Coronavirus & Online advice pods

The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the move to a more digital friendly service, which can only help our clients.

By James Woods — Operations Manager

The Coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdowns looked like a real problem for our client base which predominantly offers face to face appointments and drop in sessions but in fact it gave us a great opportunity. We were able to establish new online advice channels whilst improving the digital advice channels we already offered.

Our aim was to provide a safe alternative to face to face advice for our busiest projects, to increase engagement with communities and for the provision of Debt and Money advice to meet the increased demand for financial advice and support in areas of Doncaster, which are underrepresented in office attendance at our Citizens Advice Offices. We also wanted to upskill other organisations to appropriately refer signposts to the right organisations to help the client.

What we achieved.

• We built on our established advice channels and expanded the options to offer a broad range of ways for the public to contact specialist advisers for advice and support on debt and benefit issues, utilising online channels such as self help, webchat, email, video appointments and telephone appointments.
• We continue to provide high quality debt and benefits advice in line with Citizens advice and FCA quality standards
• We have increased client access to computers and phones through the development of our advice pods, so they can speak to advisers in locations they are easily accessible to them.
• We continue to recruit and train volunteers to give an appropriate level of advice and support.
• We support, train and upskill other organisations on appropriate signposting and referral options.
• We set up a new digital referral option for local groups and stakeholders to refer people to us for help and support.
• We set up Advice access pods at locations across the borough in various community locations which were remaining open.

“We are delighted to be at the forefront of innovative new advice provision channels for our service users, We are the first in South Yorkshire to launch this service and we feel especially in the Covid environment it allows us continue to provide high quality advice and support to client front he safety of their own homes or the Covid safe pod venues.”

The Pods

Our “pods” gave clients access to:

• Our website (which includes advice and information and fact sheets clients can search for and print off.
• Webchat — ability for clients to webchat with a debt adviser.
• Email the ability to email us and an adviser to reply with debt advice.
• Video debt advice by appointment or drop in with advisers specialising in debt and benefits.
• Referral forms are available for community group volunteers to complete with people for us to contact them back for advice.

They were installed in 5 locations across Doncaster:

Armthorpe- Community Centre Church Street DN3 3AG

Askern — Family Hub Spa Pool Askern, Doncaster DN6 0HZ

Carcroft — Bullcroft Memorial Hall Chestnut Avenue DN6 8AP

Edlington -Helping Hands Community centre Edlington Ln, New Edlington, DN12 1LQ

Intake -The Wellness Centre 47 Montrose Avenue, DN2 6PL

The pods are going well at the moment, we’re constantly reviewing, reflecting, changing, evolving just to make sure we’re doing the best we can for those who need our help and support.

Our team has been fantastic I cannot praise them enough, from March everyone was so willing, so able, so flexible and adaptable. Everyone’s priority was, ‘How can we help? What can we do?’

We look forward to any possible expansion of the pods and we will continue to strive to be at the forefront of accessible free confidential impartial advice in the Doncaster Borough.