Nationwide boosts Citizens Advice volunteer force

Finance | 4 Nov 2008

The number of volunteer financial education officers at Citizens Advice bureaux is to increase nearly 13-fold, thanks to a £3m partnership with a building society.

Nationwide Building Society has announced a three-year, £3m package that will help recruit and train 1,300 Citizens Advice volunteers to deliver financial education and training in communities across the UK. At present only 100 volunteers carry out financial capability work at the charity; most financial education is carried out by paid staff.

The news comes at a critical time for Citizens Advice, which last month revealed a 51 per cent increase in mortgage and secured loan enquiries in the third quarter of 2008 compared with the same period a year earlier.

The organisation also reported a 38 per cent increase in people coming to bureaux across the country for debt matters in the 12 months ending October 2008 compared with the previous year.

Prevention, not cure

The new volunteer financial education officers will work to educate and prevent consumers from getting into financial difficulty in the first place.

David Harker, chief executive of Citizens Advice, said: "The increase in the number of enquiries about basic essentials is worrying and these figures show how the current economic situation is hitting vulnerable and low-income households the hardest."

As a result of the expansion of the volunteer force, financial capability sessions will be held at community centres and bureaux across the country, and online at adviceguide.org.uk.

"The rising cost of living and the current economic situation are taking its toll on consumers," said Nationwide director for corporate affairs Maxine Taylor. "We recognize the role the Citizens Advice service has to play in providing free, independent and impartial education and advice."

Bureaux looking for a share of the £3m pot will have to lodge applications from November, with training expected to begin in mid-2009.

Directory: Citizens Advice

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