June 2014 Embedding Money Advice in Ethnic Minority Communities Workshop

Money Advice Scotland June 2014  National umbrella organisation  Raises standards in money advice and financial inclusion  Membership of over 200 organisations and individuals including CABx Housing associations Local authorities Debt managers Insolvency Practitioners

Money Advice Scotland  Training to Scottish National Standards  Qualifications in Money Advice  Consultancy line for money advisers  Annual Conference and Exhibition  Seminars  Social Policy  Input to policy making  Audit  Consultancy for external organisations June 2014

Money Advice Scotland  Recognised that membership was lacking input from Ethnic Minority Organisations  Acknowledged not much had changed since the Research which was publishing on vulnerable consumers  Wishes to reduce consumer detriment within Ethnic Minority communities  Want to encourage more participation both within Ethnic Minorities and mainstream organisations  Wants to see barriers as a thing of the past June 2014

Money Advice Scotland  Partnership organisation Keen to deliver outcomes working with others Many different partnerships for different reasons  CAS and MAS for a partnership called MATRICS delivering training, and consultancy – more efficient and can deliver across all sectors and in a unified way  CEMVO and MAS – delivering the Financial Inclusion Programme – playing to our strengths Could see what we could do collaboratively and make it work Identify funders – Scottish Legal Aid Board and Big Lottery Fund June 2014

CEMVO Scotland  National Intermediary organisation and strategic partner of the Scottish Government  Set up its operations in Scotland in 2003  Database network of over 600 EM organisations throughout Scotland  Strategic aim to build capacity and sustainability of the EMVS and its communities  Through our work, we gather continual intelligence about the needs and issues affecting the EMVS June 2014

Current Work Areas  Race Equality Mainstreaming Programme  EM young Leadership  Graduate Internship  Social Enterprise Support -Just Enterprise -Pre-capacity building & Young People  Ethnic Minority Third Sector Network  Black Leadership Network  Climate Change  Social Policy  Civic & Democratic engagement  Financial Inclusion Programme June 2014

Why the need for the Financial Inclusion programme? June2014

Why The Need?  Lack of accessible and appropriate mainstream services in health, employment, housing, financial advice, etc  Lack of capacity of ethnic minority organisations in developing sustainable and specialist services  MAS research – no evidence of progress  CEMVO intelligence about high levels of poverty & financial stress affecting EM communities  Need therefore to: -Improve capacity of mainstream money advice services to enable improved access for EM communities -Support EM organisations to develop organisational & skills capacity to enable delivery of money advice services directly to EM communities June2014

Financial Inclusion Programme Approach Aims:  Improve access to EM & mainstream money advice services  Increase EM money advisers Delivery:  Provision of support & training to 5 mainstream money / welfare advice agencies - e.g. Community engagement, promotion of services, policies & procedures, partnership working, networks, etc  Provision of support to 5 EM organisations – delivery of money advice, provision of training, building capacity & improving standards, support in developing services & accessing funding June2014

Financial Inclusion Programme Cemvo Scotland developed this new pilot programme in partnership with Money Advice Scotland (MAS) This is currently being supported by Scottish Legal Aid Board

Financial Inclusion Programme CEMVO Scotland Financial Inclusion Officer – Helen McCabe Money Advice Scotland Money Adviser – Brenda Gillies

Our Aim To bring about a new way of working to deliver money advice to some of the most marginalised and excluded communities in Scotland

What we plan to do Raise awareness of money advice amongst ethnic minority communities. Enhance, improve and increase the accessibility of money advice related services currently being provided by both ethnic minority third sector and mainstream advice providers.

