Member Article

Making a difference to your community

A charity that helps people resolve their money, legal and other problems by providing information and advice is in turn appealing for help.

Citizens Advice Darlington, which offers free legal and financial advice, is appealing for volunteers to join its team and is hosting an open morning for people to find out more.

Last year in Darlington, the charity relied on volunteers to campaign for change and to help people solve more than 24,000 problems, mostly in connection with benefits, money, housing and employment.

The charity now needs people of all ages and backgrounds to get involved in the advice service or with campaigns and policy work and help with administration, IT, fundraising and finance.

One volunteer said: “I first entered Citizens Advice Darlington as a client in need of advice regarding council tax debt. I remember thinking it seemed like an interesting job and expressed an interest in becoming a volunteer. Over the year I have become more confident and have become far more active in the community as a whole.”

In a recent straw poll, more than 80 per cent of Citizens Advice Darlington volunteers said they felt more engaged in their community and more than 86 per cent said volunteering had had a positive effect on their health.

Neeraj Sharma, Citizens Advice Darlington chief executive, said: “Volunteers are at the heart of our service helping thousands of residents and workers of Darlington each year. By training and investing in our volunteers we help to develop their abilities and they in turn help the people in the community with their problems.”

The open morning will be held at Citizens Advice Darlington, Bennet House, Horsemarket, Darlington, on Thursday, November 19, from 10am until noon. For more information, phone 01325 256999 or email training@darlingtoncab.co.uk

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Citizens Advice Darlington .