Volunteering

Commitment: 15 hours per week. Most volunteers do 2 full days but doing the time over 3 or 4 shorter days may be possible. Please be aware this minimum time commitment has been established as necessary to attain the appropriate level of competence in the role.

Role Description: Delivering initial client advice assessments by telephone and face to face from Avonmore Library and outreach locations. You will be exploring the client issue then either giving information, signposting elsewhere, or booking an appointment.

On reaching competence in the Assessor role (which usually takes 6 months of consistent delivery at two days a week) we certificate you and give you the option to move on to training as an Adviser. Adviser training and development is over a longer period with similar competence-based achievement and certification.

Key Skills 

• The ability to communicate effectively with clients, to control the conversation, extract key information, research answers and explain options in a way that will be understood by clients with a range of abilities. 
• Clear spoken and written English (Fluency in other languages is appreciated.)
• The ability to write objective, succinct case notes that meet our quality standards.
• Accurate research skills (mainly online) 
• An organised approach 
• Confident with using a variety of IT applications and the internet as well as good typing skills. We use Google Workspace, as well as our case management systems and other specific tools – all of which we provide training for
• Willingness to follow instructions and act positively on feedback and constructive criticism

Applicants for the assessor role are sent a short comprehension exercise before being invited to interview. Interviews are done by GoogleMeet. 

Training Plan

Those selected will receive training before going active. We offer a comprehensive programme of training for Assessors. This is called the Adviser Learning Programme, where you start as an Assessor and progress up to Adviser through a learning pathway. Initial Training is an in-person induction and online learning. This will be alongside observations of an experienced assessor working at the call centre and reception to see how our service delivery works in practice. There are also frequent in-house training sessions to support your learning.We also require you to practise using the key tools and systems so that we can provide feedback on your case notes.

We are not currently recruiting this role

Commitment: minimum 1 day per week (or 2 half days)

Role Description: We deliver library services at Avonmore Library and Neighbourhood Centre and Askew Road Library. Professional library qualifications are not required. We are looking for people able to help us with some or all of the following:

• Welcome visitors to the library
• Maintain an ordered library stock
• Assist customers to use the self-serve library facilities
• Assist customers wanting to learn digital skills
• Organise and run community events

The library reception volunteers also provide reception for clients seeking information and advice from Citizens Advice or attending advice appointments.

Key Skills

• Organised approach, with the ability to follow instructions
• Good attention to detail
• Good customer service and communication skills

Apply here

Commitment: 1-3 days a week- (at least 6 months commitment)

Role description: you will be based at one of our Drop In services (Avonmore Library or Shepherd’s Bush Market) supporting a team of Citizens Advice staff and other volunteers providing a range of drop-in advice support services to local people. Our friendly team of supervisors and advisers will always there to support you.

Your role will include:

• Welcoming clients
• Triage of clients by asking basic information
• Managing the queue of clients waiting to see an adviser
• Signposting clients to other organisations where appropriate
• Booking appointments for clients
• Scanning and processing documents
• Helping the team however you can.

Whatever skills and experience you have to offer, the only prerequisites are patience and empathy. In return, we can offer you training and support, as well as unlimited tea and biscuits. You will develop new skills, make new friends and be part of a great team.

Commitment: 1-2 half days per week 

Role Description: We support local people who want to learn basic digital skills such as how to make the most of their smartphone or basic laptop functions. Sessions are held at Avonmore Library and in weekly Computer Clubs at outreach locations.  Individual requirements and ability will vary according to the learners’ experience. 

