DCH 344 General Enquirers Brochure
Please contact
ACO if
- you would like
to know more about our work
you represent or
know of a charity interested in joining us
- you know of
someone in need who might be helped by one of our members
- you have experience
of charitable help you could share
Director: Valerie
Barrow
Address: Unicorn
House,
Station Close,
Potters Bar,
Herts.,
EN6 3JW
Tel: 01707 651 777
Fax : 01707 660 477
e-mail : info@aco.uk.net
Charity No. 299117
Unicorn House,
Station Close,
Potters Bar,
Herts. EN6 3JW
Tel: 01707 651777
FAX: 01707 660477
e-mail: info@aco.uk.net
web site: aco.uk.net
Incorporating OBFA
Web site: joblinks.org.uk
Introducing
.....................
.................
a really helpful
organisation
How he£pful?
People in need often don't know where
to look for help. Some don't even know that help is available
at all. And many charities which exist to provide practical assistance,
expert advice and financial support find it difficult to reach
all of those who are eligible for their help. ACO, the Association
of Charity Officers, exists to put charities in touch with people
in need and people in need in touch with charities.
Getting help can
be very complicated. Charities have often been established to
provide assistance for specific groups, and finding a way to those
which are relevant in any particular instance may be difficult.
On the other hand many people in need are pleasurably surprised
to discover that there is an appropriate charity for their particular
need ready and able to help.
ACO has built up a membership of
over 200 charities who have come together to share and co-ordinate
elements of their activities. Together they provide financial
and other forms of help for people of all ages and from all sections
of the community. Many have a special concern for specific groups
- children and young people, widows and single parent families,
older people, or people with physical disabilities, learning difficulties
or mental health problems. Specialised charities distribute many
millions of pounds and help large numbers of people; many are
eager to locate additional eligible beneficiaries.
Who can ACO
he£p?
ACO's detailed information
on charities, their objectives and their eligibility criteria
is particularly useful for organisations and individuals who do
not themselves have to hand all of the information on possible
sources of help.
- Citizen's Advice
Bureaux
- Social Services
and Social Work Departments
- Health Authorities
and Trusts, Primary Care Trusts
- Churches and
other religious groups
- Social workers,
doctors, health visitors, nurses and other health and social welfare
professionals
- Voluntary workers
advising people in need
- Individual members
of the public
What sort of
he£p?
The help charities
can offer takes many forms - financial grants, regular allowances,
debt counselling, sheltered housing, residential accommodation,
nursing homes, rehabilitation, friendly visiting, care or support
at home, information and advice on a range of problems - in fact
just about any area on which people in need may need help.
Charities take care
that their assistance does not affect people's statutory benefits.
In fact they can often help people in need to exercise their statutory
rights and obtain allowances to which they are entitled. ACO itself
has no funds for grant aid, but it regularly puts people in touch
with charities which have.
Who's eligible
for he£p?
Charities operate
in a variety of different ways. Some are focussed on particular
groups; others have a general remit. Some are national, others
local or regional. Some were set up to help specific professions
or occupational groups. So to put people in need in touch with
a relevant charity as quickly as possible, it may be helpful for
ACO to ask for detailed information about the possible applicant:
- area of residence
- place of birth
- family background
and responsibilities
- career and work
history
- service in the
armed forces
- past or present
membership of a trade union or professional association
- religious affiliations
Any of these may
be relevant in assisting ACO in making a link to an appropriate
charity.
Towards more
effective he£p
ACO helps its network
of members to co-operate and share information. This sort of partnership
cuts down on the workload and ensures that the maximum possible
help gets to people in need with the minimum of bureaucracy.
ACO works towards
high standards in the work of its member charities. It promotes
training for staff, volunteers and trustees, provides regular
advice and information on policy and operational issues, and helps
to access expert services like legal, financial and property advice,
management consultancy and public relations.
ACO campaigns on
behalf of charities and people in need. It is regularly consulted
by government departments and agencies and by enquiry and review
bodies. The strength of its membership makes it an effective corporate
voice for the charitable sector.
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