How do we aim to do this? We have selected 5 mainstream organisations and 5 ethnic minority organisations within Glasgow area. We are working closely with them offering a range of MAS and CEMVO support and training

CEMVO –Financial Inclusion Officer Helen McCabe Will work closely with both EMOs and mainstream Organisations but will mainly focusing on providing the following for mainstream organisations:  Access to 5 days free one to one consultancy support in areas such as community engagement, race equality, cultural and partnership working training  Opportunity to build partnership working and links with the ethnic minority third sector  Develop an enhanced understanding of barriers to access and develop practical solutions to improving access  Increase your reach to new clients  You will benefit from participation in the financial inclusion network and attending learning events organised by us

What we need from both organisations For this pilot to work:  We need a full year commitment to engage and work in partnership.  Participate in the financial inclusion shared network learning event  Advertise, market and promote the programme through your processes and social media

Objectives The objective of this is to make money advice more accessible for EM communities but also increase and develop awareness and linked working for EM and Mainstream organisations.

Financial Inclusion Programme Outcome The success of this programme is totally reliant on partnership working and commitment to the programme from all organisations. We are providing continued support and training throughout this pilot.

Legacy Established long term partnerships which will result in better relations and future development opportunities for other joint projects

Cemvo Role – Financial Inclusion Programme

What are the money advice issues in ethnic minority (EM) communities?

Main Issues  Language Barriers  Awareness & Understanding of the services available  Geography/accessibility of services  Cultural diversity ie Religious/gender/family/friends  Trust & Confidence in mainstream/advice agencies  Feeling of being Judged/Stereotyped ie mental health,religious,gender,debt issues & language  Isolation/Fear

Barriers to overcome  Language  Mental Health /Disabilities  Trust in services especially with regards to confidentiality awareness  Expectations managing both service and service user  I.D  Cultural-religious/gender  Accessibility of services  Stereotyping/Judgement

Solutions to overcome issues and barriers  Access to multiple language leaflets/information brochures/advertising services/promotion  Engage in local communities for both mainstream/EM organisations to work together  More Partnership working and building relations  More preventative work  Better support to communities…cont’d

….cont’d Solutions to overcome issues and barriers  Awareness campaigns for both EM communities, EM organisations and Mainstream organisations  More Sessional Staff with community/cultural language skills  Better signposting  Promotion and marketing  Holistic approach to funding for partnership working

Progress of the Financial Inclusion Programme  The 10 organisations have been identified for this programme  Each of the 10 organisations have now signed the agreement to show their commitment to the programme

Identifying Consultancy & Training Needs Community engagement  Arranging a second meeting to look at current practises, policy and procedures  Develop tailored solutions and suggestions to improve each organisations approach in their community engagement  Other consultancy and training needs that would be required.  Monitor the progress of any of the implemented changes and offer support on how this is working within the organisations, if there is any need to relook at it again

Thank you for your support

Money Advice Scotland Money Adviser – Brenda Gillies Improving capacity & advice standards within Ethnic Minority Organisations

What will the work involve? We will focus on the Ethnic Minority Organisations and deliver the following:  To run 25 half/full day surgeries in money advice aiming to target 300 people.  Opportunity for the organisations to shadow the money adviser in giving advice.  1 day free introduction to Money Advice Training provided by MAS.  Purchase and installation of advisernet software.  Potential to develop money advice as a service and access future funding..

What areas are going to be covered in money advice? Debt Management  Income maximisation (benefit entitlement etc)  Evidence gathering, gaining clients trust, getting the clients whole situation, dealing with emergencies.  Financial statements.  Identify priority/non priority debts.  Negotiating with creditors on client’s behalf.  Options available to client to resolve their debt issues.  Case recording of advice and plan of action for client.

What we plan to do?  MAS will work closely with offering a range of support and training to ethnic minority organisations.  Raise awareness of money advice amongst ethnic minority communities.  Enhance, improve and increase the accessibility of money advice related services currently being provided by both EMO third sector.  Support and development of money advice to Scottish National Standard.

Scottish National Standards This involves developing the standards of the organisations and the individual competences and skills of the money advisers.  Look at current practice  Advice to improve practice  General management standards.

Progress so far within EM organisations.  FIP agreements have been signed.  Marketing flyer developed to promote the FIP to EM Communities.  Identify staff/volunteers to shadow the money adviser and set up the money advice surgeries.  MA training programme for staff/volunteers.

Thank you Any questions?