We provide:
INFORMATION
ADVICE
SUPPORT
ADVOCACY

We are an independent organisation, providing free and confidential advice, information, support and advocacy on a wide range of issues for people in Broomhouse, North Sighthill and the surrounding areas. We also see people from outwith these areas.

We will deal with any query a client brings to us. Some of the most common things we deal with include housing, welfare benefits, money issues, debt, problems with neighbours, problems with bills and gas and electricity companies, etc. If there is anything you need help with, give us a call or come in and see us and we will do our best`to help. If we don’t have the answers or information you need, we will help you to find someone who does!

You can call in to see us between 9am and 1pm, Monday to Friday, at: Community One Stop Shop 3 Broomhouse Market Edinburgh EH11 3UU Or telephone or email us at: 0131 443 6223 coss@myedinburgh.org

In March 2002, a steering group was established to explore the potential for the service. To see if there was interest and support for the project, the steering group spent several months asking local people what they thought. They found members of the community to be enthusiastic about the idea. The steering group then undertook a two-stage survey. They commissioned a consultant to undertake a feasibility study and produced a business plan for taking the project forward.

Staff were employed by the project in November 2003 and the Community One Stop Shop was opened to the public at Broomhouse Market in January 2004.

The Community One Stop Shop has now been providing information, advice, support and advocacy on a wide range of topics for 3 years. The One Stop Shop also works in partnership with other local agencies and has developed excellent links with them. The project also uses volunteers to help make the most of the service and they are highly valued as providing invaluable help and support.

What happens when you come to see us?

Sometimes we are able to see people ‘on the spot’ when they drop in to see us. If we are unable to see you there and then, we will make an appointment for you to come back and see us another time. We can usually arrange to see you the same week, or the following week. Our usual opening hours are Monday to Friday, between the hours of 9am and 1pm. (We will not usually be able to make an appointment for someone later than 4pm on any given day.)

When you first come into the One Stop Shop, we will discuss with you what you need advice or information on. We will take some details from you (name, contact details, date of birth, nature of enquiry etc); these details are simply for our own records, to allow us to compile statistical data on the number and type of enquiries we deal with.

The information we take from clients is completely confidential. Once we have your details, we will usually try and help you resolve your issue ‘on the spot’ – by seeing if we have the relevant information in the office, searching the internet, making phone calls, writing letters, filling in forms, or anything else that needs to be done. If we cannot deal with your issue right away, we will make you an appointment to come back and see us on another day. Depending on how complex your enquiry is, we may need to see you on several occasions over a period of time.

It is our aim to empower our clients to take control of their lives. We will endeavour to provide support in a way that suits you, so let us know what you need.