Tuesday 15 November 6.30pm at Resource for London, 356 Holloway Road, London N7 6PA

The AGM of Islington People’s Rights is always an interesting and informative event, and more of public meeting.

This year, speakers include: Ros White, Advice and Rights Manager, Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) and Cllr Richard Watts, Leader of Islington Council. Others invited, confirmations awaited.

After the speakers and formal parts of the meeting there will be refreshments and a chance to mingle with committee members, staff, partners and clients. Please contact us if you have any special dietary requirements.

This event is taking place during an unprecedented period of welfare reforms. Islington People’s Rights is striving to ensure that vulnerable residents are able to access the specialist welfare benefits and debt advice that they need.

Please register by 12 noon on the 11th November 2016 through https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/islington-peoples-rights-2016-agm-tickets-28689524139

Tuesday 15 November 2pm-5.30pm at Resource for London, 356 Holloway Road, London N7 6PA

A free event for London’s BAMER community and voluntary sector organisations that provide advice or signpost clients for advice. Keynote Speakers include: Mulat Haregot, Director, Evelyn Oldfield Unit; Kunle Olulode, Director, Voice4Change England and Ruth Hayes, Vice-Chair of the Law Centres Network, looking at the key challenges faced by the BAMER Sector in terms of providing advice and support. John Muir, Voluntary & Community Sector and Equalities Development Manager, at Islington Council, will be outlining the new Advice Model for Islington. Workshops will examine the key issues and developments for the advice sector covering: welfare benefits, debt, employment and discrimination, housing, immigration and family law, and more. The Conference will be chaired by Andy Gregg, Chief Executive, Race on the Agenda (ROTA). This event is being organised by Islington People’s Rights, in conjunction with the Enhance Project (funded by City Bridge Trust) at Resource for London, with the support of Islington Advice Alliance.

Please register by 12 noon on the 11th November 2016 through https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bamer-advice-2016-conference-tickets-28759692013

IPR will be taking part in the London Legal Walk on Monday 16th May 2016.

Last year IPR raised over £1400 to help fund our services and this year we hope to raise even more!

The sponsored 10km walk  in central London is organised by The London Legal Support Trust, who work to support access to justice in London and the South East.

All the money raised goes to Islington People’s Rights to help us continue our vital work helping Islington’s most vulnerable residents.

If you would like to donate, please visit the following link.

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/IPR2016

 

Photos by Clare Jephcott

A warm thank you to the 100+ people who attended our AGM at Resource for London on Holloway Road and contributed to it being a successful event.

Cllr Richard Watts, the Leader of Islington Council, spoke about the challenges the local authority faces as it awaits news about its future funding from national Government. He highlighted the importance of the Advice Sector and the vital work it undertakes for residents of the borough.

Carolina Gottardo, the Director of the Latin American Women’s Rights Service (LAWRS) spoke about the specific challenges the Latin American Community face in London, and the problems that women from Black Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) Backgrounds face more generally. She praised IPR’s recently-launched new project working with BAME community organisations based in Islington, which assists people with welfare benefits and debt issues.

Emily Thornberry, the MP for Islington South and Finsbury, and Shadow Minister of State for Employment, spoke of the very real impact on the lives of many constituents as a result of the various welfare reforms over recent years. The Benefits Cap, Local Housing Allowance changes, Benefit Sanctions, Disability Benefits changes and numerous other welfare reforms are having devastating effects on many of the poorest residents of the borough.

 

Jeremy Corbyn MP had been scheduled to speak, but was unfortunately unable to do so in the final instance. He did however, send a video message, with his apologies, which was broadcast to the meeting, and very well received. He highlighted the positive outcomes that IPR has achieved for residents of his Islington North constituency, enabling many to access their full entitlement of benefits. He made clear his opposition to the Government’s proposed cuts in relation to working tax credits, which will adversely affect so many families on low incomes. The Welfare Reform Bill will have many further implications on the poorest in society, and he stressed the need for a Welfare system that supports people when they need it. The message from Jeremy Corbyn ended by stating that we should “be able to live in a society where poverty is a distant memory, not the sad reality for so many”.

Islington Law Centre, Islington People’s Rights, and Islington Citizens’ Advice Bureau held this FREE conference and training, celebrating the achievements of the Advising Islington Together project.

The Conference included both speakers and workshops covering key issues and developments for the Islington Advice Sector including; welfare benefits, debt, employment, immigration, and much more.

Speakers included: Cllr Richard Watts, Leader of Islington Council; Steve Hynes, Director, Legal Action Group (LAG); Anna Fraser, from the England Illegal Money Lending Team; Megan Jarvie, London Campaign Co-ordinator, CPAG

The evening reception was also the launch event for the report ‘It’s no fun being on benefits: A study into experiences of Welfare Reform in Islington” developed by Every Voice and Islington Community Network, supported by Advising Islington Together.

We were pleased that over 100 of you joined us at Islington Assembly Hall to learn more about the current welfare reforms and other key advice issues.

Islington Advice Alliance brings together Islington Citizens’ Advice Bureau, Islington People’s Rights and Islington Law Centre, working together to support the local community.

The Advising Islington Together project, was funded via the Big Lottery’s Advice Services Transition Fund (ASTF) and set up to assist advice agencies to meet the needs of clients in new ways.