Training Courses

1. Z2K General Training Course

Our general training course aims to provide the basic principles and knowledge a volunteer would need to enable them provide help to those on a low income who face claims from statutory authorities for essential household expenditure such as council tax and utility bills.

The topics covered in our training course are:

  • Introduction to McKenzie Friends
  • Introduction to Magistrates and County Courts
  • An overview of the benefits system
  • Council Tax arrears
  • Housing – rent arrears
  • Utilities – utility debt and social tariff/warm home discount
  • Enforcement and Bailiffs
  • Welfare Benefits overpayments and benefit sanctions

2. Tailored Training for Organisations & Community Groups

We also offer a training course to organisations and community groups who would like their staff, volunteers or members to be better informed on issues of welfare and housing. Our trainers are happy to tailor the content of the training to suit the needs of the organisation/group. Please contact Lilian Lee at +44 (0) 20 7259 0801  for more information.

Organisations we have helped tailor our training for include the Home Start Westminster and McKenzie Tree.

Please contact Lilian Lee at +44 (0) 20 7259 0801 for more information on these training courses.

3. NextDoor Housing Training

Free training and support on the Housing Benefit caps and the housing options available for those affected.

Who is this training for?

Organisations or individuals that work with impacted groups, who may might otherwise lack the expertise or confidence to be able to advise or inform their clients.

The training sessions and discussion groups

We are flexible about the content, structure, length, location and date of the sessions as we understand the diversity of client groups and organisations.

Examples of the types of training session or discussion groups we can provide:

  1. General housing options training session
    • This would cover the basic concepts of housing such as ‘intentionally homeless’,  ‘priority need’ or ‘choice based lettings’, or even include information about basic welfare rights.
    • This might be suitable for charities that are run by volunteers.
  2. Brief discussion group on local authorities’ developing priorities
    • This would cover information on specific housing options such as Discretionary Housing Payments and Private Rented Sector Access Schemes.
    • This might be suitable for charities with paid members of staff
  3.  A relax Q & A style session
    • Members of staff or volunteers can address specific concerns that they may have.

Interested? Please contact us

If this is something that you or your staff might benefit from, or if you would like to discuss the aims of our project further, please contact Romin Sutherland, NextDoor Project Manager who will be happy to help in whatever way he can by emailing him at rominsutherland@z2k.org or phone 020 7259 0801.

You can read more about the services NextDoor offer at its webpage.