The level of expertise required to do the work

Limited specialized expertise needed, e.g., minimally onboarded volunteers could do this work.

It is recommended that workers with prior experience complete this type of work.

Expertise

The level of partner engagement that may be required to do the work

Few/no partnerships with other organizations required.

1-3 loose partnerships with other organizations required.

Strong partnerships and collaboration are required to this work.

Partnerships

Kinds of support an organization can provide

Identify potential benefits and how they interact

Benefits screening

Build awareness through marketing, workshops etc.

Benefits promotion

Gather, store and help fill out applications

Documentation access

Help access transportation, online navigation and communication tools

Logistics

Supporting an individual to file taxes or setting up a tax clinic

Tax filing

Type of support

The amount of time required to do the work

Time

# Supporting others on their <br /> benefits journey

There are four main steps that people go through in accessing benefits. Look at each step to learn more about how you can help.

Get practical tools, methods, and advice. Learn from other organizations who are already providing access to benefits services by accessing this collection of their best practices.

Best practices

Dashboard

It can be hard to find out what benefits someone is eligible for since the information is spread across different websites and can be complex or confusing.

It can also be a challenge to sift through all available benefits and find the ones that just apply to a person’s specific situation.

Using the [Benefits wayfinder](https://benefitswayfinder.org/) and/or the knowledge of your experienced staff, you can help people find the specific benefits that match their situation.

Find benefits that match their situation

Many people do not know about all the benefits they might be eligible for. Your organization can play an important role by building awareness of the benefits that are relevant for the communities you serve.

Market and promote benefits

Filing taxes is a critical gateway to accessing many government benefits. Some benefits are applied for when filing (such as the GST/HST Credit), while others require you to have filed your taxes and then fill out an application. (e.g., the Canada Child Benefit).

Supporting people in filing taxes is an important way to help them access benefits and tax credits. Hosting a Community Volunteer Income Tax Clinic (CVITP) is a great way for your organization to help, or you can provide other 1-on-1 tax filing help. If you already host a clinic or are not interested in hosting a clinic at your organization, there are other ways you can support people. This could include referrals to clinics in your area, partnering with others that provide this service, or offering other tax services such as tax preparation workshops/clinics, or supporting self-filing.

If you do decide to host your own clinic, go to [Hosting a tax clinic](/resource/hosting-a-tax-clinic) for more information.

Support with filing taxes

Hosting group information sessions on common benefits is a great way to help your community get comfortable with applying for benefits and provide an opportunity to ask questions and get support.

Consider inviting a relevant expert (e.g., government representative or local advocate) to present on a specific benefit.

Provide group information sessions

Sometimes income and social benefit programs can interact with one another to affect a person’s benefit levels and eligibility. For example, some people who received the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) saw their social assistance benefits go down. This can make people hesitant to apply for new benefits.

Your organization can help overcome this barrier by helping clients understand the interactions between benefits, and how getting one benefit may or may not impact another.

Explain how benefits interact

The __Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP)__ has existed since 1971.  It is a collaboration between community organizations and the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to provide free tax filing supports to people living on low incomes in Canada and has a massive impact on benefits access across Canada.

During the 2019-2020 program year, more than 18,970 volunteers and 3,810 community organizations filed over 467,500 tax returns for individuals across Canada and helped over 407,410 individuals. Since May 2020, an additional 180,000 tax returns have been filed through virtual tax clinics.

Tax clinics are a critical gateway to receiving benefits. Whether you choose to refer your clients to a clinic, partner with an organization that provides this service, or embark on setting one up at your organization, there are many resources available to assist you. For information on referring clients or partnering with other organizations to provide tax filing support visit Support with Filing taxes.

If you are considering hosting your own CVITP clinic, there are many CRA resources available.

Hosting a tax clinic

Step 1: Learning about benefits

Often benefits application processes lead to applicants having to travel to multiple locations to apply successfully (e.g., going to Service Canada to get documents or to visit a doctor to fill out forms).  The costs associated with travel can be prohibitive. Your organization can help by providing supports like bus tickets or offering to drive clients to various appointments.

