Shropshire Information, Advice, Advocacy and Guidance Forum
The Shropshire Information, Advice, Advocacy and Guidance Forum joined the VCS Assembly in July 2011. The Forum has grown from CLASP (Community Legal Advice Services Partnership) set up in 2009 following a grant awarded by The Big Lottery Advice Plus programme. CLASP is a partnership of Advice providers (Citizens Advice Shropshire, A4U, Shropshire Housing Alliance & Shrewsbury Homes for All) and 6 supporting partners (Headway, Age Concern, Independent Living Fund, PCAS, OSCAR & SHARP). Plans are in place to open up membership of the forum and work as part of the VCS Assembly offering all agencies that have an interest in or provide information, advice, guidance & advocacy the opportunity to work together.The purpose of this Forum of Interest is to create an effective link between agencies who share the common partnership aims:
- To deliver independent, information, advice & guidance in Social Welfare Law including Welfare Benefits, Debt, Housing, Employment, Community Care, Consumer, Education and Immigration across the County of Shropshire.
- To provide Advocacy support for Clients
- To Increase access to free advice for the most vulnerable people
- To achieve consistent high quality advice standards across the participating advice agencies
- Promote partnership working
With the increased opportunities brought about by the Public Sector reforms, the role of the Forum will be developed to include:
- Promoting and engaging in good working relationships with statutory organisations across the County in order help members to tender for and deliver any increases in public sector delivery.
- Supporting members in demonstrating the social impact of their work and the social return on an investment in the voluntary sector.
- We are looking to support and develop an information exchange between the voluntary and statutory sectors and to enable members of our Forum to have an effective voice at appropriate decision-making opportunities.
To find out more contact: Jackie Jeffrey, Chief Executive, Citizens Advice Shropshire, Telephone: 01743 284178 Email: dpm@shropshirecab.cabnet.org.uk