Archives: Guide Entries

An entry for the mindguide

POhWER delivers information, advice, support and advocacy services throughout England. They aim to support people who face difficult issues and want to make their voice heard. All POhWER’s services are free, independent and confidential.

We look at everyone who needs a helping hand through advocacy to lead independent lives and to uphold their rights.

Our mission is to empower people to have a voice and make a real difference to their lives. We do this by speaking for them when they can’t and supporting them to speak for themselves when they can.

POhWER aims to enable all who need it to have a voice, to achieve empowerment and self-help so they win respect, uphold their rights and get their essential needs met. We focus on the most excluded members of society, so they are listened to when decisions are being made about them or the services that they need.

Advocate is the Bar’s national charity, enabling barristers to make a contribution to the community. Facing court can be bewildering and frightening event: no one should have to experience it alone. Advocate matches members of the public who need free legal help with barristers who are willing to donate their time and expertise in deserving cases for those who are unable to obtain legal aid and cannot afford to pay.

Website: www.weareadvocate.org.uk

This service is free for consumers and covers the following issues;

  • Bank accounts, payments and cards
  • Payment protection insurance (PPI)
  • Home, car, travel and other types of insurance
  • Loans and other credit, like car finance
  • Debt collection and repayment problems
  • Mortgages
  • Financial advice, investments and pensions

National Family Mediation Service OXFORD are a motivated professional organisation offering high-quality, confidential mediation services in Oxford to assist you resolve family and other domestic disputes without the need of suffering the stress and indignity of going to court. Their qualified mediators deliver a constructive unbiased approach that is flexible and can be arranged in Oxford that is convenient to you, and with the use of video or Skype conferencing, they are able to commit to clients in a wider range of locations.

Resolve Mediation offers mediation services across Berkshire and Oxfordshire. Their team of specialist mediators works with individuals and families to resolve conflict in neighbourhood, family and workplace settings. They guide and empower people in conflict to come up with their own solutions to the problems they are experiencing and to engage in open and positive communication. Clients are usually referred and funded via specific routes e.g. housing providers or local authorities.

Age UK Oxfordshire is an independent local charity supporting older people to maintain their independence and live life to the full.

The charity provides a range of services including local information, advice and support, practical assistance, and social, creative and physical activities..

OCD Action is the largest national charity focusing on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). We provide support and information to anybody affected by OCD, work to raise awareness of the disorder amongst the public and front-line healthcare workers, and strive to secure a better deal for people with OCD.We are a dedicated charity with a clear vision, solid objectives and a real understanding of OCD. The charity is recognised as both a strong voice for people with OCD and a vital source of help. More importantly, we have the volunteers, trustees and staff to turn our vision into reality and make a real and lasting difference to anyone affected by OCD.

OCD Action Advocacy Service provides telephone, email or face-to-face advocacy to adults with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and related conditions such as Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). Advocates are available in Oxfordshire to provide short-term advocacy support to individuals who have a specific issue (e.g. housing, employment, education, accessing care and treatment) which is related to their OCD/BDD and that they are struggling to resolve on their own.

Advice on debt, benefits and housing issues. It is provided on a drop-in basis for people in the Rose Hill and Donnington area. Does not deal with immigration issues.

Benefits:
We tell you your entitlements.
We help you make applications.
We help you appeal.
We represent you at hearings.

Debt:
We help you draw up a budget.
We help with repayment schedules.
We help with Debt Relief Orders.
We help with bankruptcy.

Housing:
Rent arrears.
Evictions.
Mortgage repossessions.

Oxfordshire Specialist Advice Service (OSAS) provides a dedicated telephone advice line and email service, which aims to answer all your queries around benefits, money advice, budgeting and other welfare issues and link you into services that can provide further support. This is backed up by a team of specialist advisers, who are able to meet face to face with people unable to access advice by telephone, email or in their local community.

The service also supports professionals who may be working with you, through the provision of comprehensive and responsive training opportunities and a consultancy line for specialist case support.

The service is free for people to use. It is jointly funded by Adult Social Care and Children, Education and Families, so it is focused on meeting the needs of people living in Oxfordshire who are struggling with their day-to-day lives due to disability or ill heath. However, you do not have to have a carer or anyone looking after you.

The Kidlington and District Information Centre provides advice and information on local services, employment, consumer rights, benefits, legal, housing, social services, health and sickness. Provides assistance with form filling and directing people to third party sources of advice – no appointment needed. Self-referral or Red Cross and Social Services referral.

The Good Neighbour Scheme-
This scheme has been operating since June 2010, is open to anybody over 60 or disabled. We have volunteers that have all been DBS checked and are ready to help.
Assistance can be arranged with gardening, small household tasks, dog walking, prescription collection, etc.
Befriending services can also be organised.