Translate the text from English to Welsh.



 
 


 


On 15 April 2014, I will be announcing funding of £1 million to support front\-line advice services in 2014/15, with indicative allocations of funding, at the same level, for financial years 2015/16 and 2016/17\.  


The purpose of this funding is to provide further financial support to independent not\-for\-profit advice organisations, helping them to continue to provide free and impartial advice to individuals and families in Wales. We know that many of these organisations have had their budgets cut significantly and whilst the Welsh Government cannot offer a blank cheque, this funding, which I am announcing this week, will go some way to ensuring that people have access to the support they need to assist them in making informed choices on welfare benefits, debt and money management, housing and discrimination.


This funding is in addition to the £2\.2 million per annum which the Welsh Government is providing to support the Better Advice: Better Lives scheme, being delivered by Citizens Advice Bureaux and the £2\.4 million project which is being delivered jointly by Citizens Advice Cymru and Communities First to provide outreach welfare benefits and debt advice in 36 Communities First Clusters across Wales.


This announcement forms part of the Welsh Government’s wider efforts to tackle poverty and inequality and to mitigate the negative impact of Welfare Reform.  I intend to set aside just under a third of this funding to support the development of a specialist discrimination advice service which has a Wales\-wide reach and in order to raise the awareness of more generalist advice providers of discrimination issues. This will help ensure that we take action in relation to the Strategic Equality Plan’s first objective which is to “strengthen advice, information and advocacy services to help people with protected characteristics understand and exercise their rights and make informed choices.”  We know that particular groups with protected characteristics are more likely to be living in poverty and subject to the impact of Welfare Reform.


This funding will also help support people who may be struggling with debt or who may need a helping hand to manage their finances more effectively.  We want to support services which will help build the capability of individuals and equip them with the skills and confidence to take greater control over their own affairs.


This announcement follows a period of significant engagement with key stakeholders, particularly those represented on the Independent Advice Providers Forum in Wales.  This Forum comprises representatives from the main umbrella organisations providing advice on a Wales and UK basis.


The grant will open for applications from tomorrow, 15th April.  As part of the application process, eligible organisations will need to demonstrate their commitment to collaborative working, both in terms of how they propose to work in partnership with other advice providers and how they intend to build links with other publicly funded services where there is a shared vision and purpose. We are keen to encourage closer working between advice providers and Credit Unions, for example, especially where this can lead to positive outcomes for clients.  Organisations will also need to show a commitment to quality standards and continuous improvement, and explain how they propose to report on the difference which they are making to people’s lives.


This announcement forms part of the Welsh Government’s response to the Advice Services Review, which published its report in May 2013\.  We will continue to engage with stakeholders as we take forward some of the other recommendations arising from the Review, particularly as we consider how best to support an advice sector which will take a more strategic and coordinated approach to the planning and delivery of advice services in Wales.


This statement is being issued during recess in order to keep members informed. Should members wish me to make a further statement or to answer questions on this when the Assembly returns I would be happy to do so.


 


 


 


 







Translation:


 
 Ar 15 Ebrill 2014, byddaf yn cyhoeddi £1 miliwn o nawdd i helpu gwasanaethau cynghori’r rheng\-flaen yn 2014/15, a’m bwriad yw neilltuo lefel debyg o arian ym mlynyddoedd ariannol 2015/16 a 2016/17\.

Pwrpas yr arian hwn yw rhoi cefnogaeth ariannol pellach i fudiadau cynghori annibynnol di\-elw i’w helpu i barhau i roi cyngor di\-dâl a diduedd i unigolion a theuluoedd yng Nghymru.  Gwn fod cyllidebau llawer o’r mudiadau hyn wedi’u torri’n drwm yn ddiweddar ac er nad yw Llywodraeth Cymru yn bwll diwaelod o arian, bydd yr arian rwy’n ei gyhoeddi’r wythnos hon yn mynd ran o’r ffordd i sicrhau bod cyngor ar gael i’r bobl sydd ei angen i allu gwneud penderfyniadau doeth ynghylch budd\-daliadau, rheoli dyledion ac arian, tai a gwahaniaethu.

