Every year, we have the privilege of celebrating Volunteers’ Week, which this year fell between the 3rd and 9th of June. The week is a golden opportunity to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of those who give up their time for free. 2024 also marks a special year as we celebrate 40 years of Volunteers’ Week.
Acknowledging the work of volunteers
At Citizens Advice Barnet, volunteers are our lifeblood, and we cannot overstate the importance of their contributions.
Beyond helping us get things done, volunteers are a fundamental part of who we are as an organisation. Our volunteers significantly enhance our frontline capacity, especially during times of increased demand. Many of our Generalist Advisers are volunteers, who give high quality, impartial advice on many complex issues. They also help clients to access our services by taking helpline calls, calling back referrals and are usually the first point of contact on reception.
As well as advisory roles, we also have a dedicated team of research and campaigns volunteers, who gather evidence from our data to campaign for change locally and contribute to national social policy campaigns. Volunteers also support our fundraising efforts by identifying sources of funding and writing applications for small grants.
The value of volunteering
Across the Citizens Advice network, over 14,000 people actively volunteer. National Citizens Advice estimates that volunteering generates tremendous value, benefiting local Citizens Advice, the NHS, the economy, and the volunteers themselves. In financial terms, it’s been worth at least £100 million this year alone.
At Citizens Advice Barnet, our almost 40-strong team of volunteers contribute two days a week on average. This impressive commitment works out at approximately 4,032 days a year, equating to the work of 16 full-time employees!
What goes into becoming a volunteer?
Becoming a volunteer is a journey that involves significant dedication and learning. It typically takes between six months and twelve months for a volunteer to be certified as a Generalist Adviser – depending on the time the individual is able to give and the speed of their learning.
The process to becoming fully certified is vigorous; starting with a mixture of shadowing, independent study and practical workshops, progressing to the early stages of being client facing, such as being on Front of House, attending outreaches and pop-up events, and answering calls on our Adviceline. Ultimately volunteers can then move onto training to be a generalist adviser, specialist adviser or another role in the organisation, depending on their interests.
You can guarantee that any volunteer you meet is sure to have made a significant commitment of their time and energy, as well as immersing themselves in a huge array of complicated topics – from benefits, debt, housing as well as data protection and immigration.
More than just man hours
Our volunteers bring diverse backgrounds, outlooks, and experiences into our work, enriching our service in countless ways. They may have language skills or professional experience, and most live within the Barnet community they serve – bringing local wisdom and knowledge to the table.
In the 40th year of celebrating Volunteers’ Week, we want to share with you and our volunteers just how grateful we are for their commitment, efforts and their unwavering spirit. Without you, Citizens Advice Barnet couldn’t function, and our community would suffer
Here’s to another year of incredible service and dedication.
If you’re feeling inspired by the incredible work done by our volunteers and are looking to make a positive difference in your community, please get in touch with us to learn more about volunteering opportunities. Your time and efforts could make a significant difference in the lives of many.