Mon, 30/10/2006 - 15:41 | Stephen Gray
This three year funding, through the Department's Regional Infrastructure Programme, will support costs of fourteen core staff in the organisation's regional office and will allow Citizens Advice to expand its range of services to local bureaux and to the public.
Speaking at Citizens' Advice Annual General Meeting at the Ramada Hotel, Belfast, Mr Hanson said:
Today's £1.53 million funding package will allow Citizens Advice to improve access to advice services and actively target the most disadvantaged in society. It will also help develop the range of membership services with a particular emphasis on making the best use of new technology. It is a fitting endorsement of your energy and creativity in improving as an organisation, as a service provider and as a driver for social justice.
The Minister continued: "Citizens Advice Bureau clients will gain to the tune of £26million over the next three years through the support of the local offices. This demonstrates a need for the development of voluntary sector advice services and for Citizens Advice to support its network across Northern Ireland."
The Regional Infrastructure Programme is administered by the Voluntary and Community Unit within the Department for Social Development and provides revenue core funding to a number of regional organisations involved in the delivery of support services to membership groups.
Citizens Advice is a regional voluntary sector advice organisation and delivers support services to its 28 affiliated local bureaux including training, IT development, funding advice, quality standards and representation.
The total funding package, amounting to £1,532,017 over three years, supports salaries for up to 14 core staff along with essential running costs of the organisation. This represents a 23% increase from the previous contract for funding.
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