Citizens Information Services and their role in the field of equality

1. Citizens Information Services and their role in the field of equality New ways of talking about rights Equinet Training Seminar Tony McQuinn Chief Executive 28th April 2009

2. Equality and More Equal Societies The most equal societies nearly always do better • Indicators of Social Success: • Low Violence • Low Mental Illness • Low Teenage Pregnancy • Low Drug Addiction • Low Obesity • Low Prison Populations • High Life Expectancy • High Levels of Friendship • High Levels of Trust High Achievers: Japan and Sweden Low Achievers : Portugal and United States The Spirit Level - Why More Equal Societies Almost Always Do Better Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett 2009 Allen Lane

3. Information :4th Right of Citizenship • Social Institutions developed in response to the broadening of the concept of Citizenship – culture of rights • First Phase: acknowledgement of basic civil rights such as • Liberty of the person, freedom of speech and religion and the right to justice • Second Phase: development of political rights • Right to vote, become member of parliament and local government • Third Phase: acknowledgement of social rights • Right to health care and social services • Fourth Phase: acknowledgementof the right to information as crucial if the other rights of citizenship are to be exercised. T H Marshall, Citizenship and Social Class • Full information is required for full citizenship

4. Aruna Roy and People Power ‘Poor people must be agents of their own development and claim what is rightfully theirs by exercising their right to information’ ‘The basic right to know – the basis of all human rights’ People’s movement in Rajasthan founded by Roy led to Indian Parliament adopting Right to Information Act in 2005

5. Citizens Information Board Mission Statement “To ensure that all individuals have easy access to high quality, independent information, advice and advocacy services so that they can identify their needs and access their entitlement to social and civil services.”

6. Citizens Information Board • Statutory Body • Provide and support the provision of Information, Advice and Advocacy Services for general public • A focus on people at risk of deprivation / mainstreaming • Long experience working with community and voluntary organisations • Money Advice and Budgeting Service – new responsibility

7. Citizens Information :Information on Social Services • This includes: • Health • Social Welfare • Education • Family Support • Housing • Taxation • Citizenship • Consumer Matters • Advice on personal debt • and money management • Employment • Training • Equality • Asylum and Immigration

8. People Living in Ireland Users of Public Services Diversity Marginalised / Deprived Information For All

9. Citizens Information :Information on Social Services The Public State Services

10. 3 Channels Information, Advice, Advocacy Website : CitizensInformation.ie Citizens Information Phone Service Citizens Information Centres

12. Citizens Information Phone Service National lo-call number Citizens Information Services • Face to Face • - 54 full-time • - 52 part-time • - 162 outreach services

13. Citizens Information 2008 : - 2,600,000 Unique Visitors to Website - 118,000 calls to Phone Service & 20,000 emails - 670,000 people used Citizens Information Centres Query categories • Social Welfare – 36% • Health – 14% • Employment – 9% • Housing – 7% • Taxation – 6% • Family Matters – 5% • Client profile • Female– 59% / Male – 41% • Employed – 48% / SW – 44% / Occ.Pen.- 4% • Irish – 77% / Other EU – 16% / Non-EU – 7%

14. Citizens Information • A guide for public service users and consumers • Sets out redress mechanisms • Details the agencies which help enforce rights • if you don’t get the services • if you don’t get the appropriate standard of service

15. Citizens Information • National CIB Initiative in 2007 • Information sent to all Social Welfare Pensioners (c 400,000) • Focus on where information and help was available • Information on retirement, health services, income support • Information and contacts also given on safety, elder abuse, useful organisations including the Equality Authority • 16 organisations participated

16. Advocacy 46 Community and Voluntary Sector Projects for People with Disabilities Citizens Information Service Advocacy Resource Officers

17. Advocacy for People with Disabilities Community and Voluntary Sector Projects 2008 • 2087 clients • 46% Housing Related, 32% Rights and Entitlements, 19% Family, 13% Employment / Training • Difficulties reaching vulnerable clients • Difficulty explaining advocacy to service staff, professionals, families, and people with disabilities • Independence and boundaries

18. Collaboration Dublin City Centre CIS Find Your Way Initiative 2009 • Directory and Map of key services in Dublin City Centre • Aimed at Migrants • Partnership approach

19. Social Policy “To support, promote and develop the provision of information on the effectiveness of current social policy and services and to highlight issues which are of concern to users of services.” Comhairle Act 2000 • Pre-Budget Submissions • Social Policy Reports • Submission calls • Research Reports • Voice periodical

20. Social Policy • Feedback to Government on issues arising for service users • Experience of users of public services documented • Countrywide • Distinct perspective • Evidence based • Highlighting

21. Working with the Equality Authority Referral Advocacy Training / Certificate Course Citizens Information Outreach European Year of Equal Opportunity

22. Economic Downturn

23. Engagement with People where they are • People are complex • There is a need to search for ways of getting more and • deeper insights into their needs • Success will depend on the ability to describe these needs • with great vividness • Service environments play a significant role in shaping people’s experiences • The journeys / pathways of service users – a series of critical encounters that • take place over time and across channels – need to be understood • Trust is of immense importance – trust grows out of relationships • which rely on believing that people are acting in your interests • The Journey to the Interface DEMOS 2006

24. Preventing Discrimination • Role of Information Provider in meeting the needs of vulnerable groups • Understanding the information requirements of those at risk by: • engaging directly with the individuals/ groups involved • building trust • encouraging both mainstream and targeted approaches to delivery • training and familiarisation • Disseminating information through appropriate/ accessible channels • from three channel to multi-channel approach • address literacy, accessibility and cultural issues • focus on empowering • provision of advocacy as required • must be ongoing • Identifying issues and responding to cases of discrimination • promoting the services of the relevant agencies • recording issues and highlighting through social policy feedback

25. Conclusion ‘The basic right to know – the basis of all human rights’ Aruna Roy

26. Citizens InformationEquinet Training Seminar Further Information: Corporate Website: citizensinformationboard.ie Public Information: citizensinformation.ie Telephone: 353 1 605 9000 Facsimile: 353 1 605 9099 Tony McQuinn Chief Executive Email: tony.mcquinn@ciboard.ie 28th April 2009