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Influencing Social Change
As well as working with individuals to offer advice and information on a personal level, we also work with other CAB, and Citizens Advice to seek to influence local services and national policies.
Whenever the CAB Service sees that services and policies are failing, it speaks out in order to influence a change and bring about fairer legislation.
Norwich and West Norfolk CAB has a Social Policy Unit that oversees all the issues raised by clients, which advisors consider to be unfair.
Identifying Issues
Social Policy issues can be identified through:-
Interviews with clients;
Contact with local groups and other charities with a similar client base.
Influencing Policy
The Bureau is often asked to comment on draft policies and guidelines before they are published. This enables us to influence policy and practice both locally and nationally. For example, we have recently commented on aspects of housing locally, and home care charges nationally.
Evidence reports are published on the problems brought to Bureaux nationally, for instance on housing or benefits. In these reports the CAB service recommends the changes that are needed to improve policies and services.
Recent issues include:
The difficulties faced by EU workers;
The problems faced by clients who have changed fuel suppliers;
Client experiences of the introduction of pension and tax credits.
Have Your Say
Details of individual clients are kept completely confidential, unless they agree to have them disclosed.
The reports often interest newspapers, radio and television. Journalists like to 'bring the story alive' by interviewing people who have personal experience of the problems, if they agree to "go public".
This can be an opportunity for you to have your say if you feel strongly about what has happened to you.
Talking about your experience helps the public to understand what is happening and can:
Help to resolve a particular problem
Help other people in a similar situation by drawing attention to an issue making it more likely that something will be done about it.
Are you interested in contact with the media?
During your interview at the CAB, you may like to talk to your adviser about contact with the media.
If you would like time to think about it, you can always get in contact with us later. If you tell us you are interested, we will bear you in mind if the opportunity for an interview with a paper or programme arises. We would not give out your details before speaking to you first and if you change your mind, don't worry.
For more information contact: the Social Policy Team or j.willingham@ncab.org.uk .
