A financial investment of just £15 has delivered a new website for Rochford and Rayleigh Citizen’s Advice Bureau (CAB), thanks to the talents of a Trident work experience student.

The website, which targets those in need of help from their local CAB who are unable to visit in person is now receiving more than 100 hits every day www.rochfordcab.org.uk

Elliot Hughes, 15, a pupil from The Sweyne School, Rayleigh in Essex, spent three weeks developing the website, working closely with Sue Murray, District Manager of Rochford and Rayleigh CAB. 

He said: “I had been interested in website design for a while and it was great to put my skills to use for the benefit of the local community.   It made my Trident work experience placement really worthwhile for the bureau and for me.”

As a registered charity, Rochford and Rayleigh CAB sought a cost-effective way of extending its services on-line to keep up with demand.

Sue Murray said: “We cover quite a large area and needed a website which could answer frequently asked questions and offer general advice.”

Whilst affiliated to the National Citizen’s Advice Bureau, all local CABs are independent organisations reliant on local funding, so Sue didn’t have a lot of money to spare to achieve her plan.   What she did have, through the Trident network, was access to a pool of enthusiastic and able young people who could deliver what she needed.

“Due to the confidential nature of a lot of our work we can’t usually offer work experience opportunities to young people, but this was a project which could be achieved by a young person with the right IT knowledge and sensitivity of our work,” she said.

“Elliot was great.   We treated him professionally and briefed him properly, making sure he understood the ethos of the CAB. Over the 3-week period he developed a website which is attractive and easy to navigate.”  

The only financial expense was £15 for two year’s web-hosting, donated by another web company, www.site-street.com Elliot’s time cost nothing, but both he and Sue invested their own time in making the project work.

Paula Brookes, work experience co-ordinator at The Sweyne School said: "We notice a greater level of maturity and confidence in the pupils on their return from their period of work experience.  It gives them an insight into the world of work and to a possible career choice.  Work experience takes the pupils out of their comfort zone of school and peer groups, and makes them more independant and responsible people. During work experience, we hope that our pupils will learn new skills that they will need to use when they leave school. These include following instructions, thinking skills and communication skills."

Ian Poulter, East of England regional director for Trident, said: “This is work experience placement at its best – benefiting both the company and the student. Annually we work with hundreds of companies, who offer work experience through Trident, as the benefits can be enormous not only because it helps young people understand the wold of work, but also, for some, a student can help them achieve a project which would otherwise have been put on hold for months until a permanent member of staff had time to do it.”