Who we work with

The Advice Centre works with many other agencies on many different issues and has accreditation from CLS (Commission for Legal Services) in order to ensure that you get the best assistance available. We are active within the Student Advice community and look to utilise this involvement to ensure that students issues are resolved.

The Commission for Legal Services (CLS), formerly the Legal Aid Board, issues this mark to those advice centres that demonstrate performance and apply systems consistent with the criteria for providing legal advice. Once the award is given the agency becomes subject to periodic audit by the CLS to ensure the standards are being maintained.

 

Our award is in the general help category and was awarded in 2005. This category best fits our work of generalist advice with specialisms in the areas of funding, debt, housing and academic casework.

 

 

The Advice Centre also works closely with other Student Unions' advice centres through the RAWS subgroup of AMSU (Association of Managers in Students' Unions). RAWS runs an active support network for all Student Union advice and representation staff and keeps us in contact with each other and NUS.

 

The Advice Centre has several links to NASMA and sends delegates to their conference. This enables us to ensure that students are represented within the organisation. As NASMA is being consulted by The Student Loan Company on the way student funding is administered in the future, this is an important role. NASMA also organise training events and help keep us up to date on Student Finance issues.

AdviceUK
We are members of AdviceUK who provide us with training and resources. They also keep us up to date with wider issues of advice work.

UKCOSA
UKCOSA provide us with the information and support necessary to deal with immigration questions and other issues facing international students.

 
CAB
We make extensive use of the Citizen Advice's information system to ensure that the information and advice we give you is accurate and up to date.

 

CPAG
We also use the Child Poverty Action Group handbooks to help us with benefit and debt queries and make use of their training opportunities.

 

Shelter/NHAS
Shelter/NHAS provide us with specialist housing support when we need it. They also campaign on housing and homelessness issues.

SKILL
SKILL provides us with information and support for disabled students when we need it. They also represent disabled students with key policy makers.