Citizens Advice outside the United Kingdom

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Citizens advice organisations based upon the United Kingdom advice charity can be found in Spain, Gibraltar, New Zealand, Australia and the Channel Islands.

Organisations based on the British Citizens Advice charity exist in a number of jurisdictions outside the United Kingdom. Although none of these organisations is controlled by the British charity, they adopt the branding and identity of Citizens Advice to varying degrees.

Some are members of Citizens Advice International, an umbrella organisation created in 2004 to "represent the interests of independent free advice-giving organisations around the world".[1] It has 12 members.[1] However, the membership of Citizens Advice International also includes other national advice organisations totally unrelated to the British Citizens Advice.

Australia[edit]

There are citizens advice bureaus in a number of places in Australia.

In the state of Victoria they are now generally referred to as "community information and support services" rather than "Citizens Advice". Their umbrella and peak body is Community Information & Support Victoria (CISVic).[2] Local centres are located at:

  • Altona North
  • Bendigo
  • Boronia
  • Box Hill
  • Camberwell
  • Chelsea
  • Cobram
  • Coburg
  • Cranbourne
  • Croydon
  • Doncaster
  • Epping
  • Essendon
  • Frankston
  • Glen Huntly
  • Greensborough
  • Hampton East
  • Hastings
  • Laverton
  • Lilydale
  • Mentone
  • Mornington
  • Mt Waverly
  • Narre Warren
  • Oakleigh
  • Port Melbourne
  • Prahran
  • Preston
  • Ringwood
  • Rosebud
  • South Melbourne
  • Springvale
  • St Kilda
  • Warrandyte
  • West Heidelberg

In Western Australia there are the following CABs.[3] There are currently 10 branches located at:

In Queensland there are Citizen Advice Bureaus in:

The South Australian CAB is in Adelaide.

Legal Aid and free legal services to some extent augment Citizen Advice Bureaus in Australia.

Channel Islands[edit]

The Channel Islands have citizens advice bureaux in Jersey[7] and Gurnsey.[8]

Gibraltar[edit]

The British territory of Gibraltar has a citizens advice bureau.[9]

New Zealand[edit]

Citizens Advice Bureau NZ, known as CAB, was established in 1970. The Māori name, Nga Pou Whakawhirinaki o Aotearoa, reflects cts a place for seeking help, solace, and strength. The organisation's logo features a manaia motif symbolizing protection, unlike the British owl symbol, which holds negative connotations for some iwi.[10]

Similar to British charity, its twin aims are to “ensure that individuals do not suffer through ignorance of their rights and responsibilities” and “exert a responsible influence to the development of social policies and services”.[11] CAB operates 80 branches nationwide with over 2000 volunteers. [12][13]

Advice work[edit]

Volunteers engage with clients through various channels, such as face-to-face, free-phone, email, and chat, offering services like in-depth interviews, quick inquiries, and specialized clinics on legal, tenancy, budgeting, and more to support those in need.[12][14]

An independent 2018 survey concluded that 11% of the general population and 13% of the low-income population turned to CAB for assistance when having legal issues.[15]

Funding and impact[edit]

Each branch is affiliated nationally but managed locally. These not-for-profit charities rely on grants for funding.[16] A company that measures social value in dollar terms, found in 2022, that the North Shore branch social return on investment was $1:$13.20, in other words every NZ$1 invested in results in NZ$13.20 returned to New Zealand.[17] In 2023, when the Auckland mayor proposed cutting Council funding to Auckland CABs, a petition signed by 20,000 people led to a change in plans.[18]

Volunteers create an anonymous record of each enquiry. This dataset is used to shape social policies. For example, in 2021, this dataset was used in a University of Otago project to find ways to mitigate the negative impacts of unresolved legal problems on people’s everyday lives.[12] The most common legal problems are consumer, employment, rented housing, wills, enduring power of attorney, and neighbour disputes.

Branches[edit]

Branches in the South Island/ Te Waipounamu include locations like Invercargill, Christchurch, and Nelson, while North Island / Te Ika-a-Māui branches are in Hibiscus Coast, Waiheke Island, and many other places.[19]

Ireland[edit]

In Ireland they are at Ballina.[20]

Spain[edit]

A Spanish citizens advice organisation exists largely serving the British expat community in Spain.[21] CAB Spain asks for voluntary donations through their website for anyone who wishes to support them with funding. All advice by telephone, email, Facebook or at the legal clinics is free. All the information provided on the website for guidance and information is free. CAB Spain, is however, NOT affiliated in any way with CAB in the UK, which is a registered UK charity and therefore totally free, unlike CAB Spain which does not receive any funding so self-funding.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Login". citizensadvice.org.uk.
  2. ^ Community Information & Support Victoria (CISVic)
  3. ^ "Citizens Advice Bureau – Home". Cabwa.com.au. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Citizens Advice Bureau – Branches". cabwa.com.au. 28 March 2023.
  5. ^ "Citizens Advice Bureau - Brisbane".
  6. ^ Gold Coast
  7. ^ "Home". Cab.org.je. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
  8. ^ "Guernsey Citizens Advice Bureau – Home". Cabguernsey.org. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
  9. ^ "gcab". Cab.gi. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
  10. ^ "Our Kaupapa – Mauri Manaia". CAB NZ. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  11. ^ "About us – Mō tātou". Cab.org.nz. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  12. ^ a b c Toy-Cronin, B; Stewart, K (2022). "Expressed legal need in Aotearoa: From Problems to Solutions. Civil Justice Centre, University of Otago" (PDF). CAB NZ. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  13. ^ Toy-Cronin, Bridgette (13 February 2023). "What Citizens Advice Bureau does for Auckland, and why it's worth saving". The Spinoff. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  14. ^ "CABNZ 2023 Annual Report" (PDF).
  15. ^ "Legal needs among New Zealanders" (PDF). Ministry of Justice. 13 April 2018. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  16. ^ Smith, Laura (4 May 2023). "Rotorua Citizens Advice Bureau assured it will survive possible funding cuts". NZ Herald. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  17. ^ "ImpactLab GoodMeasure Report, Wellington, New Zealand, Prepared for: Citizens Advice Bureau North Shore Incorporated" (PDF). CAB NZ. October 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  18. ^ Walton, Felix (18 May 2023). "Relief as Citizens Advice Bureau earns reprieve from mayor's spending cuts". RNZ News. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  19. ^ "Charities Services | Home". Charities Register. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  20. ^ Ireland, CIB-Citizens Information. "Ballina Citizens Information Centre". centres.citizensinformation.ie. Archived from the original on 24 January 2018. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
  21. ^ "Welcome to the Citizens Advice Bureau Spain". Citizens Advice Bureau Spain. Retrieved 26 November 2020.

External links[edit]

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