Chelmsford Partners

Citizens Advice Chelmsford offers free, confidential, impartial and independent advice and information on a wide range of subjects. Our generalist advisers are trained to offer help in benefits, housing, consumer, employment and family matters, and if we can't help you we'll do our best to find someone who can.

In money matters we can help you to manage your debts or to budget so that you don't get into debt. Our Help to Claim team gives support to clients moving on to Universal Credit.

If you need legal advice, we may be able refer you to Chelmsford Law Clinic for a free 30 minute session with a solicitor, depending on the category of law.

We are an independent, parent-led charity, providing specialist and person-centred support to families who have a child or young person with any special educational need or disability (SEND). We can offer:

• Information and advice, and a helpline;
• One to one support including assistance with Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Personal Independence Payments (PIP) applications;
• Independent parental support on all educational issues includes assessments, education health care plans and exclusions;
• Support through group activities including a Saturday Activity Club.

We give parents and their children a voice, and help families to navigate the system and access exactly what they are entitled to. We work alongside families, to empower and give confidence. 

“I honestly believe the support and guidance you provide is invaluable. I can’t thank you enough. I felt so supported and understood. When I couldn’t turn to others I could to Families InFocus.”

Our service is free to access, and anyone from Essex who has a child or young person with any SEND can get in touch.

A support service for vulnerable adults. Offering assistance with accessing housing needs, maximising income, managing debt/ budgeting advice, social isolation, court and eviction notices.

Become a Family Mentor!

Do you have an interest in helping people & supporting your local community of Southend-On-Sea? Do you think you can spare some time in your week to support a family as a volunteer?

Volunteering Matters, the Family Mentors project in Southend, recruits and trains their volunteers to help support families. (Volunteers from outside of the Southend area would have to travel to to Southend where our project is based)

Our Volunteers act as trusted mentors, providing consistent emotional and practical support to families in their homes every week. Volunteers tailor their support to the unique needs of each family, building on strengths, and promoting resilience.

We do not require you to have previous experience, as we feel our volunteers can make use of their life experiences and relevant skills to support our families, as well as the training provided.

This is a great opportunity for anyone wanting to increase their experience in mentoring and may wish to have a career in Social Work, support work or counselling.

This opportunity fits around your availability – you will need to commit to 1 – 2 hours per week for 6 – 12 months. Usually a year’s support is required.

Some of our volunteers can also offer telephone support for the family, if this is preferred by the volunteer, and the family being supported.

Aim of project……..

• Helping families to be independent
• Assisting with practical activities e.g. Budgeting, Parenting, Routine Building
• Build a relationship of trust and mutual respect through the tasks they do and through regular contact with the family
• Support families and help them to be aware of and make contact with useful, local resources

What Volunteering Matters will give you……

• Training which will include: Safeguarding, Building Self Esteem & more
• Further on-going relevant training opportunities
• Reimbursement of travel and any other agreed “out of pocket” expenses
• On-going staff member support

What you will get from the role….

• A huge amount of satisfaction
• Helping to support the local community
• Being part of a community
• Training and experience
• Job reference from us (after you have volunteered for us for 1 year)

Role requirements:

• Aged over 18 years old
• Able and willing to commit to visit/speak with the family once every week, for a minimum of 6 months
• Willing to provide references and complete a DBS (criminal record) check, paid for by Volunteering Matters
• Have an interest in helping people, both parents and children

Commitment

This opportunity fits around your availability - you only need to commit to between 1 – 2 hours per week for 6 - 12 months. Usually a year's support is required. Please note: Due to current safeguarding procedures, volunteer support will only be over the telephone although some support is returning to face to face.