Mixing It up in Muirhouse Scotland’S Brand-New Bureau Flies the Flag for Partnership
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Voice A magazine for the Citizens Advice Network in Scotland WINTER 2019 Mixing it up in Muirhouse Scotland’s brand-new bureau flies the flag for partnership By the people, for the people Scam busters Does community input Money guru Martin Lewis build better campaigns? on fighting the con artists Welcome Partnership In full Triumph Voice and Client James Watson, who died in November, pictured with the CAB’s Elaine Donnelly in a video highlighting the benefits barriers faced by people with cancer ‘Informative but friendly’… sadness ‘It’s good to share bureau news from “We realised straight away that one of the and Mary Watson discussing their experience of those at the coalface’… best ways to mitigate the impact was to work the benefits system. James had received a cancer The news that a Macmillan CAB in close partnership with Jobcentre Plus locally. diagnosis, while Mary has multiple sclerosis. The ‘Makes the CAB network seem closer partnership had scooped a top together’… In that way, we’ve managed to find informal video showed Elaine visiting the couple at home to national award was a bittersweet workarounds that can get people through the help them with their Universal Credit application. moment for the team. system more quickly.” “James and Mary were very keen to take part, At the same time, the team’s passionate and a lot of the credit for the award is down to These were typical of the campaigning has influenced local MP Drew Hendry them,” says Elaine. “Unfortunately it’s bittersweet comments from network Winning a prestigious trophy was a coup for to set up an All Party Parliamentary Group on because very sadly, James died two days after the VoiceA magazine for the Citizens Advice Network in Scotland colleagues who responded terminal illness. award presentation. PILOT ISSUE the Macmillan CAB welfare rights team in to the survey about the Inverness, which spends its time battling for “He came to see us and was visibly moved “Mary and his family asked that the video first edition of Voice. people with cancer. when we told him about the problems clients be played at his funeral, and the award put on Still on Overall satisfaction with Their victory marked the first time a non-clinical were facing,” says Elaine. “It’s great to feel that display, because James really wanted people to active the publication was high, team had ever taken top place in Macmillan’s our wee office in Inverness could help to achieve know about the difficulties faced by people living service Project Spotlight Award averaging 4.4 out of 5. Professional Excellence awards. national change.” with cancer when applying for Universal Credit, winner Thomas puts his war experiences to good use Naturally, not all the But triumph was tinged with intense sadness. As The team – welfare rights officers Peter and the help that Macmillan can offer with all Just the ticket Online, on the case The network fights for comments were positive. the presentation was taking place, a client who had McIntyre, Linda McCulloch, Barbara Reid and Issy aspects of patient care. Our new webchat advisers long-suffering bus users handle their first enquiries Several people suggested helped to secure the team’s success was receiving Fairclough, and administrator Hala Ghayyda – was “I was asked to say a few words of introduction the Voice format was a little too light to fulfil its end-of-life care. nominated for Macmillan’s quality improvement at the funeral, which I was extremely honoured brief of sharing developments and experiences Set up in 2004, the partnership has gained a excellence award. to do.” across the network. So this issue has been reputation for its work to support people across the Presenting their case to the shortlisting panel, The award was a morale-booster for a team expanded to allow more depth in the articles. Highlands and Skye, with the exception of Lochaber Elaine played a video that featured clients James who, Elaine admits, sometimes feel they are Please keep in touch at [email protected] to which has its own dedicated worker. “banging our heads against a brick wall”. respond to articles, suggest new ideas, or share But its biggest recent challenge has been to find “It’s a fight the whole way, and we’re all what’s going on in your part of the network. ways to alleviate the worst impacts of Universal shattered,” she says. “We just want Universal Thanks to all who took part in the survey. Credit – which, unlike other benefits, has no fast- Credit to be properly administered and we want The randomly selected winners of shopping track service for terminally ill claimants. it to be fair. vouchers were Lorna Roberts, Nicola Jones, “We