Business and Development Plan
2009-2011 [updated January 2010]

1 Introductory Summary

The Jersey CAB had been operating for 31 years and is a member of the Association of Jersey Charities. The Bureau's mission is 'to provide high quality information and advice, championing the rights of individuals and promoting equality and justice for all citizens'.

We deal with an average of 210 clients per week. Information and advice is sought on a whole range of life issues from consumer and housing to employment and benefits. The Bureau employs three full-time staff, five part-time staff and a team of twenty nine volunteer workers.

We have a Service Level Agreement [SLA] with the Health and Social Services Ministry of the States of Jersey to "support the services of the Bureau for the purpose of providing an information and advice service operated within the aims, principles and policies of Citizens Advice subject to an agreed grant and to a defined level of service".

In July 2009 we secured funding from the Fiscal Stimulus Package to increase  the availability of our Debt Advice Service to help businesses and individuals through the economic downturn. The funding, which is paid in six monthly instalments, will be for a minimum of one year and six months and a maximum of two years and six months. No funding will be provided beyond 31 December 2011.

This Business and Development Plan has two central themes. The improvement of service delivery and the development of new services designed to enhance accessibility.

The Plan puts forward six strategic aims :-

1. To improve our generalist information and advice service so as to remain the first point of contact for help for all members of the community, particularly those facing social exclusion and discrimination.
2. To continue to invest substantially in information technology (IT).
3. To develop the strengths and skills of all our staff, with special emphasis on harnessing the contribution of volunteers.
4. To demonstrate to our principal donors the achievement of positive outcomes and value for money.
5. To represent our clients' interests by exerting influence over States of Jersey policies and practices.
6. To respond to new challenges always accepting that any new initiatives must be adequately funded and where successful, can be sustained in the long term.

This Plan sets out how this strategy can be achieved with adequate financial backing from our current partners.

The Bureau has built up high levels of public trust and awareness and the Plan sets out a three year future for its continued success.

2 Statement of Purpose

The aims of the Citizens Advice Service are:

• to provide the advice people need for the problems they face
• to improve the policies and practices that affect people's lives.

The Jersey CAB is a charity and a member of Citizens Advice. We provide a generalist and holistic information and advice service in the Island of Jersey, which at the date of the last census, March 11th 2001, had a resident population of 87,186.The estimated population, as at December 2007, was 90,800.

We help people resolve their problems and endeavour to influence policy makers based on our clients' experiences. Our service is independent and provides free, confidential and impartial advice to everybody regardless of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, age or nationality. It recognises the positive value of diversity, promotes equality, and challenges discrimination.

In 2009 the total client contact figure was 11,057 which represent 15% of the Island' s adult population.

3 Action Plan

1. Advice Services

   Overall Aim

   To improve our generalist information and advice service so as to remain the first point of contact for help for all members of the community, particularly those facing social exclusion and discrimination.

   Specific Aims

   1. To provide "gateway assessments" and telephone diagnostic interviews. These terms describe a process in which a client is asked questions and a decision made to provide information to enable the client to deal with their own enquiry, and/or signpost or refer the client to further services internally or externally. The aim is to speed the progress of clients through the Bureau and enable the service to help more people by appropriate use of good quality information, for example from the CAB information kiosk/s.
   2. Increase the number of appointments available for money advice in order to meet the continued demand for this service.
   3. Continue to help members of the Portuguese community by employing a paid, Portuguese Nationality Advice Worker.
   4. Improve access to our service for members of the Polish community by employing a volunteer adviser who is fluent in Polish.
   5. Continue to offer free, legal advice to clients in partnership with the Jersey Law Society and the Acting Bâtonnier at our weekly legal advice clinic.
   6. Further develop our e-mail advice service.


2. Information and IT

   Overall Aim

   In order to deliver all our services more efficiently, we will continue to invest substantially in information technology (IT).

   Specific Aims and Objectives:

   1. Carry out bi-annual audits of our computer systems and software to ensure that we take advantage of the latest developments in IT.
   2. Our website information pages will be kept up to date and continually enhanced so that more people will be able to access information for themselves.
   3. All computer hardware to be replaced every 5 years on a rolling basis.
   
