Last year we helped over 14,000 people with over 42,000 problems. We can only do that by having a dedicated team of volunteers and we need more amazing people to join our teams so we can continue to ensure that people in our communities can receive the help they need when they need it. We’ve got lots of different ways you can get involved.
Possible Volunteering Roles
Adviser
We will give you the training and support to develop in this essential role. You will develop key employability skills such as independent working, effective communication, decision making, negotiating, time management, action planning, reflective practice and problem solving. For those of you looking to change careers or find employment we can provide you with a reference. For those who are looking to keep their minds active and learn new skills then you have come to the right place. At Citizens Advice Northumberland you will be welcomed into a team who are committed to working to make a real difference to the lives of the local community. We pay agreed travel expenses to and from your home to your local office.
Main duties and responsibilities may include:
- Interviewing clients, both face-to-face and on the telephone, letting the client explain their enquiry and helping the client to set priorities.
- Finding, interpreting and explaining the relevant information and exploring options and implications in order that the client can come to a decision.
- Acting, where necessary, on behalf of the client, negotiating, drafting or writing letters or making appropriate referrals.
- Assisting clients with form filling, making benefits claims and helping them to prepare for assessments as part of their benefits claim.
- Completing clear and accurate case records.
- Identifying, reporting and providing evidence for research and campaigns issues.
- Keeping up to date on important issues by attending the appropriate training and by essential reading.
- Maintaining confidentiality about clients and their contact with Citizens Advice by following the Confidentiality Policy and adhering to General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).
Skills and qualities needed:
- Ability to listen to the client and use a range of questioning techniques to gather relevant background information.
- Able to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
- Can quickly sift through information and extract what is relevant.
- Monitor emails, use word processing programs, the intranet, web-based advice systems and carry out tabbed browsing.
- Commitment to the Aims and Principles of the Citizens Advice service, including the service’s Equality and Diversity Policies.
Research and Campaigns Assistant
We will give you the training and support to develop in this interesting and vital role. You will develop key employability skills including team work, effective communication, problem solving and using initiative. For those of you looking to change careers or find employment we can provide you with a reference. For those who are looking to keep their minds active and learn new skills then you have come to the right place. At Citizens Advice Northumberland you will be welcomed into a team who are committed to working to make a real difference to the lives of the local community. We pay agreed travel expenses.
Main duties and responsibilities may include:
- Promoting and partaking in local and national research and campaign initiatives.
- Providing support and guidance to advisers on research and campaigns work.
- Helping advisers to identify suitable cases for research and campaigns work.
- Monitoring trends in office enquiries, to identify issues for potential local or national research and campaigns work.
- Collating good quality Evidence Forms and sharing good practice across the service.
- Keeping up to date with local and national publications.
- Network with others involved in research and campaigns work locally, regionally and nationally.
- Reporting on research and campaigns issues at workers’ meetings.
- Acting as main contact on research and campaigns issues for trainees.
- Maintaining electronic filing systems in accordance with Citizens Advice systems and procedures including scanning and attaching paperwork to case files.
- Maintaining confidentiality about clients and their contact with Citizens Advice by following the Confidentiality Policy and adhering to General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).
Skills and qualities needed:
- An understanding of key current social issues, and their potential impact on our clients.
- The ability to give feedback clearly and sensitively.
- The ability to analyse complex information.
- Monitor emails, use word processing programs, the intranet, web-based advice systems and carry out tabbed browsing.
- Commitment to the Aims and Principles of the Citizens Advice service, including the service’s Equality and Diversity Policies.