Getting help to people in the right way

This  E7 bus driver needs some lessons
in customer care

There are a number of issues I have encountered in the last week which include bloody minded bus drivers who don't let people on to their vehicles for some unknown reason - even when it's pouring with rain.

But the challenges when  you're involved in delivering services to people who find themselves undergoing really  challenging  situations in their lives can of course be even more serious

The changes in UK benefits and rising energy prices are a challenge to all but for people who have too much month at the end of their money it can lead to stress and for many family/relationship  tensions.

How do you reach and help people, how do you avoid being patronising and what can you use to measure

Is this where we meet clients?

effectiveness?

I've been helping with some initiatives that the CAB are working on in West London and would say that so far the benefits to those (few) attending have been mixed.

The primary things I've noted are:

1) The audience - it needs to want to address the issues and they should be ready for hearing messages that need to be faced up to.

2) The messages  need to be delivered in an engaging way for effective communication to take part  - people are used to high quality  professional graphics and being treated as sophisticated clients - they are resistant to being grilled about their circumstances and what would seem irrelevant (for example their racial background and sexual orientation).

3) Speaking to the right people with the right 'voice' at the right place - some of the presentations I've been to have been held in Public Libraries  - true these are now more welcoming places than in years gone by but many people in need of help do not feel at home in a Library, they need the vernacular to be used and to feel that they're being treated as adults.

Apart from the  issues above I'd add how do you get people  (the ones who really need it) to know what's on offer from the CAB without this you're whistling pretty much in the dark.