Assist with transportation support

Accessing benefits often requires applicants to have documentation (such as a Social Insurance Number or a birth certificate). However, vulnerable populations often don’t have these documents and it often costs money to get new copies. Perhaps your organization can help cover document fees for people living on low incomes, helping them to get the documents they need to access income-boosting benefits.

Cover cost of document fees

Filling out benefits applications can be challenging, especially for those with literacy barriers, or with low confidence or experience. Organizations can offer 1-on-1 support filling out forms, helping participants feel more comfortable with the process.

Help fill out benefits applications

If someone has a low digital literacy, it can be tough to complete online benefits applications, use online portals such as MyCRA, and find relevant information about benefits updates or eligibility.  Even without specific benefit knowledge, a staff member helping clients navigate these online platforms can be a big help in applying for benefits.

Help with navigating online resources

Individuals experiencing homelessness or those who have precarious housing may not have a safe place to store their important documents (e.g., tax slips, ID, Social Insurance Number cards, etc.), increasing the chance they get stolen or lost. Providing storage for documents or document photocopies is a way your organization can help individuals access benefits.

Offer safe document storage

Many people do not have the necessary documents for benefits applications, especially for those who are experiencing homelessness or are precariously housed, those with psychiatric issues, the elderly, Indigenous peoples, or those who have been recently incarcerated. Filling out applications for these documents can be intimidating. Organizations can help by offering 1-on-1 support with filling out forms and clarifying what parts of these forms mean, helping participants feel more comfortable with the process.

Fill out applications for documentation

Lack of government ID is a significant barrier for many clients.  You may want to support clients when they require ID to be attested to or verified. The level of support you offer will depend on the province or territory you live in, and the professional certification required. Be sure to research your province’s laws around ID attestation and verification.

- __Attestation__ is the proof or evidence of something. It can refer to the witnessing of something or formally verifying something to be true. In the case of taxes and benefits it may be a document that verifies the person or where they reside.
- __Verification__ is the process of establishing the truth, accuracy, or validity of something.

Provide ID attestation and verification

Access to a telephone, computer, printer, or the internet are critical in applying for benefits, printing out paperwork, or contacting benefits administrators to discuss issues. Making these tools available to clients can help with the process of accessing benefits.

Provide access to communications tools (computers etc.)

Some benefits require you to have a stable mailing address to respond to questions or to receive payment. However, people living on low incomes may not have stable addresses, either through homelessness, precarious housing, or frequent moves. Providing your organization’s mailing address and collecting mail for your clients can be an important contribution to benefits access.

Allow use of mailing address

Step 2: Applying for benefits

For people that are underbanked- meaning they have limited or no access to traditional financial institutions - accessing benefits via cheque or direct deposit is difficult. Some benefits require a registered savings account, such as the Canada Learning Bond that requires a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP).

Your organization can help clients access banking services by easing their fears around banking or helping them to open an account.

Help obtain access to banking

Step 3:  Getting benefits

Documentation is required to apply for and maintain benefits, file taxes and open a bank account, such as a Social Insurance Number (SIN), birth certificate, or a secure certificate of Indian Status.

Sometimes a person may also require medical information, rent receipts, or proof of residence, to apply for a benefit or appeal if their application is declined.

Often clients will need help to gather the required documentation or to obtain it. Your organization can help by clarifying documentation requirements, included explaining what each type of documentation is and how to access it.

To find out what documentation is required, visit the [Benefits wayfinder](https://benefitswayfinder.org/).

Help gather documentation  (for application, maintenance or appeal)

Maintaining benefits sometimes requires ongoing action, like filling out a reporting form or keeping your tax filing up to date. Your organization can play an important role by reminding their community about these important milestones.

Supporting others on their
benefits journey

Step 1: Learning about benefits

Step 2: Applying for benefits

Step 3: Getting benefits

Step 4: Maintaining benefits

Best practices

Supporting others on their benefits journey

Step 1: Learning about benefits

Step 2: Applying for benefits

Step 3: Getting benefits

Step 4: Maintaining benefits

Best practices

Supporting others on their
benefits journey