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Community savings scheme is ‘more than just a bank account’

WORTHY, trusted and valued islanders unable to access bank accounts before will now be able to feel like they are part of society again, thanks to a new Community Savings initiative.

Guernsey Community Savings LBG reception. The charity is now open and helping the financially excluded in Guernsey to access basic financial services. Left to right, the board and executive team, Jo Farrell, Brian Horsepool, Jane Kerins, Peter Neville, Susan Norman, Mark Bright and Nick England. (Picture by Adrian Miller, 28745194)
Guernsey Community Savings LBG reception. The charity is now open and helping the financially excluded in Guernsey to access basic financial services. Left to right, the board and executive team, Jo Farrell, Brian Horsepool, Jane Kerins, Peter Neville, Susan Norman, Mark Bright and Nick England. (Picture by Adrian Miller, 28745194) / Guernsey Press

That is the response from several agencies who have referred a number of islanders to the pilot scheme, including ex-offenders, the homeless and people with learning difficulties.

Guernsey Prison’s senior probation officer and offender management unit manager, Kerry Tardif, said they had so far referred around 10 people.

‘The Offender Management Unit here in the prison have struggled to assist prisoners with accessing high street bank accounts for a number of years and, despite concerted efforts, have largely been unsuccessful,’ she said.

‘Some offenders have never had accounts and had applications refused and others have had existing accounts closed.’

She said as part of their rehabilitation and resettlement to reduce the risk of reoffending, accessing banking facilities was essential.

‘It is very difficult for anyone to secure accommodation or employment without use of an account,’ she said.

‘The Community Savings initiative plugs a big gap and I am so pleased that it enables the people we work with to feel included.’

There is a plan for representatives of the Community Savings to come into the prison and meet with prisoners prior to release in order to talk to them about the application and how they can help.

Guernsey Caring for Ex-Offenders founder and co-ordinator Mary Herve was also thankful to the new scheme and said it was invaluable to those she helped.

‘People want the chance to be able to run their own affairs and being accepted into this scheme means so much more than simply a bank account,’ she said.

‘The knock-on effect it can have on applying for jobs, homes and saving is huge, many won’t be accepted if they don’t have a bank account.’

She said that her charity was currently helping three people join the scheme, one of which was now just waiting to receive their card.

‘It’s great to have this and it will make a huge amount of difference,’ she added.

‘It really will make them feel accepted again and do some of the things they couldn’t before, it gives them the biggest value that somebody cares for them and trusts them.’

However, it is thought that mobile banking is now doing more harm than good as high street banks become even more cashless.

For people who have a social security benefit cheque to cash, this only serves to alienate them further.

‘It is apparent that changes have taken place within the finance industry which has made it more difficult for people to access high street banking,’ added Mrs Tardif.

Mrs Herve agreed and said it only served to isolate individuals wanting to integrate into society.

‘In an ever more cashless society, queuing up in a bank can be very daunting for those who have a cheque to exchange,’ she said.

‘It results in embarrassment, feeling undervalued and useless because the cashier and then other people in the queue judge them – it brings up their past all the time without any context.

‘It’s a vicious circle when all they want to do is be a valued member of the community.’

She said they would now look towards asking whether the Community Savings scheme would consider other services such as standing orders, direct debits and budgeting support.

Guernsey Community Savings has been pursued for the past four years by the charity’s chairman, Peter Neville, a former director-general of the Guernsey Financial Services Commission. It is based in the Bordage.

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