The FAIR project is a service for people over 50 in Torbay. It stands for Financial Advice, Information & Resilience and offers advice and information on benefits, local welfare provision, getting the best utility deals and help for those in debt. The project is a joint venture involving local community groups and specialist providers and is led by Citizens Advice Torbay. It is funded by the National Lottery Community Fund via Ageing Well Torbay.
FAIR community volunteers will assist clients with simple benefits and debt enquiries and refer more complex cases on to specialist partners as appropriate. The specialist partners are Citizens Advice Torbay, Age UK, Homemaker SouthWest and Torbay Advice Network. Mencap are another one of our partners and run workshops for unpaid carers and people with a learning disability around various aspects of finance. Healthwatch Torbay, Sanctuary Housing and VisualEyes are also partners in this initiative.
We offer a drop-in service and people can self-refer at four community access points:
The Acorn Youth Community & Sports Centre, Lummaton Cross, Barton, Torquay,
TQ2 8ET. 01803 328819 www.acorn-centre.org.uk
Open Monday – Friday 9 am – 9pm, Saturday 9 am – 5 pm.
Brixham Does Care, Old Market House, Town Hall, 1 New Road, Brixham, TQ5 8TA.
01803 857727 www.brixhamdoescare.co.uk
Open Monday – Friday 9.45 am – 4 pm.
Brixham Youth Enquiry Service (YES), The Edge, Bolton Street, Brixham, TQ5 95H.
01803 851414 www.bxyes.org.uk
Open Monday – Friday 11 am – 5 pm.
Crafty Fox Café ‘n’ Hub, 103 Foxhole Road, Paignton, TQ3 3SU.
01803 669005 www.craftyfoxcafe.com
Open Monday – Friday 10 am– 3 pm.
Volunteers at the community groups will assist clients with simple benefits and debt enquiries and refer more complex cases on to specialist partners as appropriate. These specialist partners are Citizens Advice Torbay, Age UK, Homemaker SouthWest and Torbay Advice Network. Mencap, Healthwatch, Sanctuary Housing and VisualEyes are also partners in this initiative. Mencap will be running workshops for unpaid carers and people with a learning disability around various aspects of finance.
Join us as a FAIR volunteer
We are always looking for more volunteers to join FAIR at various community settings across Torbay. This is an exciting opportunity for people who want to help others in their local community, learn new skills or utilise existing ones.
No experience is necessary as we offer a comprehensive training programme, including sessions on client confidentiality, listening skills, identifying advice needs, effective form filling, financial capability, mental health awareness and the various welfare benefits. The training is provided by Torbay Advice Network (TAN).
The service is for people aged 50 and over and, whilst all are welcome, we are particularly keen to recruit volunteers from this age group.
For more information on becoming a volunteer, or any aspect of FAIR, please contact FAIR co-ordinator Susan Bottomley:
Email: susan.bottomley@citizensadvice.org.uk
Phone: 07706 714366
