VOLUNTEERS are desperately needed so Eastbourne Citizens Advice Bureau can open in the afternoon again after it was forced to cut its hours because of advisor shortages.
The bureau in St Leonards Road needs to double its advisers from 30 to 60 to meet demand. When it opens its doors each day at 10am there are usually 10 people queueing outside, and this week people have begun turning up at 8.30am to wait.
A few mo
nths ago the bureau had to reduce its weekday drop-in centre hours for a trial period from 10am to 4pm to 10am to 1pm, with a Wednesday late service from 4.30pm to 6.30pm.
Deputy manager Anne Sykes said, "We need more volunteers to meet the demands of the people of Eastbourne.
"If we do not get more, we are going to have to keep working at the level we are working at now. The demand will outstrip what we can provide."
The CAB has 15 advisors currently in training but wants more to come forward to become receptionists, administrators, advisors or trustees, giving up one seven-hour day a week, which can be split.
The new advisors will cover the staff holidays when existing advisors can struggle to cope and help the CAB roll out its outreach monthly visit to Willingdon Trees Children's Centre to other children's centres in the town.
They will provide advice on debt, benefits, housing, employment, family relationships and consumer problems, becoming qualified after six to nine months.
Lindsay Jefferys, speaking on her second day of training at the CAB, said she had already seen how grateful people using the drop-in service were.
She said, "People are given a completely free service and friendly help which is unbiased and independent."
Paula Duggan, an adviser with the bureau for three-and-a-half years, said, "When people come in with multiple debts they just feel that it is all completely on top of them and they will never be able to get out from under it. You can show them different ways of helping themselves and they go away with a cloud lifted."
Mrs Sykes said advisers at the bureau were aged from 20 to 80, retired or working part-time.
She added, "The volunteers enjoy it, I know that sounds strange but they do. It is a friendly office, it is a challenging role and it does use your mind, which for many people is one of the reasons they join us."
The CAB has been in the town for 45 years, with the last five years at its current St Leonards Road site, Highlight House.
It will hold an open evening next Thursday (July 24) from 5pm to 7pm for potential volunteers. To offer support, call Eastbourne 413480.
victoria.allen@trbeckett.co.uk
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