You will:

• Work with a of team of volunteers to provide 1-to-1 guidance in weekly sessions held at different locations around the borough
• Assess resident’s initial needs
• Support learners in weekly sessions and/or ad hoc training requests

Key Skills 

• Confident using basic computing functions such as setting up an email address, downloading apps, using Microsoft Office or Google Docs.
• Experience of using different operating systems (Android, IoS and Windows
• Specific technical expertise is not required as most learners are at basic level.
• Experience of teaching/mentoring/coaching is an advantage.
• Patience and empathy essential 

Apply here

Commitment 3-4 half days per month 

Role Description Would you be happy to stand up in front of a dozen people and talk to them about everyday money management skills? Or deliver a presentation and discussion via Zoom? Or give one-to-one help with budgeting or other basic skills? Our trainers deliver a range of sessions to community groups and at our help hubs to develop basic money skills such as budgeting and saving, and to provide information to help people improve their finances or address financial issues and how to get help. Topics include benefits, wills, pensions, scams and energy bills. Training is provided through shadowing experienced trainers. 

Key Skills

• Good presentation skills to audiences with a range of abilities and experiences.
• An ability to adapt delivery style to the needs of the learner
• Willing to develop and revise training materials for different sessions and audiences. 
• An organised approach to preparing for sessions.
• An interest in financial issues that affect the local community

Apply here

Campaign work is our twin aim and is about collecting client evidence to challenge local policies or to input nationally to campaign work performed by Citizens Advice. It is particularly relevant to volunteers wanting to get involved with changing social policy and communications.

Commitment minimum 1 day per week

Role Description This role is to work alongside other staff and volunteers in the Campaigns team and will involve a mix of tasks from writing up evidence forms, interviewing clients, involvement in campaign planning, media work and influencing decision makers. Our team will consist of a variety of skills and abilities so please outline which of the list below (or others you feel are relevant) you can add to the team. We do not expect you to have them all.

Key Skills

• The ability to extract key information from our data and present in a style that clearly summarises the issue and demonstrates impact.
• The ability to interview clients sensitively to capture and effectively summarise their story.
• The ability to work independently, to deadlines and to have an organised approach to planning workload.
• Excellent communication skills, particularly in writing, with attention to detail.
• The ability to communicate via and to a variety of media (social media, print media, etc).
• A drive to achieve positive change.

Apply here

Commitment
We expect all our volunteers to provide us with a minimum of 6 months’ volunteering. If this is not possible, please contact us to see if we can make alternative arrangements. For trustees this will be a longer commitment of at least one year due to limited frequency of meetings in a year.

Process

For trustee roles we ask applicants to complete an application form, and if shortlisted will be invited to an interview with the Chair of Trustees and CEO as part of our recruitment process. If successful, potential trustees will be invited to attend a Board Meeting as an observer before a final decision is made about appointment to the Board.

Expenses

We do not pay travel expenses during the recruitment process. If selected, we pay out of pocket travel expenses for all attendance at meetings and events.

References and Identity

Appointments are subject to two satisfactory references, confirmation of identity as well as further enhanced checks for Directors.

Main duties and responsibilities for all trustees

Each individual member of the trustee board has a responsibility to contribute to the discharging of the board’s duties. They can do this by:

• maintaining an awareness of the business of the local Citizens Advice
• taking responsibility for their own learning and development
• regularly attending, preparing for and taking a full part in meetings
• actively contributing to setting policy and strategic direction, defining goals, setting targets and evaluating performance
• monitoring whether the service complies with its governing document, whether it meets Citizens Advice standards and how well the advice needs of the local community are being met
• monitoring the financial position and ensuring that the local Citizens Advice operates within its means and objects, and that there are clear lines of accountability for day-to-day financial management
• supporting the development of the local Citizens Advice through participation in agreed projects
• actively seeking to further the strategic objectives of the local Citizens Advice, and acting in its best interests at all times
• maintaining confidentiality about any sensitive or confidential information received in the course of duties as a trustee.

Personal skills and qualities for all trustees

Each individual member of the trustee board brings skills and qualities to the board. They add to the collective knowledge and experience by providing:

• commitment and availability to attend trustee board meetings
• effective communication skills and willingness to participate actively in discussion
• willingness to gain knowledge of local needs and resources
• commitment to the aims, principles and policies of the Citizens Advice service, including those relating to equal opportunities, independence, and research and campaigns
• willingness and ability to act in the best interests of the local Citizens Advice
• ability to understand and accept their responsibilities and liabilities as trustees and employers
• willingness to participate in democratic process which develops Citizens Advice policies by area and nationally
• numeracy to the extent required to understand accounts with the support of a treasurer
• willingness and ability to learn, and to develop and examine their own attitudes
• ability to think creatively and strategically, and exercise good, independent judgement
• ability to work effectively as a member of a team.

