Rural Reach takes Citizens Advice into communities

Citizens Advice Ceredigion is working across Ceredigion and its borders, including north Pembrokeshire, to take advice into communities, without compromising on safety. 

A grant from the UK government’s BEIS department to Citizens Advice nationally has enabled Ceredigion’s local charity to create a ‘Rural Reach’ team dedicated to reaching the most vulnerable clients and getting the message out that the service is there for everyone – no matter who and no matter for what.  

They have been working with local partners on the ground to push out the contact details of 01239 621974 and enquiries@cabceredigion.org to as many people as possible, including anyone that’s digitally excluded or not aware of what the service can help with.  

To safeguard public health, face to face appointments are not yet taking place, but the phone, email and now video links provide the same level of support and advice, and third parties, like family members or support worker, or volunteers, can be asked by the client to help with setting up the appointment, making a referral or joining in with the advice appointment – for example on a three-way call or video call. 

The Rural Reach team are pushing out leaflets and posters across the region to back up the message ‘Still here – for everyone’ and have been speaking to clients and other organisations about what else they can do to make money and other advice more accessible during the pandemic.  

Working with community partners to establish Information Hubs in multiple locations has been a key outcome and will be developed further in the months to come. The Hubs will be responsive to local need, and may, for example, include public access computers and ways of getting remote advice, video appointments and other help more easily, within people’s own communities. 

Any community-based groups that would like to find out how to become involved can contact the Rural Reach team by emailing ruralreach@cabceredigion.org.