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50-years of the Citizens Advice Bureau, Volunteers proud to serve community


thumbnail CAB Volunteers Callum and Louise-632For 50-years the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) has been serving New Zealand communities by helping people to understand their rights, as well as exerting a positive influence on social policy development. The first CAB in New Zealand opened its doors on Ponsonby Terrace in 1970 and there are now over 80 CABs throughout the country, with thousands of volunteers giving their time and skills to serve the public.

Our own local CAB opened in Wellsford in 1986, where Louise was one of the founding members, and is currently celebrating her 35th anniversary as a volunteer.

“I was one of the originals, when the bureau opened,” says Louise. “It was an opportunity for me after years of being a nurse, and it is a great way of serving my community.”

Things have changed a fair bit over the past 50 years of the CAB service. Louise remembers the days when there were no computers, and researching information was a very different task. She reflects that, as volunteers, they learnt so much on the job as they helped clients.

“There have been many changes over the years, and workers have had to keep up with these changes when it comes to giving advice to clients. When we started back in 1986 it was a challenge then with 13 volunteers, but for the community as a whole it has been such an asset with people having come to trust the bureau.”

Louise also noted that some people would come to the CAB and they didn’t feel entitled to their rights or know how to access these.

“The CAB provided a safe place for people to ask their questions, everybody has a right to be treated properly and fairly,” she says.

Callum, a much newer volunteer with the CAB, recalls his first experience with the CAB at the Auckland Central Library as a ‘poor student’ asking for help with tenancy and employment issues.

“Ten years after when I went back to university, I decided to become the person to give advice at the Citizens Advice Bureau. We are a family unit here, and it makes the work so much more enjoyable, with a support network of 2500 volunteers around New Zealand.”

Louise spoke about a time when the bureau had mostly female volunteers who were full-time mothers and had no other work experience.

“Once they started working at the CAB, we empowered them and often many would go on to find other jobs.”

Callum has been involved with the CAB during the more recent challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The Citizens Advice Bureau was founded in the UK following World War II, at a time of uncertainty,” he says. “Similarly, the CAB has stepped up for the public during a time of uncertainty with the Covid-19 pandemic.”

He notes how enquiries from clients changed with Covid-19, with people wanting to know about things like the wage subsidy, border controls and various employment issues. Louise, having been a nurse for 20 years, supports the lockdown and believes people are trying their best to follow the rules, but notes that this hasn’t stopped the hard work of the bureau with volunteers adapting to the situation and taking phone enquiries while they are at home.

Louise and Callum are both passionate advocates for social justice in the community and people having access to their rights.

“We live in an increasingly complex world, and some people are left behind with the CAB playing an important role informing those people of their rights in society,” says Callum.

Louise notes that people have a lot more access to their rights now than they did ‘way back then’ and felt that it was important to continue to empower people with knowledge and information.

“The Citizens Advice Bureau is so established now and it is just part of the community and it is always progressing with all CABs learning around the country,” she says.

Callum and Louise want people to know that the CAB is always the best place to start when you need access to information or have a problem, with it remaining a free and confidential service.

So, if you have a problem and don’t know where to start, visit one of the friendly volunteers at Wellsford Citizens Advice Bureau, 1 Matheson Road in Wellsford, open Monday to Friday 10am–2pm, or call (09) 423 7333.

 

Callum and Louise at a recent event. Louise is celebrating 35 years as a volunteer. PHOTO/SUPPLIED


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