Information and Advice Review – Voluntary and Community Sector Survey - Page 1 of 3 - Slough Borough Council

1. What type of organisation are you?

Charity Community group Social enterprise Faith-based organisation Other Prefer not to say

2. Which groups do you primarily support? (Select all that apply)

Older people Children and families People with disabilities People with mental health needs Carers Ethnic minority communities People experiencing financial hardship General population Other Prefer not to say

3. How do residents usually access your service? (Select all that apply)

Self-referral Referred by council services Referred by health services Referred by other voluntary or community organisations Walk-in Online (website or form) Phone Other Prefer not to say

4. What are the main barriers residents face when accessing support? (Select all that apply)

Lack of awareness of services Language barriers Digital exclusion Long waiting times Complex referral processes Not meeting eligibility criteria Transport or location issues Lack of trust in services Difficulty understanding information Other Prefer not to say

5. In your experience, how easy is it for residents to access the right support?

Very easy Fairly easy Not very easy Not easy at all Not sure

6. Do residents often need to contact more than one service before getting the right support?

Yes, often Sometimes Rarely Not sure

7. How easy is it to refer residents to other services?

Very easy Fairly easy Not very easy Not easy at all Not sure

8. Are referral pathways between services clear?

Yes Partly No Not sure

9. What challenges do you experience when referring residents to other services? (Optional)

Please describe any challenges when referring residents to other services

10. What works well when supporting residents to access information and advice? (Optional)

Please describe what works well when supporting residents to access information and advice

11. What barriers do residents face when accessing information and advice services?

Lack of awareness of services Difficulty understanding available information Language barriers Digital exclusion (lack of internet or skills) Long waiting times Services not joined up Eligibility criteria unclear Stigma or lack of confidence in asking for help Physical accessibility issues Other (please describe below)

12. Which groups of residents do you feel have the greatest need for information and advice support?

Older people People with disabilities or long-term health conditions Carers People experiencing mental health issues Low-income households People experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity People with language barriers or who do not speak English as a first language Digitally excluded residents Young people (16–25) Families with children People at risk of crisis (e.g. debt, eviction) Other (please describe below)

13. Where do you think information and advice services in Slough could be improved?

Awareness and promotion of services Clarity of information provided Access to face-to-face support Digital access and online services Language support and translation services Referral pathways between services Coordination between organisations Waiting times for support Staff knowledge and training Outreach into communities Other (please describe below)

14. Is there anything else you would like to tell us about information and advice services in Slough? (Optional)

Please provide any additional comments about information and advice services