Communities First - Lessons Learnt / Cymunedau yn Gyntaf – Y Gwersi a Ddysgwyd

Lessons learnt from the Communities First programme

Response to the Equalities, Local Government and Communities Committee Poverty Inquiries - lessons learnt from the Communities First programme [ 110 kb]

Citizens Advice Cymru welcomes the opportunity to provide written evidence

to the Equalities, Local Government and Communities Committee to help inform one of its poverty inquiries examining the lessons learnt from the Communities First programme.

Citizens Advice Cymru believe advice services should remain an integral part

of any successor programme to Communities First. The role quality assured advice services play in poverty reduction, improving employability and breaking the cycle of debt and dependency should continue to be  recognised as a key contributor to meeting the goals of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act. Our evidence demonstrates the value of advice in improving people’s overall well-being - 4 in 5 Citizens Advice clients said advice has improved their lives including reducing stress and improving finances, while 2 in every 3 clients have their problem solved.

In designing any new poverty reduction programmes the inclusion of advice services needs to be explicit and financially supported with effective networks established to ensure that people receive the right help at the right time from an independent and appropriately qualified source. A lack of valuable advice provision locally, which is targeted at some of the most vulnerable people within communities, could result in an increase in poverty, debt, homelessness, family breakdown and displacement.

Gwersi a ddysgwyd oraglen Cymunedau yn Gyntaf

Ymateb i Ymchwiliadau Tlodi y Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb, Llywodraeth Leol a Chymunedau -

gwersi a ddysgwyd oraglen Cymunedau yn Gyntaf

Mae Cyngor at Bopeth Cymru yn croesawu’r cyfle i ddarparu tystiolaeth

ysgrifenedig i’r Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb, Llywodraeth Leol a Chymunedau i

helpu i lywio un o’i ymchwiliadau tlodi sy’n archwilio’r gwersi a ddysgwyd o

raglen Cymunedau yn Gyntaf.

Mae Cyngor ar Bopeth Cymru yn credu y dylai gwasanaethau cyngor barhau i

fod yn rhan ganolog o unrhyw raglen a fydd yn olynu Cymunedau yn Gyntaf.

Dylid parhau i gydnabod rôl gwasanaethau cyngor â sicrwydd ansawdd wrth leihau tlodi, gwella cyflogadwyedd a thorri’r cylch dyled a dibyniaeth fel cyfranogwr allweddol at gyflawni nodau Deddf Llesiant a Chenedlaethau’

Dyfodol (Cymru). Mae ein tystiolaeth yn dangos gwerth cyngor wrth wella

llesiant cyffredinol pobl - dywedodd 4 o bob 5 cleient Cyngor ar Bopeth bod

cyngor wedi gwella’u bywydau, gan gynnwys lleihau straen a gwella’u sefyllfa

ariannol, tra bod 2 o bob 3 cleient wedi cael datrys eu problem.

Wrth gynllunio unrhyw raglenni lleihau tlodi newydd, mae angen i wasanaethau cyngor fod yn gwbl glir a chael eu cefnogi’n ariannol gyda rhwydweithiau effeithiol wedi’u sefydlu i sicrhau bod pobl yn derbyn y cymorth cywir ar yr adeg gywir gan ffynhonnell gymwys annibynnol a phriodol. Gallai diffyg darpariaeth cyngor gwerthfawr yn lleol, sy’n targedu rhai o’r bobl fwyaf agored i niwed mewn cymunedau, arwain at gynnydd mewn tlodi, dyledion, digartrefedd, teuluoedd yn chwalu a dadleoli.