Strabane & District CAB

Neighbourhood Renewal Benefit Uptake Project

Strabane and District Citizen’s Advice Bureau have received funding from the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme to target residents in the Strabane Neighbourhood Renewal Areas. 

The project’s objectives are to alleviate poverty of residents by maximising their income through providing a benefit uptake and to increase awareness of clients from the NHR area on CAB’s services.

Ballycolman

Carlton Drive

Lisnafin

Fountain Street

Springhill Park

Town Centre

The project is managed by the NHR Adviser with the assistance of an Administrator and volunteers.  Regular reports will be given to the manager of CAB through the life of the project who will provide monitoring reports to funders on agreed targets and outcomes.

The NHR Adviser can provide advice on a wide range of issues including debt, consumer, employment and housing. All residents are offered a benefit entitlement check in the hope to increase their income and assist them on passport benefits such as free road tax, blue badge, white badge, free school uniforms, free dinners etc. Tribunal representation is also available to residents.  

To date a number of homes have been targeted.  This was achieved by distribution of posters, flyers, letters posted in stages, advertising through the local press and support from community centres within the NHR areas. 

There has been a steady intake of clients who have already been targeted.  We are continuing to work through the remaining households within the targeted areas by contacting them in stages over the duration of the term which will end on March 2012.