Volunteer

We require a commitment of at least 18 months.

Hours: 2 days per week

Context of the role

Volunteer advisers receive full training in the skills needed to help people deal with their problems and learn how to find the information the client needs from our extensive database.

Volunteers are supported and supervised as they begin to give advice and will receive feedback and development opportunities throughout their time with Citizens Advice. There are a variety of roles and tasks up to giving full advice.

Purpose of the role

• To help provide an effective and efficient advice service to members of the public.
• To help influence government and other organisations by informing them of the effect of their actions on the lives of clients.

Role Description

• 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 communicating 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.
• Completing clear and accurate case records.

Person Specification

• Recognising the root causes of problems and participating in taking appropriate action.
• Keeping up to date on important issues by attending the appropriate training and by essential reading.
• A commitment to continuous professional development.
• Attending internal meetings as appropriate.
• A commitment to the aims and principles of the Citizens Advice service.
• Being open, approachable and non-judgmental.
• Ability to communicate clearly both orally and in writing.
• Ability to sift through information and extract what is relevant.
• A good level of literacy and numeracy.
• An understanding of why confidentiality is important.
• A good level of IT literacy.
• Be able to input data accurately.
• A positive attitude to self-development and assessment.
• Ability and willingness to work as part of a team.
• Ability to recognise their own limits and boundaries in the role.
• Enjoy helping people.

Purpose of the role

• To promote and be involved in all research and campaigns activities.

Main duties and responsibilities include:

• Provide support to advisers on research and campaigns work
• Keep up to date with research and campaigns issues
• Maintain the profile of research and campaigns within the office
• Contribute to learning about research and campaigns
• Contribute to effective research and campaigns work within the office
• review the effectiveness of existing research and campaigns work
• review the priorities for research and campaigns work within the office
• evaluate research and campaigns initiatives
• make proposals for new research and campaigns initiatives
• produce written reports on any of the above, as required
• attend relevant internal and external meetings, as required
• Administration
• develop and maintain systems for recording and monitoring research and campaigns work in the bureau
• maintain detailed records for the purposes of information retrieval, statistical monitoring and reporting
• work within wider systems and procedures

We require a commitment of at least 6 months.

Hours: 1 day per week

Purpose of the role

• To provide Citizens Advice Barnet with outcomes data to assist us in demonstrating the impact of our overall service.

Role Description

• Assisting in the designing and testing of client surveys.
• Carrying out surveys with clients.
• Inputting data and collating results.

Person Specification

• A commitment to the aims and principles of the Citizens Advice service.
• To understand the importance of confidentiality.
• Excellent communication skills, both orally and in writing.
• The ability to analyse and evaluate information.
• A willingness to attend training and other meetings.
• To be approachable and friendly.
• Ability to work on own initiative.

Hours: 1 day per week (or 2 half days)

Initial Checkers carry out a quick, diagnostic assessment to decide upon the best next steps for clients – If they need information, an advice interview, or can be signposted or referred to another agency.

Duties include:

• Meet and greet clients
• Identify the client’s presenting problems and situation
• Assess the risk/urgency of the client’s issue and their ability to deal with the problem themselves
• Identify and explain the clients options
• Book appointments (where relevant), signpost and provide information
• Update database to record your client contacts
• Attend internal meetings, as appropriate

Person Specification

• be warm, friendly and approachable
• be good at listening
• have good diagnostic and time management skills
• have good computing skills
• enjoy helping people
• be open, approachable and non-judgemental
• be committed to the aims and principles of the Citizens Advice Service

Hours: 1 day per week

Our Receptionists/Admin Support Workers are the public face of every local Citizens Advice, managing ‘front-of-house’.

Duties include:

• answer the phone/door
• greet clients and other visitors
• ensure clients know what is happening and how long they have to wait
• explain the services on offer
• ensure clients have completed questionnaires and consent forms
• enter/update client information on database
• deal with any enquiries and explain the process
• let advisers know when their clients have arrived
• contact clients to confirm appointments
• scan/copy documents
• deal with incoming post/deliveries
• keep the reception area tidy
• general office duties

Person Specification

• be polite when talking to people
• have good computing skills
• have an understanding of, and commitment to, confidentiality
• be friendly and approachable
• be flexible
• be patient
• have a good telephone manner
• have an ability to cope in a very busy office environment
• be organised