Citizens Advice York – still here to help
Christmas fun…and money advice
City of York Council’s Family Information Service (FIS), Explore York Libraries and Archives Mutual Ltd and the Citizen’s Advice Bureau will be hosting a morning of fun crafts and information on Wednesday 10 December between 9am and 12noon in the reception foyer at West Offices.
There’ll be a host of crafts for little ones (and not so little ones) to get stuck into, including making Christmas decorations, colouring in Frozen characters and decorating paper Christmas trees. Explore York Libraries will also be on hand to provide information about the discounts available through York Cards and representatives from York CAB will be available to help with information on sensible festive spending.
The CAB’s top ten tips to avoid a Christmas Debt Hangover are:
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Career advice event at racecourse on Tuesday
Steps to Success – start planning your future today
The event supports young people in the city as they consider their options for key stage 4 and post-16 education, training or employment, particularly as all current year 11 pupils now have to remain in training or education until the age of 18.
Held in the Ebor Stand from 3.30pm until 8.00pm, the event will provide information about the range of education and training opportunities available (including Apprenticeships and other work based training).
Young people will be able to access information from five different information zones at the session; Key Stage 4, Post 16, Progression to Higher Education, Career Pathways and Support Services, as well as the opportunity to hear about the experiences of current learners.
A series of presentations on Options for Key Stage 4 and beyond, Options for post 16 education and training, Apprenticeships and Progression to Higher Education will also run throughout the evening.
City of York Council has worked in partnership with the University of York and York St John University to stage the event, as part of their commitment to widening participation in Higher Education.
For any additional information please contact Beverley Wills, 14-19 Support Adviser, City of York Council, on beverley.wills@york.gov.uk or call 01904 553008.
More Council services scrapped in west York
We understand that the Council is planning to stop the weekly housing benefit advice sessions that they had been running at the Chapelfields Community centre.
Acomb Council Office – closed in February 2012.
The service was one of those introduced to replace the “face to face” adv ice service which was lost when the Council’s Acomb Office closed 18 months ago.
Each Thursday morning the Council promised a “Housing advice, Council Tax Support and Housing Benefits service: 9am – 12 noon”
It was one of five advice points were established last year, but now only the one at the Gateway centre (the most popular) will continue in Acomb.
Ironically this building is within 50 yards of the former Acomb Office.
Originally the intention had been to locate advice, and headquarter estate managers and community workers, at the Acomb Explore Library but this plan was scrapped when Labour took control of the Council in 2011.
Now Acomb residents face a long trek to the Council HQ in Toft Green. A telephone link may continue to be available at the Community Centre, but as many callers know, such services are inaccessible for some. We understand that the estate manager will still be present at the centre on Thursday mornings
NB. Callers to the main Council switchboard this week are reporting delays of up to 10 minutes before connection.