TBG Learning - Free Training at Chesterfield & Alfreton

I came across TBG (The Training and Business Group)on Facebook.

The branch of TBG that I found there is a a Derbyshire based organisation situated in Chesterfield (URL http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tbglearning.com%2Flearning-chesterfield.htm&h=fce8e84fad40a62c9cc1ab184de5c629) and it seems to have plenty to offer - including a successful relationship with Job Centre Plus.

TBG Chesterfield states that it can make a real difference to the lives of long-term unemployed people, and that it is able to provide New Deal Programmes including Adult Literacy & Numeracy, Warehouse Production, and Retail in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere where learners receive all the help and support they need to improve confidence, enhance career prospects and gain recognised qualifications. Programmes are tailored to suit individual needs.

The following is taken from TBG Chesterfield's site on Facebook:

If you live or work in Derbyshire and you've recently been made unemployed, you're entitled to FREE training funded by the Government. Basically I work for a Company, and if we don't get people the training the money gets taken away.. so get in touch!

If you're applying for work and finding that you haven't got the qualifications you need.., we can help! FREE training includes... CSCS (Site Safety Card)FLT (Fork Lift Truck)SIA (Security) ECDL (European Computer Driving License) Business Administration or any other training you think will help you secure that job. (Within reason!)

Remember... Tell all your friends because if this funding doesn't get used it will be wasted... probably on a new skate park!

The TBG Learning centres in Chesterfield and Alfreton have secured government funding to provide anyone that's been made redundant in the last six month's free training to help them get back into work - so the most important phrase in the statement I found on their Facebook site from your point of view is 'any other training you think will help you to secure that job'.

In other words: don't be put off by the fact that what you want to learn isn't listed. If what you want is 'within reason' you stand a change of getting free training.

I don't know whether all of the TBG Centres have secured funding for free training. Find out by contacting http://www.tbglearning.com/.

Emily - http://www.therapypartnership.com/

Priority Debts - And turn2us.org.uk

All dunning letters need to be answered promptly - but it's particularly importantly to deal with 'priority debt' letters.

Priority debts are:

• mortage or rent
• fuel and utilities
• council tax
• income tax
• maintenance to ex-partners or children
• Court fines (e.g. magistrates fines for traffic offences
• TV Licence

and it's vital to deal with them quickly, because if you don't, you could lose your home, have your goods seized in settlement of your indebtedness - or go to jail.

If any one or more of your priority creditors is threatening to start, or has started, to take Court action against you, then you can send them a 'holding letter' explaining your problems, telling them that you will contact them again in two or three weeks time, and asking them not to take any further action in the meantime. That will give you time to seek advice and help - and it's particularly important to do that if you can't afford to pay anything, and your situation is not likely to get better.

Obviously, if you are in that situation, the first place to go is your local Citizens Advice Bureau - they will help you to write to, and negotiate with, your priority creditors - but you should also look to try to get help from turn2us.co.uk.

Turn2us is all about support - and not just financial support, although that's obviously an important part of what the Charity does. Turn2us can give you advice, help you to get benefits or grants that will help you to pay your bills or buy essential items, point you to resources that you may not know about or have thought of.

You can join Turn2us on Facebook (link opens in a new
window) for news, events, real-life stories and a growing community where you can discuss topics of interest and share information on their discussion board.

Do it!

Geoff

Getting Help to Get Out of Debt

A couple of days ago Geoffrey began to talk about dealing with debt, and he'll be writing more about negotiating with creditors, differentiating between priority and non-priority creditors, and handling various other aspects of this problem over the next few days. If you need to read what he has already said, then you can find it archived in September at "Dealing with Debt".

However, whilst the initial system Geoffrey recommended is simple and straightforward, works just as well whether you have two or twenty-two creditors, and can help you to feel that you have some measure of control over what's happening, the idea of dealing with a mountain of debt - constructing a complete and accurate statement of your affairs, and handling the correspondence involved - can be so stressful, depressing, and frightening that many people find that they just can't do it by themselves.

You can get outside help to get out of debt - but you shouldn't be tempted to pay for it.

There are lots of companies advertising that they can help you solve your problems, but all of those companies want money - sometimes large amounts of money - and many of them make unsubstantiated claims. The Ministry of Justice Claims Regulator has already put a hundred such companies out of business for fraud, disregarding the rules, persistently making misleading claims, and encouraging people to hand over fees on the strength of high pressure cold colds from marketing centres. You can read the complete story by using the search box at Ministry of Justice Claims Regulation .

If you have been approached by any company offering the promise of wiping out your debts by challenging their enforceability, top tips from the Ministry of Justice Claims Registration are:

DON’T be pressurised into making any on-the-spot decisions – take time to consider your options.

DON’T hand money over there and then – get full written information from the business about the service they are offering, what it will cost and the time it will take before paying anything. The business is required to provide this.

DO contact an independent adviser – such as Citizens Advice, who can advise you on the best way to deal with financial problem and complaints.

DO check that the claims company is registered at the Claims Management Regulation website – if it provides debt advice services it is likely to also need a consumer credit licence issued by the Office of Fair Trading, check the Office of Fair Trading's Public Register.

DO report any concerns you may have about a business, by email or by calling the claims management anonymous reporting hotline line on 0333 200 0110.

Our advice is to avoid people who claim that they can get your credit cards written off within six weeks, state that 80% of credit agreements are unenforceable, or that they can write off all your outstanding debt.

This is really the equivalent of a free lunch, and we all know know that there really isn't any such thing. If you need help, go to your local Citizens Advice Bureau . The Citizens Advice Bureau can help you to negotiate with your creditors. It's safe - and it's free.

Emily, Geoffrey & Bill