A BRAND new website has been launched to enable people in West Devon to get online help with common problems whenever they need it.

The website http://www.advicewestdevon.org.uk">www.advicewestdevon.org.uk is the latest facet of the Advice West Devon project.

The project is a partnership of seven local organisations working together to improve the range of information and advice services in West Devon and encourage collaboration between local providers so that people can get the right help more quickly.

Shirley Hooton, interim project service manager for Advice West Devon, said: 'Anyone can now go online, answer a few simple questions relating to their problems and be directed to a range of useful, reliable information.

'There is also an online enquiry form for those people who find they need further help.'

Dan Burton, advice session supervisor at Okehampton Citizens' Advice Bureau, welcomed the new website. He said: 'We assist people every week with all sorts of issues but often people let those problems get quite serious before they come to the Citizens' Advice Bureau.

'If just some of those people can get quality help earlier by going online then it could prevent their problems getting out of control and affecting their health and lives in other ways.'

Other activities underway thanks to Advice West Devon include a survey of local people's views on what might improve provision in the area, free training on signposting for voluntary organisations and other agencies, supporting the recruitment and training of volunteers for Adviceline and the Citizens' Advice telephone advice service.

An online inter-agency referral system has also been established, and the project team is keen to hear from any care and support organisation that would like to join its free scheme enabling direct referrals to Okehampton or Tavistock Citizens' Advice Bureau or any of the other partners.

Advice West Devon is one of the agencies that is available every week as part of the Friday Hub at the Ockment Centre.

The Hub starts on December 5 and will bring together RISE recovery, Ockment Work Club, Sanctuary Supported Living, the Probation Service and Advice West Devon every Friday in a friendly, relaxed environment.

Anyone who wants to see one or more of these agencies can drop in between 10am and 1pm to have a chat with them or make an appointment.

Jenny Hopkins of the Ockment Centre team said: 'It's often difficult for people to know where to turn if they have a problem. We hope that people will use the Friday Hub and Advice West Devon website as a starting point to getting things sorted for themselves.'

Advice West Devon is led by a steering group comprising Torridge, North, Mid and West Devon Citizens' Advice Bureau, Okehampton and District Community Transport Group, the Ockment Centre, West Devon CVS, Tavistock Area Support Services, Kingdon House Community Association and Tavistock Youth Café.

The project is funded for two years by the Advice Services Transition Fund which is provided by the Big Lottery Fund and the Cabinet Office.

For further information on the project and its plans for the next year, visit http://www.advicewestdevon.org.uk">www.advicewestdevon.org.uk, email info@advice westdevon.org.uk, or call 01837 54840.