Interview with Stuart from 4in10 member organisation Rainbow Money Advice

 

SPOTLIGHT INTERVIEW

RAINBOW MONEY ADVICE, BARNET

  • How are you helping to tackle child poverty in London?

Rainbow Money Advice, established in 2015, is a service provided by Barnet Community Projects, and affiliated with Community Money Advice. We are based in the Rainbow Centre in a deprived part of the London Borough of Barnet.
Our aim is to give help and hope to people with money problems.  This is achieved by providing a free of charge money advice service that helps people deal with their debts, budgeting, and welfare benefits issues.  The service provides advice by appointments on Tuesdays.  We work closely with our colleagues Sarah and Jeanette, who run the Dollis Valley Angels emergency food delivery service at the Rainbow Centre, and with Anne and her team running a Lunch Club with activities for local school children in the school holidays.

  • Share with our members something positive about your organisation’s achievement or service.

As at the end of February 2021, we had held over 800 interviews, and helped 180 clients/families.  There have been cash successes of over £176,000 in annual awards (mostly welfare benefits, and savings in expenditure) – and over £130,000 in one-off gains, which include having debts cancelled and grants awarded.  Other successes include obtaining white goods and furniture for those who cannot afford them.  Several people who had been sleeping on the floor now have beds.  We have also helped make successful applications for Blue Badges, and Disabled Persons’ Freedom Passes.  We were delighted to be recently chosen to be Winner of the Barnet Group’s Community Group of the Year.
A memorable case, which highlights the work we do, concerns a woman diagnosed with a personality disorder, who had attempted suicide.  She incurred substantial rent arrears.  A successful application to Barnet Council for a Discretionary Housing Payment cleared the arrears and fortunately avoided eviction for our client and her four-year-old child.

  • What can other network members learn from you or find out more about through you?

Small agencies like ours do not have numerous volunteers and staff to discuss issues and share experiences.  It’s important, therefore, to build relationships with advisers in other agencies, and to participate in shared events, such as those provided by Money Advice Groups.  It’s also important to forge links with local charities providing mutual sources for signposting and referrals.
The Coronavirus pandemic has of course created many challenges for advisers and our clients.  We postponed our face-to-face appointments and replaced them with a remote service.  Some success has been achieved holding interviews by video, using Zoom and What’s App.  Being able to see your clients works best, as non-verbal clues can be missed over the phone.  Unfortunately, not all clients can afford, or are able to use, this sort of technology. Many clients seeking debt advice invariably brought large bundles of letters from creditors (often in unopened envelopes). Some clients have now been able to scan and email documents to us; whilst others have learnt to take photos with their mobile phones and send them to us by What’s App.
One positive from the pandemic is that it created the time and opportunity for money adviser Stuart to study online for the Certificate in Money Advice Practice.  This was provided by the Institute of Money Advisers with Staffordshire University (and kindly funded by Barnet Community Projects and the Thames Water Trust Fund).  The course is excellent, highly recommended, and the knowledge gained helps us to provide a much-needed service.

  • What would most help you achieve your goals?

More time and more volunteers = more money!  We are a small charity with limited resources, and there is a huge demand for appointments.  Our service has been a victim of its own success as the word has spread.  What started with helping people living across the road in the local estate has grown beyond expectations. Clients are being signposted/referred by numerous organisations, including local GPs and schools.  Our aim is to expand, to provide a service on several days of the week with a presence in other parts of the Borough.  We have started training new volunteers, and trainee Fanta (with experience gained at the Barnet Refugee Service) has already helped to advise clients.  More funding will enable us to train more volunteers and achieve our goals.

  • Why did you join 4in10? What do you enjoy about being part of the 4in10 network?

As already mentioned, networking is very important. 4 in 10 is a great organisation, with a shiny new website providing access to hundreds of great organisations, many of which have shared information and contacts with Rainbow Money Advice.  We always look forward to 4 in 10’s emailed Newsletter.  This is packed with essential information about events, surveys, campaigning, reports, job opportunities – and the all-important details of grants for clients, and funding for organisations.  It was through 4 in 10 that we experienced the inspiring London Child Poverty Week conference. We are grateful to 4 in 10 for bringing together the organisations and resources which will help us all tackle child poverty in London.

Contacts
For more information about Rainbow Money Advice, email Stuart Goodman on moneyadvice@barnetcp.org.uk or phone 07981 760 399 (Tuesdays and Thursdays).
For further information about Barnet Community Projects, our Dollis Valley Angels Project, or Lunch Club, email Steve Verrall on steveverrall@barnetcp.org.uk or phone 07946 728515.