Advice services in the Braintree district are about to get even better.
Braintree, Halstead and Witham Citizens Advice Bureau, Mid Essex Mind, Greenfields Community Housing, Braintree District Council, Age UK Essex and Rural Community Council of Essex have joined forces to improve advice and support in relation to welfare benefits, debt, housing and employment.
The new Braintree Advice Services Partnership will be engaging with all of the organisations that provide advice services to make it easier for people to obtain the support needed at the time and place it is required. On behalf of the partnership Rural Community Council of Essex has successfully secured £154,336 from the Big Lottery Advice Services Transition Fund to review all of the existing services, their resources and capacity. This will form the foundation for a new pilot service delivery model that will be launched as part of the project.
Working together each organisation will benefit from the support offered by partners and each will be able to focus on their particular strengths rather than being drawn into the provision of advices services outside of their particular remit. This will ultimately develop best practice, minimise any duplication of effort, increase overall capacity and provide a greater understanding of the services available. However the main benefits will be to anyone seeking advice and support anywhere within the Braintree district.
The partnership will develop a new model for service delivery over the next nine months. The aim is to launch a six month pilot service starting in April 2014 to demonstrate the improved outcomes and secure longer term funding to sustain the service
For more information:
Brian Goodwin
Rural Community Council of Essex
Tel: 01376 574341
