On Friday 26th July project workers, service managers and others who had been involved in our Advice for Outcomes project design gathered for the official launch event. This innovative project is unique to central Nottinghamshire and is based on learning from the projects already running in Broxtowe.
Advice for Outcomes also draws on strong partnership working with organisations who deliver services in mental health, skills and careers and energy efficiency.
The project is designed to achieve lasting outcomes for Citizens Advice clients who experience severe and multiple disadvantages (SMD) and those who are financially excluded. There are two elements to the design that include Early Intervention Workers and Financial Resilience workers. Over the next three years 900 clients in Ashfield, Broxtowe and Newark & Sherwood will benefit from the project that seeks to achieve the following outcomes through proactive action planning with clients.
Well-being outcomes for people experiencing SMD
- People will be better able to manage the problems they face, keeping out of crisis
- People will be better able to access advice at an early stage and know where to go for the support they need
- People will report feeling more supported and less isolated
- People will have improved optimism about the future
Economic impact
- More people will become economically active
- People will report an increase in income
- People will access one-off grants to help them through a financial crisis
- Household spending will be reduced thanks to things like cheaper tariffs for services, improved energy efficiency and scam avoidance
- People will feel improved security in relation to their housing tenure
- People will report improved budgeting skills
- Clients will protect and increase assets. Things like savings, NI contributions and accessing pensions advice
The project has been made possible by a grant worth £351,317 from the National Lottery Community Fund, Reaching Communities Fund. There was also match funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund plan in Broxtowe, Broxtowe Borough Council and The Henry Smith Charity. Operations Director, Sally Bestwick explained;
“thanks to the generous funding from National Lottery, continued support from Broxtowe Borough Council and The Henry Smith Charity we can now deliver Advice for Outcomes across all of our districts in Central Nottinghamshire. This project very much hits the priorities of the building blocks in health as well as contributing to improved economic prosperity for all.”
Attendees listened to a project briefing and heard about the impressive results achieved by its forerunner in Broxtowe. They then joined in a lively client focused discussion.
Impact & Evaluation Manager for Citizens Advice Central Nottinghamshire, Neil Clurow said;
“this is the culmination of many years work designing and refining the project to achieve the best possible outcomes for our most vulnerable clients. It involved working with people with lived experience.”
He went on to say:
“The pandemic and cost-of-living crisis exposed just how many households are living on the edge, one crisis away form meltdown. Outcomes from the work of our Early Intervention Workers and Financial Resilience Workers shows how we can turn people’s lives around increasing their sense of wellbeing and increasing financial resilience and economic activity. A grant from the Community Fund has allowed us to deliver these activities consistently across Ashfield, Broxtowe and Newark & Sherwood.”
