Social Policy
Introduction
The Citizens Advice service helps people resolve their legal, money and other problems by providing free, independent and confidential advice, and by influencing policymakers.
This is what we refer to as the twin aims of our service.
The first part is the well known, public facing aspect of CAB provided by volunteer advisers based in offices and outreaches across the county. The second part, our Social Policy or Campaigning work, is resourced by those advisers and other volunteers whose work, while less in the public eye, is no less important.
We have a key role in speaking-up for clients, raising issues brought into CAB Cornwall, contributing to public debate and informing both public and private sector organisational operations, rules, regulations and ultimately legislation. We use the information and examples of our clients’ experiences to influence change in our society while maintaining their confidentiality at all times.
How do we influence change?
A client may come to seek advice on a particular problem and while addressing this, the adviser identifies this to be an issue which could have an impact on other people as well. Having assisted the client with their specific problem, information about the issue is recorded and passed on to a Social Policy Coordinator with any information identifying the client removed.
The Social Policy Coordinator’s role is to check the quality and nature of the report and take action depending on its nature.
The anonymous report is passed to the Citizens Advice Central Policy Unit where data from across the country is collated and used to inform national campaigns and government decision makers.
The Coordinator may also identify an issue which needs to be addressed at a local level and will take action to try to influence the organisation involved. This may mean anything from a letter to the executive responsible, a campaign identifying other cases of similar problems or a press release. It greatly depends on the situation but the confidentiality of the client is always maintained.
The information is also exchanged within CABC through the Cornwall Campaigning Action Group (CCAG).
So a problem experienced by one individual may generate action within CAB either locally or nationally to change the way that organisations work to improve the way they operate and effect the public at large.
To see how our work can affect people lives take a look at our Case Studies page.