Citizens Advice Bureau Ōtepoti | Dunedin

The Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) Ōtepoti Dunedin Service; • Provides free, confidential and independent help, information and advice to anyone • Helps people to know and understand their rights and responsibilities under the law, in NZ, their options for resolving their issues and how to access the services they are entitled to. • Is provided by around 30 skilled, trained, volunteer bureau interviewers supported by a manager CAB is ‘a universal service’ – helping anyone with any question or issue - employment rights, residential tenancy issues, faulty goods, separation, immigration enquiries, citizenship, fences, trees and more! How it works when someone seeks help from CAB • CAB is friendly, welcoming, empathetic, respectful and non-judgmental • We will take the time to listen and gather all the relevant facts that will determine someones rights, responsibilities and options • We will investigate and research the issue and what options are available for resolving things. We use the CAB comprehensive online knowledge base www.cab.org.nz. Researched information will be presented to the client - educating, empowering and building resilience • Further assistance will be offered to help people take action if that is appropriate e.g. Language assistance, or providing guidance and access to online services in our office (if you don’t feel included in a digital age) The CAB website is a powerful resource with thousands of articles and information about people's rights under the law. The information is up-to-date and accurate, so people can have confidence that it is factual, credible information and advice – all written in plain English CAB also has a ‘youth’ website https://youth.cab.org.nz/ that highlights many of the key issues for youth embarking on those ‘firsts’ in adult life. CAB has 3 Language support options available • An on-demand Language Assistance Service on the phone, which is free and no booking is required • CAB volunteers around the motu who can offer the CAB service of information and advice in another language CAB also has a comprehensive community directory with around 450 local listings provided and maintained here in Ōtepoti Dunedin (35,000 nationwide listings). This is the other key part of the CAB service - connecting people to the clubs, recreational activities, facilities, support services and people they need – connecting communities! This might be a service that addresses a specific need e.g. a kaupapa Māori service, a service that is hard to source like a tradesperson in a rural area or a service that offers something further, e.g. a builder who speaks Tongan or a hairdresser who will visit homes