Citizens Advice Bureau Satellite service in Porirua East is open
The establishment of the new Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) outreach satellite offices in partnership with Porirua Rotary brings much needed information service to an area of Porirua which is high in deprivation and families with low incomes.
The communities are mostly Maori, Pasifika and Cook Islands families, and many of the families are unable to access the information because of the cost, lack of computers, devices, or language barriers. The access to information is further exacerbated because they may not own cars, and the cost of public transport is a significant barrier for them to access these services at the CAB office located in the Porirua CBD.
In the COVID-19 pandemic world, the Citizens Advice Bureau experienced an overwhelming increase in the demand for their services. During the first wave of the lockdown Rotary Porirua identified the need to support CAB with the establishment of the satellite service to bring much needed information to the local community.
These communities require one-one in person contact which the CAB provides as this service is no longer available from many government departments.
Due to the lack of information, families find themselves being left behind, often frustrated and unable to fully participate in society. Families often need to access information, support to locate the appropriate government forms as well as help to complete the appropriate forms. They also need support to understand what information and why it is being requested by departments.
CAB also provides the time and space that people need to work through problems and gain the knowledge and confidence to find a way through what they are encountering.
CAB’s objective is to prevent people from being disadvantaged through ignorance of their rights and obligations. The satellite office in Porirua East helps to bridge the gap and provide the support for the local community. The CAB services are provided by volunteers who are trained in the programmes and they continue to have ongoing training and professional development.
Much of CAB services is for people in dire need of assistance with issues around food, housing, debt and income, family breakdowns, employment problems and immigration. The demand for the CAB service in Porirua East post COVID -19 is likely to increase due to job losses, poverty, and insecurity.
Other services provided by CAB include information sessions for new migrants and refugees. They also host clinics for JPs, budget advisers and benefit advocates, and are the agent for St Anne’s Food Bank.
The Porirua Union and Community Health Service have offered rent-free accommodation for these offices. They believe their patients, many of whom are new migrants and refugees, would benefit from having easy access to the advice and support that CAB services.
According to CAB, the satellite service will build the capacity of the community by making information accessible for economic growth, entrepreneurial skills, community networking, creating work opportunities and developing communities who may experience poverty.
The access to technology will increase educational skills, use of technology, provide basic adult literacy services, reduce any language barrier, and strengthen the community.
For this small Team at Porirua Rotary, this is what Rotary is about. The Rotary members worked together with CAB volunteers over a few months to bring this satellite office to reality. Porirua Rotary also applied for a Rotary Foundation Grant to support the funding.
The establishment of this satellite office ticks the goals of Rotary’s Foundation to provide this basic information service to improve essential services for families, mothers, and children. Families can find information they need by meeting with the volunteer staff. This could have a positive impact on matters such as information on threatening diseases, other health related matters and poverty challenges.
Rotary supports peace building in communities and this service provides relevant information to direct and support decision making which may prevent conflict in the families and communities.
Educating and mobilizing communities is another key area of Rotary and this information service helps educate families to prevent the spread of major diseases more especially during this COVID-19 pandemic.
The official opening was attended by District Governor, Gillian Jones, Porirua Mayor Anita Baker, CAB members, community leaders and Porirua Rotary members.
The satellite office is open two days a week and is located on 219 Bedford Street.
