 |
About
Sangat Advice Centre |
| |
Harrow
has an estimated number of 58,792 members of the South Asian
communities resident in the Borough. Local Indian population
is the third highest in London. Given the substantial numbers
in the community, the need for accessible advice and provision
of service is critical.
However, despite this critical need, the
services for the community have been reduced due to cuts in
resource allocation. Members of the Asian community
who were concerned about the lack of facilities came together
and, with the assistance from Anglo-Indian Circle a registered
charity, established Sangat Advice Centre
in 1997.
Sangat Advice Centre, a
not for profit company limited by guarantee, with no share
capital, is based in Harrow Wealdstone. Wealdstone is the
most deprived part of Harrow and has a very large South Asian
population many of whom have very little knowledge of English
language.
|
| |
| The
AIMS of the Centre are: |
- To ensure that local Asian community have information
about the Law to enforce their rights to welfare benefits,
debt, Immigration, Discrimination, etc..
- To help prevent homelessness through advice and advocacy.
- To ensure that, via advocacy, elderly, frail, people with
learning disabilities, people with mental health difficulties
and disabled people get access to statutory services.
- Provide information, advice, advocacy and case-work on
issues of concern to the Asian community in particular and
to the community at large.
|
| Management: |
| A
Board of Directors manages the Centre. Members are elected
at the Annual General Meeting onto the Board. The Board members
are committed to the Centre's services and give significant
personal time in managing the affairs of the Centre. Individual
members play an important role in securing the effectiveness
of the Centre. They have a reputation for speaking with authority
on the basis of their direct experience and knowledge of the
views and opinions of service users. The present Board consists
of a qualified accountant, Social worker, businessman, community
worker, and person with fund raising and project planning
skills and much other expertise.
We also have volunteers who have agreed to
offer their honorary services in the field of Law, Banking,
Tax consultancy etc. |
| Funding: |
| Until recently we relied
on donations and fund-raising activities under taken by the
committee members and supporters. We have now secured grant
from the Association of London Government for the project. Our
accounts are approved by members at the Annual General Meeting
and audited, as legally required by the Companies Acts. |
| Client Group: |
| We
serve the deprived, needy and inarticulate members of the
Asian community and other minority communities living in Harrow
and neighbouring boroughs. Any one who does not fall under
the Centre's target group, would be sign posted to an appropriate
agency. |
| Getting in touch
with us: |
Above:
The newly built Sangat Centre |
| The
demand for our services is greater than our resources. However,
we aim to be as fair and as helpful as possible.You can contact
us by letter (Sangat Advice Centre, Sancroft Road, Harrow,
HA3 7NS), Telephone (020 8427 0659), Fax ( 020 8863 2196 )
or by visiting our office. We are fully accessible for people
with mobility problems. Our office is open from 9.00 a.m.
to 5.00 p.m. Monday to Friday. |
| How
we respond: |
When
a client first contacts us, we offer an appointment with one
of our advice workers within a few days. This appointment
gives the client a chance to talk through his/her concerns
or problems with the adviser who will then help the client
in considering how s/he wishes to go forward. |
| Some of the areas of
services we cover are: |
-
Welfare benefits:
Income support, Incapacity benefit, Job seeker's allowance,
widow's benefit, pensions, Disability living allowance,
attendance allowance, funeral payments etc.
-
Housing: Private and
council house, Housing Association house, Private/Public
disrepair, Homelessness, Repossession, Housing benefit,
Council Tax benefit, Harassment, nuisance etc.
-
Debt: Mortgage arrears,
Rent arrears, Council Tax, Utility debts/disputes, Fines,
Hire purchase, Loan etc.
-
Discrimination: Employment,
Race, Sex, Religion, Unfair dismissal, Education, Goods/services
etc.
-
Immigration: Deportation,
Over stay, Refusal (appealable), marriage, Dependent,
Student, Registration, naturalisation, visa etc.
-
Appeals: We represent
clients at the Appeals Tribunals. Our success record so
far is 80%.
|
| We
keep on expanding our field... |
| Opportunity
for other resources: |
| If
we cannot assist a client or provide a particular service
needed, we will either sign post or refer the case to an appropriate
agency. We work closely with the statutory services, Housing
Associations, Benefit Agency, and a number of voluntary organisations. |
| Executive
Committee 2001-2002: |
|
Above:
The Executive Committee |
|
|
