- Please visit our social media pages
An email from a CAB UK office has prompted me to embark on this blog which could be a ‘get it of your chest’ from a CAB volunteer. More details on the UK office staff actions below.
Most citizens that benefit from the many Citizens Advice around the world are it appears oblivious of the time that the workforce and volunteers put in behind the scenes. I can honestly say from my own experience as an volunteer advisor for CAB Spain that it would appear that this service which was not available under three years ago, is now considered as a right to those who use us. This statement is made from the experiences observed by the CAB Spain team. Some will have noticed that instead of positive feedback, we have had complaints and unfounded criticism from the odd member which we are pleased to say usually leave after having an outburst.
We provide a Facebook group page where advisers have been at hand 24/7 to assist and advice all members. Also for the citizens benefit is an interactive website stocked full of useful information, forums, a library, directory, FAQ’s and a special forum to ask questions directly to the small advisory team. Provided a many email addresses and emergency telephone numbers.
CAB UK offices have opening hours and normally no facility to approach the staff or volunteers at anytime of the day or night. We do make pleas for our ex-pats to register on our website, look for answers to their queries there first before contacting us. This is not happening. As regards taking our request further and asking for donation to cover our expenses, you may be interested to know that we have received 15 euros in donations in the last three weeks.(Our phone bills alone are 124 euros a month).
Donations are voluntary and so is our time. During the last three weeks (whilst the CAB Spain team should have been on holiday) I can safely say that the hours put in by me alone (have not added the hours of the rest of team who have been available to moderate and work behind the scenes) has been in excess of 170 hours.
We do not have the manpower to look for corporate sponsorship which we would need to to keep providing the intensive assistance and advice to our community. We cannot count the savings we have made for those contacting us. We do have notices asking those we assist on the website to please consider donating. In the main this is a one way relationship.
You would imagine that we would by now be totally disheartened and give up. We are conscientious and continue. Please note that all the information provided on our website is written and uploaded by us. There are many phone calls and some of these are from our community who are in very delicate situations. I personally advise for court hearings when ex-pats have not had the funds for a lawyer and relied on the best they could get from the legal aid system. We help families in separation cases and often where children are vulnerable, where women are suffering domestic violence. We are the shoulder to lean on when no one else can help. We help to keep families together where possible. I could add so much more but this blog would develop into a book.
Most are so thankful for the assistance received and we appreciate this very much. Some are not in a position to donate and others who could afford something do not. To those who have donated, we give you a heartfelt thank you. You are not only benefiting yourselves but you have made it possible for others to receive our help and advice.
I said in an earlier paragraph that normally there is not a 24 hour service provided by CAB Uk, some offices such as Brighton and Hove can only open for a couple of hours four days a week. Today I was proved wrong after I responded to an email from a Turkish Citizens who has not been able to join his wife and children in the UK and though he provides for them, has not seen them in two years. This father had been refused a visa from the British Embassy in his country. At this stage I am not aware why but normally, a non EU citizens can apply to join his family in a EU country, in this case Britain.
One would think that this has nothing to do with us here in Spain. We do not turn anyone away. I contacted one of the staff who I have already had communications with on immigration matters, lo and behold the Turkish citizen who contacted me, has just received an email reply from the particular CAB UK office, today being Sunday.
I conclude by taking my hat off to this particular ‘Accredited Immigration Supervisor’ in the UK. Thank you to all CAB offices and organisations everywhere, including ours 😉
