Minority groups to get specialist advice and support, thanks to council grant
Arun and Chichester Citizens Advice has received nearly £25k of funding from Arun District Council to help local people with their finances.
The funding will finance a dedicated Financial Capability Adviser to work with marginalised residents such as disabled people, carers, refugees and survivors of domestic abuse, to create a sustainable household budget.
The funding has been allocated from the previous government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), awarded to councils to support projects that boost productivity, pay, jobs and living standards, improve public services, empower local leaders and communities, or restore a sense of community and local pride.
Arun and Chichester Citizens Advice already has training material to help clients develop their skills, but the funding will enable it to amend the material so that clients can apply their learning to the financial skills that will help them the most. For example, understanding percentages, interest rates, simple multiplication, addition, division and subtraction.
As part of the process, clients' working options would be explored with a view to maximising their income, including becoming self-employed and/or volunteering to improve employment prospects.
Councillor Roger Nash, Chair of the Economy Committee at Arun District Council, said:
“This demonstrates how the council is using the UKSPF allocation in a positive way, opening the barriers that sadly exist for marginalised groups to ensure that they benefit from the excellent advice on offer at Arun and Chichester Citizens Advice.
“The funding will allow the service to tailor the financial training in place to focus on the elements that will best serve this sector of our community, helping to empower them in the job market. Therefore, giving direct support where it’s needed most.”
Luca Badioli, Chief Executive of Arun and Chichester Citizens Advice, said:
“We are excited about the opportunity this project brings to marginalised members of our community to receive tailored one-to-one support from our Financial Capability Adviser. By equipping residents with the necessary skills to boost their employability we aim to improve their financial situation and their wellbeing and uplift our community.”
To self-refer into the new financial employability service, email fc@arunchichestercab.org.uk or if you are a third-party organisation please use this link: https://www.arunchichestercab.org.uk/refer/
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund was awarded by the previous UK government and is a three-year scheme that runs from 2022-2025, with all local authorities able to spend on local priorities to build pride in place, boost productivity and spread opportunities.