Award-winning Debbie is fighting for just causes; MY DREAM JOB Debbie Crew, project co-ordinator, Crosby, Formby & District CAB.

Byline: By MICHELLE RUSHTON

NO two days are the same for Debbie Crew, a paid project co-ordinator with the Citizens' Advice Bureau (CAB), who is extremely passionate about her work.

"It is difficult to define my role as it is extremely varied, which is just how I like it," she confessed.

Based in Waterloo, Debbie's actions affects the whole of Sefton and, as in her latest campaign, the whole nation.

Her main role is co-ordinator for a health outreach teamwhich works in GP surgeries helping clients deal with the root cause of stress rather than relying on their GP to prescribe medication for the symptoms.

"I am constantly striving to improve the ways we reach out to the more vulnerable clients. For example, I recently developed the service to deliver benefit awareness training for health professionals," Debbie explained.

"As part of the work we actively address social policy issues to help influence change," she continued. "This means, people who will not necessary receive the service directly may be helped as a result when we have successfully lobbied for change, locally and nationally."

The role is perfect for Debbie, who loves a challenge and the opportunity to learn new skills.

"My favourite saying is 'I aim to do something outside my comfort zone at least once a week,'" she revealed. "But at the moment that seems more like once an hour, as I amcurrently leading on what has fast developed into a national campaign.

"After losing sleep because I was unable to help a client, I decided to do something about it. This proved to be no easy feat, as the only workable solution is to change the current housing law.

"It astounds me that, in 2007, tenants who live in the private rental sector can be legally evicted in response to trying to get the landlord to carry out repairs.

"It has been easy to capture people's interest on this issue as it is fundamentally wrong. It can affect just about anyone but particularly the young, old and the vulnerable.

"I have even brought this issue to the attention of the housing minister in a meeting where we discussed how we can end retaliatory evictions in the UK."

Debbie recently received an award for her campaign, to add to her Sheila McKechnie Campaigning Award, both presented to her by Prime Minister Gordon Brown at Downing Street.

"This has certainly opened doors of opportunity, and has brought the campaign to the attention of high profile people and organisations," said Debbie, who received a tailor-made package of support for her efforts.

"I have access to an amazing mentor who is a very successful campaigner," gushed Debbie. "She has given me priceless one-to-one coaching. I even get to shadow somebody in the Cabinet."

Although she is always very busy, Debbie describes her job as immensely rewarding. But it took her a while to find her true vocation. "I never knew what I wanted to do when I left school," she admitted.

After gaining five O Levels, at 17 Debbie worked in a nursery as part of a youth training scheme.

She gained her NNEB nursery nurse qualification, then craved a little more excitement and left for Dover to become a hovercraft stewardess.

After moving to Liverpool, Debbie worked at Merseytravel. Realising she had a genuine interest in helping people, she qualified as a counsellor at night school and began working as a volunteer advisor at Crosby, Formby and District CAB to gain more experience.

She loved it so much she took a huge risk, leaving her permanent job for a six-month contract with the CAB and luckily, the CAB received extra funding to take her on and expand the service. Debbie was promoted to project coordinator and has never looked back.

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CAMPAIGNER: Debbie Crew