Volunteer Adviceline Assessor

Would you like to be play an important role in helping clients with their Welfare Benefit, Housing, Debt and Employment issues?  If so, you're the person we need. You could make a real difference to people's lives. Our adviceline (phone) assessors are the first line of contact with many of our clients and offer help to empower individuals to help themselves by signposting them to the appropriate organisations.  For more complex issues they arrange appointments with our advisory staff. You would also be helping with our Research and Campaigns by writing a short report about common or unfair problems that you encounter whilst talking to clients. On a typical call you would explore the issue the client has called us about, assess the urgency of the problem and their ability to deal with it themselves and write a summary and outline next steps. Full training and ongoing support will be given.  You will learn about a range of issues that affect our clients and build valuable skills such as communication, listening and information giving which can increase your employability. You will need to: be familiar with and be able to develop your skills using Microsoft Word and Excel be able to manage using multiple windows and online resources during client calls have excellent verbal and written communication skills be willing and able to learn about and follow the Citizens Advice aims, principles and policies, including confidentiality and data protection be willing to undertake training be friendly and approachable and non-judgmental and respect other's views, values and cultures