WHO WE ARE & WHAT WE DO

WHO WE ARE

Following in the tradition of similar bureaux in Great Britain and elsewhere in the Commonwealth, the South Gippsland Citizens’ Advice Bureau is a volunteer-run community service organisation catering to the needs of people in the surrounding area. The services and information available at the SGCAB are mostly provided free of charge.

The CAB would not exist without its volunteers. They are drawn from town and country, professionals and tradespeople, employees and retirees, in fact; anyone who has an interest in serving their community. In return, volunteers working at the CAB develop skills in customer service, public advocacy, computer literacy, office administration and leadership. All while gaining great satisfaction from helping others, and making useful social contacts.

During the CAB's 40+ years there have been over 250 volunteers who have touched many lives; listening to problems, assisting with paperwork, finding practical solutions or making referrals to others who can help.

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WHAT WE DO

The South Gippsland Citizens' Advice Bureau is a non-government, not-for-profit, incorporated association whose principal role in the community is - as the name suggests - to advise visitors who make contact with our office on the vast range of services, associations, interest groups, government instrumentalities, sporting clubs and assistance available to them in the immediate district and beyond. CAB advice is free, confidential and unfettered by commercial or political influence.

But the SGCAB provides more than just advice. Volunteer members perform a number of hands-on services for those in the community who, for whatever reason, face difficulties in performing these tasks themselves. For many, language skills, mistrust of authority, issues with literacy, physical limitations or - increasingly - unfamiliarity with the online world, create barriers to full participation in society. For example, residents who qualify for a range of government services, grants or subsidies, miss out, simply because they are unaware of their eligibility status. Or even the fact that assistance is available at all.

South Gippsland is a beautiful and often spectacular region, not just of Victoria, but the entire continent. It has many features, natural and historic, that are unique. Over the years, the CAB has developed a vast compendium of tourist information for visitors and locals alike to draw from. Maps, brochures, tourist guides, transport timetables, Parks Victoria publications and regularly published periodicals are supplemented by dozens of up-to-date, easy-to-read, one-sheet brochures collated by CAB staff to save visitors from being deluged in their search for Caravan Parks, Car Hire Companies, Guest Houses, Significant Monuments or even Things-To-Do-On-A-Rainy-Day. Often, searching online for such information can occupy a whole morning, when a 15-minute visit to the CAB, and its knowledgeable volunteers, can provide all you need to know ... plus a few things you hadn't even thought of!

Refer to our Services menus for further information about what the SGCAB can provide, but here’s a few of examples of the advice and assistance on offer:

Preparation of Documents

Information about Aged and Disability Services

Upcoming Events

Referrals to local Assistance Organisations

Government Forms and Publications

Maps and Tourism Brochures

Free Help with Tax Returns

Free Computer Access & Online Assistance

The best way to find out how the SGCAB can help you is to pay us a visit or call. The bureau is conveniently situated in the heart of South Gippsland at the Memorial Hall complex in Leongatha.

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