Citizens Advice Belfast held their Annual General Meeting on Monday 6th December in the Long Gallery at Stormont. The theme this year was ‘Addressing Financial Inclusion Needs of New Migrant Communities’ and a new report ‘Financial Inclusion Project for new Migrant Workers’ was also officially launched at the meeting. The report was as a result of a partnership project with the Information Centre about Asylum and Refugees and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.
The event was attended by Minster for Social Development Alex Attwood, Jennifer McCann MLA, and Anna Lo MLA.
Jennifer McCann opened the meeting and recognised the valuable work that bureaux advisers carry out particularly in relation to debt and finance.
Jennifer McCann MLA
Minister Attwood commended the report and acknowledged the ongoing need for information and advice for Migrant workers throughout Northern Ireland “This report, based on real life experiences, helps government to better understand the barriers too often experienced by local migrant communities. It is imperative that government department’s work together to develop services that best meet the needs of migrant workers and their families”.
Minister for Social Development, Alex Attwood
Anna Lo, MLA for South Belfast, highlighted the issues faced by migrant workers accessing the most basic services and emphasised the importance of the voluntary advice sector for providing much needed information.
Chief Officer for Citizens Advice Belfast, Mick McAtavey described the challenges faced and addressed by bureaux to ensure services were well maintained in the face of the recession and that many positives had been achieved, including over £6.1 million income generated for CAB clients across Northern Ireland through the SSA Benefit Uptake Programme. Two Belfast bureaux moved to larger more accessible premises and partnership working was continuing at grassroots level throughout the community advice network in Belfast.
Other speakers included Annabel Knight from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and Julie Gibbs from the Information Centre about Asylum and Refugees who provided an overview of the Financial Inclusion project and the main findings from the report.
Left to right Mick McAtavey Chief Officer, Citizens Advice Belfast, Liz Dugdale, Area Director Citizens Advice West, Annabel Knight, Calouste Gulbenkian, Anna Lo MLA, Peter O'Hare, Financial Inclusion Officer, Citizens Advice Belfast, Julie Gibbs, ICAR
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