were among the very first areas in Scotland “We’re going to keep on working hard to assist Navid, Donna Rigley and Emma Cormack. to experience full-service Universal Credit, over our clients and raise social policy issues, in the three years ago,” says health projects manager hope that it will continue to improve the system. Have a cracking Christmas holiday. Elaine Donnelly. This isn’t over by a long stretch.” Elaine, centre, receives the award from actor 2 Larry Lamb. WINTER 2019 3 Innovation Mixing it up in Muirhouse “I’d been thinking of doing an extensive flyer campaign – but Three or four community groups are thrown together in a large building – to we were already getting swamped succeed, they must work together. Not a new reality TV format, but the bold with clients.” concept behind Scotland’s brand-new CAB… Previously home to an NHS mother and baby Mark Cullen unit, the building has been extensively refurbished. Definitely not Pilton In fact, though the CAB opened in August, When is a new CAB not a new CAB? When it’s contractors are still carrying out the finishing (kind of) a replacement for a previous one. touches on site. 323 Manager Mark Cullen resisted naming the Number of clients seen by the Among the innovations are interview ‘pods’ in new bureau Pilton like its predecessor – not Muirhouse CAB in its first 12 weeks a semi-open plan style – designed to be practical, least because it’s located in Muirhouse. (Even economic and safe. the Pilton CAB was actually in neighbouring But the new departure that really sets the bureau Drylaw, he points out.) apart is the fact that the advisers share their “I also wanted to make it clear that this is building with other community organisations. a fresh start, in collaboration with the other “If you build it, they will come.” Community Renewal, which provides community organisations,” he explains. As he prepared to launch the new Muirhouse employment support and training, lives cheek-by- 83% “We’ve kept the best of the old bureau, but bureau in Edinburgh, manager Mark Cullen tried to jowl with the CAB. The teams mingle freely and the of them from the Muirhouse, Pilton this is a new beginning. I felt the best way to reassure himself with the famous movie quote. organisations share a reception room (though with and Granton communities get that across, internally as well as to the It was almost a year since the closure of the separate reception desks). Each claims half of the public, was to use a new name.” area’s previous CAB. Had people simply got used interview and admin space. to the absence of a bureau in the north-west of A third organisation, Ferrywell Youth Project – the city? which provides in-school and after-school support The collaboration is the brainchild of Edinburgh advisers whose clients have work issues find it “In the run-up to the official opening, we were for children and young people – has also joined the Citizens Advice CEO, Benjamin Napier. He saw the easy to consult or refer on to Community Renewal, afraid it would be tumbleweed,” Mark admits. centre, but has its own distinct space. opportunity to explore new ways of working after which leads on Next Steps. In the event, the team needn’t have worried. In addition, the sprawling building has space to the former Pilton bureau closed its doors. Other possibilities for co-working are still People immediately began to flock to the new welcome a fourth, as yet unconfirmed, partner to The potential for crossover is especially rich in emerging, says Mark: “I wouldn’t go so far as to bureau. “I’d been thinking of doing an extensive the mix. the Next Steps service, which provides support call the centre a one-stop shop, but it will certainly flyer campaign – but we were already getting Together, the organisations work under the banner for people who have problems at work or who provide a more holistic service for people.” swamped with clients,” says Mark. of North Edinburgh Community Resource Centre. have been seeking employment for a while. CAB Naturally, the new housemates have had to 4 Voice | A magazine for the Citizens Advice Network in Scotland WINTER 2019 5 Innovation Recognition The Scottish Parliament chamber rang with tributes to the network as Bureaux MSPs marked the 80th anniversary of 84% Citizens Advice Scotland. of the clients seen to date had not accessed 21% a CAB service in the previous 12 months – Clients from BME communities – this compares Glasgow MSP Anas Sarwar initiated the debate, indicating the value of reinstating this local with 8% in the Edinburgh population as a whole get MSPs’ congratulating the network on providing high- service quality advice and advocacy since 1939. Many other members weighed in with support and compliments for bureaux in their own adapt to each other’s ways.