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Volunteering as an Adviser  

Almost all clients approaching the Citizens Advice Bureau for help will initially be interviewed by a volunteer and the majority of clients who do require further detailed advice will receive that advice from a volunteer. The role of volunteer adviser can be extremely rewarding, although demanding and can sometimes be challenging, we do however provide excellent training and support.

The initial training to become an adviser takes around 5 months. During this initial training period you will need to be able to commit a day and a half each week. After this initial training period you would begin working with clients as a trainee adviser, the commitment required at this stage and thereafter is two half day sessions each week.  To complete the full training usually takes around 12 months.

No prior experience is needed and you do not need any particular kinds of qualifications. The training we provide is very comprehensive.  You do need a genuine interest in helping others, the time to be able to commit to the training and advice sessions, to be fluent in English and to have basic numeracy skills.  The training covers adviser skills including interview skills, case recording and research skills; we explore what it means to offer an accessible service to all clients and reflect on how our own attitudes impact on that.  The training also covers in some depth all of the key advice areas that we advise on including welfare benefits, debt, employment, housing, consumer, immigration, the legal framework and family & personal.

We aim to recruit volunteers from all sections of the Bristol community.  If you are looking for experience to help you get back into work, want to develop new activities in your retirement, want to have an outside activity that balances your caring responsibilities then this could be you.  We particularly welcome applicants from underrepresented sections of the community including those from a Black or minority ethnic background, from bilingual speakers of Polish, Somali or other community languages and from the lesbian and gay community.  If you are interested in volunteering and have access needs, please let us know.

Fully Trained Adviser  

If you have recently worked for another CAB and have completed your adviser training, we would like to hear from you.  Please email admin@bristolcab.org.uk

 

 We will be recruiting advice volunteers three times during 2012

February

We will be holding an information session for interested applicants on Wednesday 25 January at 3.00pm, Interviews will be held on 7 and 16 February and the training will start on Wednesday 29th February and run weekly on a Wednesday from 10am to 4pm

June

We will be holding an information session on Thursday 10 May at 2pm.  Interviews will be held in May and the training will start on June 11 and run weekly on a Monday from 10am to 4pm.

October

We will be holding an information session on Wednesday September 12. Interviews will be held in September/October and the course will start on October 17 and run weekly on a Wednesday.

 If you would like more information about training as an Adviser please contact Lilamayi at lilamayio@bristolcab.org.uk   or telephone 0117 946 2558.