Financial Inclusion and Capability EEDA project

Funding has been secured from the East of England Development Agency/European Social Fund to provide financial capability training and job search assistance for unemployed adults and frontline workers.

Citizens Advice is leading a consortium in partnership with the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE), Rocket Science and a range of local delivery partners based in the communities across the East of England region where financial exclusion is concentrated.

Delivery partners are CABx and other local agencies based in the communities where financial exclusion is concentrated as we know from our experience that to attract learners, training has to be delivered in their communities by trusted organisations.

Over the next 2 years the project will provide training for 800 unemployed and economically inactive adults and 400 frontline workers who support them.

We will provide 120 job search or further learning opportunities through our delivery partners and make 100 additional job search referrals.

A peer support network will be developed for trainers, providing continued professional development and linking learners through to advice and community lending.

We will create sustainability and inclusiveness by establishing a network of 6 county financial capability forums (Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk ) which will work to embed financial capability at a county/unitary and district level.

The impact of the project will be evaluated, providing a robust evidence base for future work. We will add value by evaluating the different mechanisms for engaging and training front-line staff across the region and the impact of the financial capability forums.

These activities will deliver a beacon model which reflects the positive engagement of EEDA, and which can be replicated in other areas of England and Wales.

In the period March – June 2009 Citizens Advice will be entering into agreements with local delivery partners, helping to set up the 6 forums and recruiting a project manager.

In Hertfordshire HTDC is leading the Hertfordshire Financial Capability Forum and will be, together with Rickmansworth CAB, providing Financial Capability Training Courses for frontline workers in voluntary sector organisations.

To find out more about the Forum or the Training, please contact sarah.elliott@hertscf.org.uk