Greetings from the Principality!

We are considering broadening our remit (oo-missus!) and providing some basic level of debt advice, in addition to the EXCELLENT welfare benefits/ tribunal advocacy/ social worker pacifying service we already provide.

As we are part of a Housing and Homeless Service Area now, it would be aimed primarily at preventing homelessness, mortgage repossession, and the like.

I, for my sins (which are legion) have a background in Debt Advice, and was trained by NACAB, many moons ago. My staff - all three of them! - have little or no experience of this specific area, but all have copious welfare rights knowledge (so "Income Maximisation" will not present a challenge, for example).

I've already contacted the Money Advice Trust for Training info' - but can anyone suggest any other training/ trainers, personal recommendation is always welcome. Got the CPAG Debt Advice book too, latest available edition. Know of the excellent National Debtline fact packs too.

Many thanks in confident anticipation.

Splott Paul - an Englishman in Cardiff.

CPAG run a few debt courses - their "Dealing with Debt" course is particularly good for beginners and is a two day course.

CPAG courses are, however held in London and we have so far been unable to pursuade them to run two day courses "in house."

Many thanks - like yourselves, only not quite as geographically far! - sending three people to London, overnight accommodation, etc. - is not likely to be funded!! It's £200+ for the train fare, if you leave Cardiff in time for a 10am start . . .

Have you ever tried getting funding from some of the banks, British Gas energy trust or United Utillities, pay for this type of thing?

I'm not sure how it works as our Manager handles funding bids but i'm sure if you went on any of the websites you'd be able to find something.

It's worth a try - they can only say yes or no!

Try the "wiseradviser" website, they do some distance learning/online courses

http://82.109.189.184/arena/

Hi

Shelter have a fabulous training brochure
www.shelter.org.uk/training

which includes Debt Advice

and although the course is in London, they do a "your place" for all their training which you could share with another LA.

I personally have not received their training, but it came highly recommended from a LA colleague.

A fairly handy mag is 'Quarterly Account' the journal of the Institute of Money Advisors. £30/£40pa subscriptions for the different sectors.

<www.i-m-a.org.uk>

Hi
We are a local authority WRU and have gone down a similar route - the IMA is very useful- you can join as a trainee and get training either free or at reduced rates as well as the journal.
Jackie