their own lives; this strategy will help achieve that.”

Generalist advice services in Northern Ireland provide valuable support and advice to local people on issues like welfare benefits, housing, finance, consumer and employment, with the option of making referrals to more specialised advice services if necessary.

The Minister added: “I want to pay tribute to those in the advice sector, many of them volunteers, who provide vital frontline advice services to people. Last year the staff and volunteers in Advice NI and Citizen’s Advice Bureau offices helped almost 160,000 people with over 400,000 queries on a range of issues including welfare benefits, money and debt, housing and employment issues.

“The advice sector is not immune from the challenges we face at the present time, but I am confident that this new strategy provides a firm foundation that will ensure the continued delivery of modern, quality advice services to those who need them.”

View a copy of the Advising, Supporting and Empowering strategy

Notes to editors: 

1. Generalist advice services are currently provided throughout Northern Ireland by the Citizens Advice Bureau and independent advice organisations who are members of Advice NI, with the support of the Northern Ireland Advice Service Consortium.
2. In 2015/16 the Department for Social Development contributes £2.9million to support generalist advice provision. Local councils contribute an additional £1.9million.
3. For media enquiries please contact the DSD Press Office on 028 90 829494 or email press.office@dsdni.gov.uk. Out of office hours please contact the duty press officer on 07699 715440 and your call will be returned.

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