Anyone who was only just about managing before the cost-of-living crisis isn't managing now, which is why demand for our service has increased threefold and why we need your help to respond. We aim to raise approx £9,000 to recruit, train and equip 6 new volunteer advisers. This will help us reach more people with free impartial and confidential advice and help free up our more experienced advisers and specialists to help with the more complex issues people face as they fall into crisis. Over the last 12 months, 57% of people we helped were at risk of homelessness and 62% disclosed mental health issues. Many were experiencing fuel poverty and relying on foodbanks to eat. With your support this project will enable us to recruit an additional team of volunteer advisers who when trained will help people have the benefits they are entitled to, are relieved from debt issues and the threat of homelessness and have the confidence and the tools to move forward with their lives in confidence.

What we'll deliver:

• Six new volunteer advisers recruited
• Six volunteer advisers fully trained
• Portable IT equipment provided for six new volunteer advisers
• 1800 more clients helped per year

Why it's a great idea:

Coping with financial crisis such as debt and potential homelessness is proven to have a detrimental effect on people's mental and physical health as well as on their family relationships. As well as providing increased volunteering opportunities in the area, recruiting, training and equipping more volunteer advisers will result in more clients receiving the help they desperately need, relieving them from a crisis situation and giving them the tools and the confidence they need to move forward with their lives. Without this project many local people in crisis could slip through the net and their situation could spiral out of control leading to more complex issues later on. This project will enable us to respond quickly and minimise the impact the cost of living crisis could potentially have on so many local people. With your support volunteers will gain increased health and well-being as they learn new skills, meet new people and make a positive difference in their local community.

Steps to get it done:

• Recruitment drive to recruit new volunteer advisers
• Volunteer induction
• Volunteer training

Citizens Advice volunteers come from all walks of life and choose to volunteer for a variety of reasons. Our volunteers include students, people getting back into work after career breaks, people with part-time jobs, carers, and people who’ve retired. Every volunteer gets something different from their volunteering experience, including the opportunity to: make a positive difference to people's' lives improve self esteem, confidence and wellbeing gain invaluable work experience receive high quality training and develop new skills use existing skills and knowledge to benefit the local community meet new people from a range of backgrounds feel valued and part of a team change the way things work for the better Volunteering with Citizens Advice provides training, skills and experience that is valued by many employers. Many volunteers who leave local Citizens Advice go on to paid employment, including with the Citizens Advice service, as well as other organisations.