The 2019/20 workplan sets out the projects CAS's Impact Team is committed to, and the change we want to see for people and communities across Scotland.
We use the data gained from the Scottish Citizens Advice network which has a footprint in every local community in Scotland and provides the largest data set on societal issues outside the public sector to set our priorities, and combine this with our national expertise, which includes consumer and energy knowledge, to make representation on the issues that matter to people, regardless of where they live in Scotland.
We intend to use our insight, evidence and influence to provide a genuine voice for people. Our advocacy work spans working with governments, regulators and business at a UK and Scottish level on improving areas of particular detriment, undertaking research and delivering awareness and education campaigns.
Our work is two-fold. We combine high quality research, first hand consumer case studies from across the Citizens Advice Scotland network (including Scotland’s Citizens Advice Bureaux, the Citizens Advice Consumer Service helpline and the specialist Extra Help Unit), and industry monitoring to identify and analyse existing and potential consumer issues.
This work allows us to then engage with decision makers in government, companies and regulators and achieve changes that will benefit consumers in Scotland. Without our evidence base, we could not provide robust recommendations, and without our advocacy work, our evidence would be wasted.