CAB Awareness Week 2025 runs from Monday 10th to Sunday 16th March, and this year it puts the spotlight on support for and empowerment of people and communities. The theme for CAB Awareness Week 2025 is ‘Awhi mai, awhi atu – empowered together’. It reflects the role of the CAB as a place where the community comes together in the spirit of receiving and giving support and being empowered together.

Kerry Dalton, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice Bureau New Zealand, says this role that the CAB plays in the community forms an important part of the social fabric of Aotearoa. “Daily life can bring us all questions or issues that are tricky to deal with on our own,” says Dalton. “It’s good to have somewhere you can go for free and confidential help with those things. It’s also good to have a place where people can give back to their community, learn lots of new skills, and be part of a team helping others – CAB is that place.”

Dalton says this year’s Awareness Week theme also reflects the idea of supporting and empowering people both individually and collectively. “At CAB, we awhi (show support for) our clients with information and advice and connecting them with specialist services – and we awhi our communities by advocating, based on what we learn from working with our clients, for laws and policies that will better protect people’s human rights and wellbeing”, says Dalton.

In reflecting on the mahi CAB has done over the past year to support and empower people, Dalton says she is proud of the work of CAB volunteers and staff. “Our volunteers have responded to over 220,000 enquiries from the public on a wide range of topics including tenancy, employment, consumer purchases, immigration issues, the justice system, relationship issues, and more”, says Dalton. “CABNZ (CAB’s national body) has spoken out on social justice issues including those that affect Māori, renters, migrant workers, consumers, people on income support, and people who experience digital exclusion. Our volunteers and staff have been working hard to make a positive impact for our clients and communities.”

Dalton says CAB Awareness Week is a wonderful opportunity for the organisation to take some time to celebrate the work it does and profile to the community the help and services it offers. “All around the motu there will be local CABs out in the community, attending events, holding events, putting out

information over local media or social media, talking about who we are and what we do,” says Dalton. “They will be highlighting that we are here to help anyone with anything, and the assistance is free, confidential, and non-judgemental – and you don’t have to be a NZ citizen to get our help either. If you need help and don’t know who to ask, you can ask us!”

For the CAB’s help, call freephone 0800 367 222, drop in to your local CAB (no appointment needed), or contact CAB via the website at cab.org.nz.

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