A meeting of Citizens Advice International (CAI) members was held in Manchester recently, and was chaired by the Chair of Citizens Advice International and Manager of the Gibraltar Citizens Advice, Pilar Rodriguez.

CAI is a non-governmental international body representing interests of free advice-giving organisations around the world. Its mission is to promote the provision of free, independent, impartial and confidential advice and information to people about their rights.

The meeting was attended by representatives from Citizens Advice UK, Czech Republic, Romania, Northern Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey, Wales, Spain, Dublin and Gibraltar.

Pili Rodriguez has since been appointed as a Governing Member of European Citizens Action Service (ECAS) Brussels.

The CAI Meeting coincided with the annual conference “The Future of Advice” which brought together a wealth of experience, ideas and expertise and was attended by one thousand delegates working in Citizens Advice throughout the UK. Attending this conference from the Gibraltar CAB were senior staff members, Ivan Cruz and Joanna McGrail.

CAI has helped to set up advice organisations emulated on the Citizen’s Advice model in various countries. These include West Balkans, Turkey, Bosnia Herzegovina, Kosovo, Serbia and Croatia. The CAI body has also been active in Africa, giving practical guides to legal advice and information services to centres in Malawi, Ethiopa and Nigeria.

Pili Rodriguez said; “CAI gives organisations the opportunity to give people a voice by taking their anxieties, worries and concerns to a higher level. Working together we can meet challenges and opportunities with energy and focus.”

“Keeping people’s interests at the heart of every advice and decision made we can continue to make differences to the community that we serve here in Gibraltar.”