CAB Local Information newsfeed

CAB Local Information newsfeed

The Local Information system developed for Epsom and Ewell CAB

The Local Information System developed by Andy Henderson of Constructive IT Advice and provided free to Citizens Advice Bureaux, provides an effective and efficient way of making information about local and national organisations, charities, solicitors, housing departments etc available to advisers in a similar way to AdviserNet.

The system runs under all versions of Windows since Windows 98 - including Windows 7.

Margaret Henderson was Local Information coordinator for Epsom & Ewell CAB until she recently moved out of the area. She writes...

The enquiry screen for advisers allows them to search the database to find matching items which are then displayed as a list for the adviser to choose the most relevant one. Clicking the item heading gives more details which may contain links to websites or documents on your network. It can also cross refer to a paper system.
Previously we had a set of 30 ring binders to hold local information. Since using the system we have been able to eliminate all our paper documents except leaflets that provide supporting information (and we could scan the leaflets into the database if we wanted to).
The enquiry screen also has an Internet search button and up to two 'soft' buttons. You can use a simple screen to specify what these buttons should do. At Epsom and Ewell we used one as an office intranet (for minutes of staff meetings, telephone lists and adviser lists) and another to connect to the direct.gov website. We also provide step-by-step instructions for linking a soft button to a list of common web pages and documents if two buttons are not enough. All results are shown in the main enquiry window.
To update the system there is a maintenance screen that is password protected in order to prevent inadvertant changes. It is a straightforward interface allowing changes, new items and deletions and automatically adding the date and time of the change. It is much easier and quicker to update than a paper system.
The maintenance screen also includes several features designed to help you manage the local information database.
We provide a simple Excel-based program to help you enter large amounts of data (typically used when starting from scratch) or for capturing data from existing systems.
It is now over two years since Andy developed the Local Information System for Epsom and Ewell Citizens Advice Bureau. We publicised it in Citizens Advice area newsletters and meetings as well as on the CabLink IT forum, and over 75 bureaux have contacted us and many have installed the system. The feedback has been very positive both from advisers at Epsom and Ewell CAB and from the other bureaux.
Andy has provided support to a few bureaux that have experienced problems and has enhanced the system in response to feedback from bureaux. See below for changes made in the most recent version. Version 2 introduced new utilities designed to make it simple to install the system. The system comes with an Installation Guide and Technical notes. We also provide a set of Implementation Notes to pass on our experience of using the system at Epsom and Ewell.

Finally, click here to obtain a free copy of the system for installation in your bureau.

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Now featured in the Citizens Advice solutions bank

... click here to see the solutions bank article or here to see the article on CABlink (CABlink id and password required).

As shown at the CAB national conference

... click here to see the system being shown at the Knowledge Fair

Everyone seems pleased with its ease of use

... from one of the bureaux that installed the software

I found it to be an excellent system for referencing, indexing, and finding the sort of information held outside Advisernet (and a lot faster in use)

... from a reviewer of the local information system