Source: Radio New Zealand
The Citizens Advice Bureau is dealing with what it calls a “growing crisis” of people struggling to meet their basic living costs.But with hundreds of thousands of requests each year, volunteers are helping people all over the country to advocate for themselves and get the support they’re entitled to. Lauren Crimp visited the Porirua branch to watch the team in action.
The doorbell sounds, and an elderly man tentatively pokes his head in.
“Hello, I don’t have an appointment…”
“No problem,” a volunteer says. “How can I help?”
While the doors at Porirua’s Citizens Advice Bureau are open, anyone can stroll in, at any time, and ask a question about… well, anything.
When RNZ paid the team a visit, Francell Felise and her husband Peter Logovii had just finished up their appointment.
It was the day after they officially became New Zealand citizens – thanks to volunteers who guided them through the process – and they were getting help with the paperwork for their New Zealand passports.
“We always come here for help,” Felise said.
“Even though we’re not good at speaking English … they really help us [find out] how to get what we want to do.”
Citizens Advice Bureau volunteers guided Francell Felise Logovii and Peter Logovii through the process of becoming New Zealand citizens. RNZ / Mark Papalii
It’s an important service for people like the Logoviis who don’t know where to start, she said.
“And it’s good for people who migrate to New Zealand, because … we know nothing about New Zealand, but these guys help us through how to manage and how to do our living here in New Zealand.
“We’re so happy with them and their service.”
Saw Tha Du Paul had called in to ask for help with getting a ‘P’ endorsement on his driver licence, so he could apply to become an Uber driver.
Volunteer Francesca Black said he had to prove he had no convictions.
“He came to New Zealand as a refugee, so there is no evidence, he can’t go back to Myanmar and there are no records,” she said.
She called the Transport Agency to find out what he needed – evidence he came in as a refugee – and she was helping Paul fill in the relevant form, copy his documents, and get them signed by a Justice of the Peace.
Citizens Advice Bureau around the country deal with hundreds of thousands of requests for help each year. RNZ / Mark Papalii
It was the third time Paul had visited the CAB, with volunteers also helping him find a place to live. Without them, he and other migrants he knew would feel “helpless”, he said.
Black said she enjoyed helping make life that little bit easier for someone in need.
“It can be really daunting when you have, in this case, a form to fill in … and you think, ‘I’ve got no idea how to manage this’,” she said.
“So coming to Citizens Advice, we can help … find ways, find out options and sort of give confirmation so people can go away feeling more confident about what they’re doing.”
Saw Tha Du Paul (left) has visited CAB three times, while volunteer Francesca Black says she enjoys helping make life just a little easier for someone in need. RNZ / Mark Papalii
Empowering clients who are ‘at their wits’ end’
Black is one of more than 30 volunteers who give up three hours of their time each week at the Porirua branch, filling a roster of two three-hour shifts each day. Nationwide, there are 2500 volunteers across 80 branches.
Natalie Vermaak – the Porirua branch manager and sole staff member – coordinates her crew of volunteers, and describes them as the bridge between clients and government agencies.
“Lots of clients, when they walk in, we are their last resort, so they’re kind of at their wits’ end,” she said.
“Our volunteers are empowering them, and giving them the tools to help them manage their situations, and helping them advocate for themselves so when they leave here, they’re feeling more confident in themselves and confident about what they’re entitled to.”
This year, most people who visited needed financial help, said Vermaak.
Their budgeting advisor often had back to back appointments with people whose whose benefits did not cover the bills, who needed budgeting advice to help them stay afloat, or who wanted to make KiwiSaver hardship withdrawals.
Natalie Vermaak says this year most people who visited Porirua’s Citizens Advice Bureau needed financial help. RNZ / Mark Papalii
“Clients are trying to get those funds out to pay for power bills, to try and pay rent that is in to stop them from sleeping in their cars,” she said.
Volunteers were well trained, she said, thanks to a six-week induction course and time spent with a mentor volunteer.
“We do ongoing learning and development for our volunteers, so that they’re aware of what community organisations are around here and what’s available to people, so that … our volunteers know who to contact to get our clients the right help.”
It’s a free, independent service – funded by donations and grants, not the government.
Vermaak said grants were increasingly harder to come by, and with inflation biting it was tougher to cover overheads. But the volunteer system remained strong, she said.
“I’m always proud of the work our volunteers do because I know that our team here puts in over and above their three-hour shift per week, and they go above and beyond,” she said.
“We’re changing lives every day.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