   
3. Staff and Training

   Overall Aim

   We will develop the strengths and skills of all our staff with special emphasis on harnessing the contribution of volunteers. The annual value of our volunteers is calculated to be £105,588.

   Specific Aims and Objectives:

   1. Recruit enough volunteers to fill all the available roles, including membership of the Bureau's Management Committee.
   2. Create a career structure for paid staff supported by appropriate training.
   3. All paid and voluntary staff to have an annual appraisal and review.
   4. Ensure good governance, adopt best practice in human resource management and compliance with employment legislation.
   5. Provide induction, training and support for all new staff to ensure that they all achieve competency in their particular roles in the Bureau.
   6. Bureau performance and compliance with Citizens Advice membership requirements to be demonstrated by bi-annual audits of Citizens Advice Audit Team.
   
   
4. Funding

   Overall Aim

   We will demonstrate to our funders the achievement of positive outcomes and value for money. We will engage in fundraising activities in order to expand and diversify funding and will improve our efficiency by keeping our revenue expenditure constantly under review.

   Specific Aims and Objectives:

   1. Build on our partnership with the Health and Social Services Department.
   2. Raise the profile of the Bureau as a charity and demonstrate the impact of our services on the Island's community in order to attract new donors, in particular corporate sponsors.
   3. Work with other local charities, through membership of the Association of Jersey Charities, to ensure that the States of Jersey acknowledges the value of the voluntary and not-for-profit sector.
   4. Increase financial stability of Bureau by building up a cash reserve equivalent to three months of expenditure.
   5. Organise at least one major fundraising event per annum.
   
   
5. Have a greater influence on Policy

Overall Aim

We will represent our clients' interests by exerting influence over States of Jersey policies and practices.

Specific Aims and Objectives:

1. Respond to consultation documents on future legislation so that policy makers have a better understanding of our clients' experiences.
2. Seek resources for social policy work.
3. Undertake more social policy work in collaboration with other agencies and through membership of the Social Policy Forum.
4. Co-operate with the media on "breaking news" items.
5. Ensure our social policy work promotes equality and diversity.
6. Respond to requests for information from States of Jersey Scrutiny Panels.


6. Innovate and develop new services

   Overall Aim

   We will seek to develop partnerships with the States of Jersey and other agencies to further the aims of the service and to respond to new challenges accepting that any new initiatives must be adequately funded and, where successful, can be sustained in the long term.

   Specific Aims and Objectives:

1. Work closer with the Prison Governor and his staff to ensure that prisoners have access to our information and advice services.
2. Purchase and install CAB information kiosks in public places.
3. Offer members of the public free financial education courses in conjunction with the Jersey International Business School.

Appendix I

Description of Current Service

The Bureau provides a generalist advice service which is open to the public at the following times:

Telephone advice is available at the same times.

The Bureau also has a Debt Advice Service. Appointments are available during the following times:

Every Wednesday between 12.30 and 2.00 we hold a  diagnostic Legal Advice Clinic, staffed by qualified advocates or solicitors. Clients are seen by appointment only. A Personal Injury Clinic is held on the last Thursday of each month between 12.00 and 2.00. Clients for both clinics are seen by appointment only.

We aim to have sufficient volunteer advisers so as to be able to have 3 generalist advisers available each working day. This means we need to aim for a minimum establishment figure of 20 volunteer advisers in order to allow for holidays, sickness etc.

We have a team of volunteer receptionists who provide "front of house" service for clients who call into the Bureau for advice and information.

Current Staffing Levels

Paid Staff

Appendix III

Community Profile

See the Report on the Jersey Annual Social Survey 2009 available from The States of Jersey Statistics Unit website www.gov.je/Government/JerseyWorld/StatisticsUnit/PeopleCommunities/Pages/Socialstatistics.aspx

Appendix IV

Income and Expenditure Projection

Appendix V

Notes to Income and Expenditure Projections 2010 - 2011

1. Health and Social Services grant increased by 2.5% per annum. 
2. Wage freeze in 2010 and 2011