Welcome to this week’s E News on the Citizens Advice Dorset website. The Advice Dorset Partnership E news is published fortnightly on a Thursday, BUT if there is something urgent in-between we will send out a short supplementary edition. This is one of those!!
Please can you now subscribe to the newsletter (it is still FREE but in future you will get an automatic notification when it is published) – and do encourage colleagues to subscribe too. The Subscribe option is at the bottom of this page! So far I can see that over 100 people have subscribed; if you haven’t done so already please do asap. From January 2024 you will not get the link sent by email.
If you would like to send anything out via the bulletin, and for all other enquiries about the Advice Dorset Partnership, contact Caroline Buxton at Citizens Advice Central Dorset: [email protected]
Jobs
Citizens Advice in East Dorset and Purbeck: A number of roles to join our Dorset and BCP Energy Unit which runs across the whole of Dorset (both Council areas):
- Energy Unit Trainee Energy/Energy Adviser required, both full time (37hrs p/wk) and part time (22.5hrs p/wk) posts available.
- Trainee/Experienced Admin Support worker required 15 hours p/wk.
The posts are for a 2 year fixed contract from April 2024, More details and application form are here, closing date for all roles: 18th March.
Citizens Advice in East Dorset and Purbeck – Training Manager: Citizens Advice in East Dorset and Purbeck is seeking an innovative and enthusiastic Training Manager. This is an exciting opportunity for someone looking for a new challenge.
Contract length: Permanent / Hours: 18 hours per week over three days
Closing date: Monday 18th March. Click here for more information.
Information updates
COST OF LIVING
March cost of living Fact Sheet:
2024 MARCH Cost-of-Living-Crisis-factsheet
Budget highlights for the advice sector:
- National Insurance – 2p reduction
- 6 month extension to Household Support Fund (more details awaited).
- Child benefit: The point at which child benefit is withdrawn will now be at a higher level of earnings.
- Removal of the £90 fee to apply for a Debt relief order.
- Universal credit deductions: The repayment period for people on universal credit to pay back budgeting loans has risen from 12 to 24 months.
Summary of ‘what it means to you’ on BBC website. Response from Citizens Advice – here.
Events and Training
International Women’s Day – Friday 8 March: Celebrate women’s achievement. Raise awareness about discrimination. Take action to drive gender parity. More information here . Various events and articles locally, for example: BCP Council – Inspiring inclusion on International Women’s Day
Safeguarding Awareness Training Sessions: A workshop for anyone who works with children, young people, and /or adults and needs the knowledge and skills required to help keep them safe. The workshop is aimed at those who work with individuals and groups in the voluntary and community sector (VCS), and is a pilot project in collaboration with Community Action Network (CAN) and Dorset Council’s Adult Safeguarding & Care team to support the needs of the sector. There are two dates available, booking via eventbrite: the course is free and ends with a networking lunch:
- Tuesday 19 March 10-2 at Weymouth Town Council = book here.
- Wednesday 27 March 10 – 2 at Dorchester Corn Exchange – book here.