Kingston Citizens Advice Bureaux Annual Report 2007 - 2008

Objectives & Aims

The charity's objects are to promote any charitable purpose for the benefit of the community in the Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames, by the advancement of education, the protection and preservation of health and the relief of poverty, sickness and distress.

KCABS' aims are to provide free, confidential, impartial and independent advice and information for the benefit of the local community, to exercise a responsible influence on the development of social policies and services and to ensure individuals do not suffer through a lack of knowledge or an inability to express their needs effectively

In addition to the continuing provision of high quality advisory services to the local community the primary objectives for the year were:

  • Good access to the service to best suit clients' needs across the range of subjects.
  • Monitoring and assessing the service we provide to ensure and improve quality.
  • Increase provision of our service to 16 to 24 year olds -we have identified this as an under-represented group.
  • Provision of an efficient and streamlined staff structure to make best use of our resources.
  • Maintaining excellent external relations to ensure best outcomes for our clients and safeguard the future of our service.
  • Increasing funding to deliver our objectives.
  • Engagingmore in campaigning for change in furtherance of Citizens Advice aims and objectives.
  • Maintaining external quality accreditation to provide evidence to our funders and clients that we use our resources effectively and offer a high quality service.
KCAB case examples:

Client had debts, had very sad personal circumstances (ill health and bereavement) she had settled a debt with Barclaycard and they continued to pursue her. She felt quite desperate and harassed. We intervened; Barclaycard stopped pursuing, and apologized. Client said life was transformed.