Publications

An evaluation of our Campaigns and Communication survey which ran from March - April 2024.

Welcome to the Spring 2024 edition of Voice Magazine. 

In this issue: 

• dealing with debt, bureaux are getting creative to deal with an increase in debt enquiries
• our volunteer support team and plans for Volunteers' Week
• Dalkeith CAB has set up a support group for local men
• sustainability - how can CABs make a difference?
• could your bureau achieve Investing in Volunteers accreditation?  
• Laura Plumb is rowing for the network - raise funds for your bureau by getting on board

Read it online or download a PDF.

An evaluation of the Worried This Winter? energy support campaign, which ran from November 2023 until the end of January 2024. 

Welcome to the Autumn 2023 edition of Voice Magazine. 

In this issue:

• what  happened at our first in-person conference in 3 years
• outreach in the Highlands - new work from Central Sutherland colleagues
• we meet our new Chair, Simon Rennie
• accessible communications - Drumchapel CAB explains how they achieved a new accreditation
• our new volunteering strategy, what happens next?
• money advice delivered in the building society - a productive relationship between network and the industry.

Read it online or download a PDF.

An evaluation of the Debt Happens campaign, which ran in Spring 2023. 

The need for emergency food aid continues to be a prominent issue throughout Scotland with demand for food banks on the rise in post-Covid recovery and the cost-of-living crisis. The purpose of the Shopping Card Pilot was to investigate alternative methods of reducing food insecurity and providing immediate financial need. The pilot intended to provide households with greater dignity and choice alongside provision of money advice as a way to provide long term support. 

This research report looks at the private rented sector in Argyll and Bute and was made possible through the award of Small Impact Grant from Citizens Advice Scotland and delivered in-house by bureau staff. 

Scoping this work, the bureau had two overarching objectives:

-   to raise awareness of freely available advice and support to tenants, as all too often tenants are unaware of their rights or approach the bureau only at the stage when they are potentially facing eviction;

and,

-   to gain a better understanding of the challenges facing private rental tenants in the area which also has a thriving and important tourism sector.

Through a mix of print, radio and digital promotion, an estimated 20,000 people were reached, helping to raise awareness of the bureau and the advice and support available on a wide range of everyday issues facing local people including advice on housing, debt, employment and welfare.

Central to this research was a private sector rental survey which was designed to capture the views of those currently renting in that sector, as well as those looking for a private rental in the area.  Completing the survey in full, 155 people shared their views and experiences.  Focus groups followed and provided further opportunity to gain deeper insight into private rental experience. 

Delivering this report comes at a time of significant and potential change in the private and short term rentals sectors in Scotland.  The report seeks to provide useful insight into the private rental sector in Argyll and Bute, the challenges private sector renters face, and how closely aligned economic prosperity and the availability of safe, secure, warm and affordable homes are to the area.  

This briefing presents the impact of the Scottish Citizens Advice network over the last few years, and its value to the communities it serves. 

Here is the Autumn/Winter 2021 edition of Voice. In this issue we focus on some if the green issues that we have all been thinking about in the wake of COP26. We hear from colleagues who attended the climate summit and learn a bit about their roles there. Patrick Harvie MSP shares his thoughts on the event and tells us how we, as a network, can support Net Zero ambitions. We also take a look at a range of energy related issues - from the BESW campaign to fuel poverty and rising energy costs. The Increase Volunteering project team gave us the low down on how they ae supporting training and Roxburgh CAB are ahead of the game in helping their local community to comply with upcoming fire and smoke alarm regulations.