Advice Survey

What are the advice needs of Gateshead and how do we meet them?

Gateshead Council is conducting a strategic review of advice, information, guidance and advocacy; posing the question "What are the advice needs of Gateshead and how do we meet them?".

The review includes those advice services which Gateshead Council and Gateshead Housing Company either deliver internally as service providers or commission from third parties (externally delivered) as well as those the council or Housing Company may not touch or know about at all but which we know are vital to helping our residents to live their lives and thrive.

To help us achieve our goal of creating advice services that meet the needs of Gateshead people, we would be very grateful if you could take ten minutes to answer a dozen or so questions for us. This questionnaire is an early step toward achieving an overview of all advice services, it is not about mapping services but about understanding where advice is happening, seeking your views on what's coming down the line, understanding your challenges and plans and thinking about how the wider system could work differently.

Beyond the questionnaire, there will be further opportunities to feed in to the review via various voluntary and community sector meetings and focus groups. You may also request a 1-2-1 meeting with Alison Dunn, Strategic Lead for Poverty and Inequality by emailing alisondunn@gateshead.gov.uk

Question Title

* 1. Do you provide advice, information, guidance or advocacy?

Yes - if yes go to question 2

No - if not please go straight to question 8

Question Title

* 2. What type of advice, information, guidance or advocacy do you provide (defined below):

An advice service involves:
1. a diagnosis of the client's enquiry and the legal issues involved
2. giving information and explaining options
3. identifying further action the client can take
4. some assistance: eg contacting third parties to seek information, filling in forms
It would usually be completed with one interview, although there may be some follow-up work. The client would take responsibility for any further act.

Information and Guidance - An information service gives clients the information they need for them to know and do more about their situation. It can include information about rights, policies and practices; and about national, local services and agencies. Responsibility for taking any further action rests with the client.

Signposting - this is about the client taking (or being given) responsibility for contacting other organisations to help them resolve their problem.

Advice with casework - Includes all elements of an advice service previously listed and also involves taking action on behalf of the client to move the case on. It could include negotiating on behalf of the client with third parties on the telephone, by letter or face-to-face. It will involve the advice provide taking responsibility for follow-up work.

Specialist casework - casework requiring the presentation of complex legal arguments.

Court or tribunal representation - preparing, presenting and if necessary, representing a person at county court or tribunal, for example a housing or debt case in the county court or a welfare benefit or employment case at government tribunal.

Advocacy - a process of supporting and enabling people to: Express their views and concerns. Access information and services. Defend and promote their rights and responsibilities. An advocate might help a person to access information when they need it or go with them to meetings or interviews, in a support role. An advocate may help a person to write letters, to speak in situations where they don't feel able to speak for themselves.

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 3. If you answered yes to any of the options in question 1, please tell us what categories or type of advice, information, guidance or advocacy you provide. Please tick all that apply.

legacy (or heritage) benefits

universal credit

money advice

tax

housing

employment

family and relationships

nationality & immigration

education and leisure

residential care

non-residential care

health & disability

volunteering

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 4. How do clients access your advice, information, guidance or advocacy services? Please tick all that apply.

drop in service

appointments

telephone (general line)

telephone (dedicated advice line)

text message or whats app

3rd party referral

web-chat

social media (general)

social media (dedicated to advice)

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 5. How many people use your advice, information, guidance or advocacy service each year and how do you know this?

Question Title

* 6. Does your advice, information, guidance or advocacy service (or your wider organisation) hold any quality marks? Please tick all that apply.

AQM - Advice Quality Mark

SQM - Specialist Quality Mark

ISO 9001

ISO 27001

PQASSO

Internal quality marks or standard

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 7. Can you tell us how your advice, information, guidance or advocacy service is funded please? Please tick all that apply.

Gateshead Council

Newcastle Gateshead Clinical Commissioning Group

NHS

Grants, Trusts or Foundations

National Lottery Community Fund (formerly known as the Big Lottery)

Philanthropy

Reserves

Earned income or trading activity

It is not funded

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 8. how often do you deal with Universal Credit enquiries?

We receive daily UC enquiries

We receive weekly UC enquiries

We receive infrequent UC enquiries

We never receive UC enquiries

This is not applicable to us

Question Title

* 9. Has Universal Credit had an impact on your workload?

our workload is the same, UC has made no difference to us

our workload is moderately high since UC was introduced

our workload is significantly higher since UC was introduced

our workload is less since UC was introduced

our workload is significantly less since UC was introduced

This is not applicable to us

Is there anything else you'd like to tell us about the impact of UC on your organisation and your beneficiaries?

Question Title

* 10. What do you think the advice needs of Gateshead will be for the next three years?

Question Title

* 11. Do you have any plans to help meet the advice needs of Gateshead people over the next three years?

Question Title

* 12. What do you think the wider "system" should be doing to help meet the advice needs of Gateshead people over the next three years?

Question Title

* 13. Is there anything else you would like to tell us?

Question Title

* 14. Would you be interested in attending a focus group to talk some?

Yes

Question Title

* 15. Please can you give us your contact information?

Name

Company

Email Address

Phone Number