Volunteer

We are seeking volunteers who want to provide information and support to people in their own communities this winter.

What is the role of the Information Assistant?

You’ll be helping people in their local communities by working in drop in services where people can access the Citizens Advice service. Working alongside another volunteer, as well as the community staff, you will provide information (but not full advice) and practical guidance about issues as varied as benefits, debt, housing, immigration and employment.

You’ll be helping people to better understand their money, provide practical guidance and direct people to appropriate support. You do not need to have a background in finances or be good at maths!

You will be provided with training to enable you to carry out the role and will always have a supervisor available to support you.

For more information and an informal chat please contact:

[email protected]

Research and campaigns volunteer

What will you do?

Receive full training, guidance and support

• complete a simple and short introduction to Citizens Advice and training relevant for your Research & Campaigns role
• work with, and under the supervision of, our experienced Research & Campaigns lead who will provide support and direction

Depending on your interests and availability, you will take part in some or all of the following activities:

Data analysis

• Examine and analyse case information on Casebook, our case notes resource, to spot trends or anomalies
• Identify problems specific to Bristol, for example in the social and private rental sector, as well as collating data on broader national issues
• Generate data analysis and reports to illustrate issues for use in campaigns
• Support volunteers and staff in participating effectively in response to national ‘calls for evidence’ on topical issues and possibly run surveys to assess how public policy changes are affecting clients

Storytelling

• Work with volunteers and staff to identify client stories that show how the issues affect clients
• Document stories to communicate and share as part of campaigns and other external engagement
• Follow an agreed protocol to ensure confidentiality and anonymity for clients as appropriate and maintain trust throughout

Campaigning

• Use the issues and trends identified through data analysis to research issues, identify potential solutions and develop campaigns using data and stories to raise awareness and/or advocate for change
• Identify key stakeholders and work with the Research & Campaigns Lead to develop an engagement strategy for the campaign
• Develop campaign materials such as briefings, presentations, and letters
• Participate in external engagement with partners and the public to help explain the issues and how they could be addressed. This could involve meetings, events, written communications, and social media.

What’s in it for you?

• make a real difference to people’s lives
• learn about a range of areas such as benefits, debt and housing, through online training and talking to relevant staff  to help identify how problems in these areas can affect clients
• build on valuable skills such as data analysis, communication, research, campaigns, and how to engage with a range of audiences
• increase your employability through working on projects where you will build and demonstrate your skills
• have a positive impact in your community and on broader society

And we’ll reimburse expenses too.

What do you need to have?

You don’t need specific qualifications or skills but you’ll need to:

• be friendly and approachable
• be non-judgmental and respect views, values and cultures that are different to your own
• have excellent verbal and written communication skills

• be able to understand complex information and explain it (verbally and writing) so that others understand it

• have good IT skills
• be willing to learn about and follow the Citizens Advice aims, principles and policies, including confidentiality and data protection
• be willing to undertake relevant Research & Campaigns training in your role

How much time do you need to give?

We can be flexible about the time spent and how often you volunteer, so come and talk to us. We have opportunities for people interested in making a long-term commitment to regular volunteering, on research and campaigning and those looking for more short-term, time bound projects.

Valuing inclusion

Our volunteers come from a range of backgrounds, and we particularly welcome applications from racially minoritised people/people of colour, disabled people, people with physical or mental health conditions, LGBTQ+ and non-binary people.

If you are interested in becoming a research and campaigns volunteer and would like to discuss flexibility around location, time, ‘what you will do’ and how we can support you, please contact John Alwyine-Mosely, Research & Campaigns Lead by email:[email protected]

If you are interested in applying, please fill out the application form and our EDI Survey by clicking the buttons given below.

If you have specific access needs, please let us know via email: [email protected] 

What will you do?

●   Greet clients and oversee front desk area

●   Deal with clients in a courteous and professional manner at the Fairfax

Street office, including at the Drop In.

●   Enter client’s contact details onto the Case management system.

●   Help with the day to day running of the Citizens Advice service

●   Answer the telephone, reply to emails and post

●   Print and scan documents using a printer, upload scanned documents to

our case management system

●   Issue food bank vouchers to clients and signpost them into the Generalist

service for advice.

●   Complete an induction to Citizens Advice Bristol and training for your role,

including shadowing

What’s in it for you?

·         Gain and build on valuable skills and experience such as communication, admin, IT skills and working in a team

·         Increase your employability

·         Contribute to the smooth running of the advice service which makes a real difference to peoples’ lives

·         Work with a range of different people, independently and in a team.

·         And we’ll reimburse travel expenses too.

What do you need to have?

You don’t need specific qualifications or skills but you will need to:

·         be friendly and approachable

·         respect views, values and cultures that are different to your own

·         have good IT skills

·         be willing to learn about and follow the Citizens Advice aims, principles and policies, including confidentiality and data protection

·         be willing to undertake face to face and online training for your role

How much time do you need to give?

Initial training includes a 3 hours induction session at the office, some online study and on the job training. Our office is in the city centre at 48 Fairfax St, Bristol BS13BL.  

We can be flexible about the time spent and how often you volunteer so come and talk to us. We ask for a minimum weekly commitment of 7 hours.

Valuing inclusion

Our volunteers come from a range of backgrounds and we particularly welcome applications from disabled people, people with physical or mental health conditions, LGBT+ and non-binary people, and people from Black Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities.

Contact:  Please complete the Application Form & Activity task to apply.