Mae’r arian hwn yn ychwanegol i’r £2\.2 miliwn y flwyddyn y mae Llywodraeth Cymru’n ei wario i gefnogi’r cynllun Cyngor Da, Bywyd Da sy’n cael ei gynnal gan y Canolfannau Cyngor ar Bopeth a’r prosiect £2\.4 miliwn sy’n cael ei ddarparu ar y cyd gan Cyngor ar Bopeth Cymru a Cymunedau yn Gyntaf i roi cyngor ar fudd\-daliadau a dyledion mewn 36 o glystyrau Cymunedau yn Gyntaf ledled y wlad.

Mae’r cyhoeddiad hwn yn rhan o ymdrech ehangach Llywodraeth Cymru i drechu tlodi ac anghydraddoldeb ac i liniaru effeithiau’r diwygiadau i’r system les.  Rwyf am glustnodi ychydig dan draean o’r arian hwn i ddatblygu gwasanaeth cynghori arbenigol ar wahaniaethu ar gyfer Cymru gyfan ac i ddysgu gwasanaethau cynghori mwy cyffredinol am faterion gwahaniaethu. Bydd hynny’n ein helpu i wneud yn siŵr bod camau’n cael eu cymryd i gefnogi amcan cyntaf y Cynllun Cydraddoldeb Strategol sef “Atgyfnerthu gwasanaethau cyngor, gwybodaeth ac eiriolaeth er mwyn helpu unigolion â nodweddion gwarchodedig ddeall ac arfer eu hawliau a gwneud dewisiadau hyddysg.”  Gwn fod grwpiau sydd â ‘nodweddion gwarchodedig’ yn fwy tebygol o fyw mewn tlodi ac o deimlo effeithiau’r newidiadau sydd wedi’u gwneud i’r system les.

Bydd yr arian yn helpu hefyd y bobl sy’n ymgodymu â dyledion neu a allai wneud y tro â help llaw i gael trefn well ar eu harian.  Rydym am gefnogi gwasanaethau fydd yn helpu pobl i ddatblygu’u galluoedd a rhoi’r sgiliau a’r hyder iddyn nhw allu rheoli gwahanol agweddau ar eu bywyd yn well.

Mae’r cyhoeddiad hwn yn dilyn cyfnod o drafod manwl â’r prif randdeiliaid, yn enwedig y rheini sy’n aelodau o Fforwm Darparwyr Cyngor Annibynnol Cymru.  Cynrychiolwyr y prif fudiadau ymbarél sy’n rhoi cyngor ar lefel Cymru a Phrydain yw aelodau’r Fforwm hwn.

Bydd modd ymgeisio am y grant o fory, 15 Ebrill, ymlaen.  Fel rhan o’r broses ymgeisio, bydd gofyn i fudiadau ddangos eu hymrwymiad i gydweithio, hynny o safbwynt cydweithio â chynghorwyr eraill a hefyd o safbwynt meithrin cysylltiadau â gwasanaethau cyhoeddus eraill sydd â’r un weledigaeth a phwrpas â nhw.  Rydym yn arbennig o awyddus o weld mwy o gydweithio rhwng gwasanaethau cynghori ac Undebau Credyd er enghraifft, yn enwedig os gallai’r cydweithio arwain at ganlyniadau gwell i gleientiaid.  Bydd gofyn i fudiadau ddangos ymrwymiad hefyd i gynnal safonau a gwelliant parhaus, ac esbonio sut ydynt am roi gwybod i ni am y gwahaniaeth y maen nhw’n ei wneud i fywydau pobl.

Mae’r cyhoeddiad hwn yn rhan o ymateb Llywodraeth Cymru i’r Adolygiad o Wasanaethau Cynghori a gyhoeddodd ei adroddiad ym mis Mai 2013\.  Byddwn yn dal i drafod â rhanddeiliaid wrth i ni roi rhai o argymhellion eraill yr Adolygiad ar waith, yn enwedig wrth i ni ystyried sut orau i gefnogi sector cynghori a fydd yn mynd ati mewn ffordd fwy strategol a chydlynol i gynllunio a darparu gwasanaethau cynghori yng Nghymru.

Mae’r datganiad hwn yn cael ei gyhoeddi yn ystod y toriad i roi’r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i aelodau.  Os carai’r aelodau i mi roi datganiad pellach neu i ateb cwestiynau arno pan fydd y Cynulliad yn dychwelyd, byddwn yn fwy na hapus i wneud hynny.