All volunteers are required to complete an application form, but it differs from a job application form because we require completion not to assess your ability to meet the criteria of an advertised post, but to give you an opportunity to tell us about your skills and the roles you’ve undertaken in both paid and unpaid capacities. We want you to tell us about all your skills and this includes those outside of employment for example, as a carer or via your involvement in social groups. The volunteer application form enables us to find out more about you and that the volunteering opportunity for which you’ve applied meets your needs and interests and that you can meet the commitment required to perform the roles you are interested in.

We conduct an interview for all our volunteer roles and for some roles we will also send you a test to complete before we arrange the interview date. We will provide you with information about Citizens Advice policies before your interview, this is so that we can interview you to a high standard. We expect you to read, consider and understand the information we send. We have high expectations of our volunteers and so we recruit to a high standard. There is further information about the Citizens Advice service on the national Citizens Advice website (https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/).

Time committed to volunteering with us depends upon the role that you choose to undertake with us. We have explained the commitments in the Volunteer Roles section above.

If you cannot meet the required commitment for the roles you have expressed an interest in, we may suggest other roles to you.

It will depend on which role you are interested in. Some roles require specific skills, for example we want our Data Analysts to have experience in Microsoft Excel as this is the format most of our service delivery data is in.

For other roles we do not ask for specific skills as we will develop these through training and support. For all roles we are looking at attitudes as well as skills, we require you to be open-minded, non-judgemental, and be able to listen, learn and work in a team

We reimburse volunteers for reasonable ‘out-of- pocket’ expenses for travelling to our offices or other venue where you assist us (Congestion charge is not included). Lunch will only be reimbursed when a volunteer attends full day external training events where lunch is not provided.

Volunteers need to be 16 years or over. There is no upper age limit for volunteers.

If you are receiving certain state benefits you might have a responsibility to inform the relevant agency before you start volunteering. Volunteering with us will not affect Universal Credit or New Style JSA PROVIDED YOU:

Take reasonable steps to find a job (e.g. answering advertisements, signing up with any agency, and taking other steps required by the Job Centre)
Can be available for work for 40 hours each week
Inform the Job Centre / work coach that you are volunteering
Can take up work or attend interview within 48 hours.
We can help you by providing a standard letter stating that you:

Don’t get paid, only reimbursed actual out-of-pocket expenses
Can be contacted whilst volunteering at CAHF if a job opportunity becomes available
Can be available at a certain period of notice to start work or attend an interview (must be less than 48 hours).

You should notify the relevant agency before starting your volunteer role if you receive benefits such as New Style ESA, Severe Disablement Allowance, Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit or Carers Allowance. We can help you by providing a standard letter confirming:

Numbers of hours volunteering undertaken with CAHF
Hours spent volunteering at the bureau are unpaid
Flexibility of volunteering i.e. it cannot be regarded as the same as paid work.
There are some benefits that are not affected by volunteering and where the relevant agencies do not need to be informed that the person is volunteering. These include: State Retirement Pension, Council Tax Reduction, Housing Benefit, Statutory Maternity pay, Maternity Allowance, War Widow’s Pension and Widow’s Pension.

We do not currently ask for a DBS check unless your role is likely to involve working alone with children or vulnerable adults, but this may alter depending on changes in local or national policy.

CAHF normal working hours are 9.30am – 5.00pm Monday-Friday, and volunteer opportunities will usually be limited to these hours. In limited roles and circumstances, we may ask for help with evening or weekend sessions that we run and Trustee Board meetings usually take place after 6pm. Therefore, for those unavailable on weekdays, the range of volunteer opportunities will be limited.