Money Advice Administrator

Volunteer  
Money Advice Assistant 

 
As the need for Free Advice services continues to soar, we are seeking Volunteer Assessors to help meet this ever growing demand. As the first point of Advice Contact, you will help clients understand the issues they are facing and work with them to find the best way to move forward with their issue. This could be helping them navigate our information pages to understand their rights or responsibilities; or referring to further advice through internal appointments or other organisations. 

What the Volunteer will do: 

 
Support Debt Advisors in carrying out the delivery of high-quality debt advice by carrying out non-specialist tasks related to providing the service 
This includes: 

• Completing initial client assessments by; interviewing clients, identifying emergency situations and ensuring clients can access the appropriate support to resolve their problem 
• Completing straightforward forms, either paper or online versions to support the client in claiming charitable help or accessing additional support from key service providers such as utility companies 
• Collect information from creditors and utility companies to support the work of Debt Advisors 
• Drawing up a personal budget of the client’s income and expenditure including by helping the client to access relevant information such as income and benefit details 
• Where appropriate, following up with clients to ensure they provide key information in a timely manner 

• Key admin tasks including follow up work with clients and closing of cases when appropriate 
• Supporting Debt Advisors with the preparation of standard letters and administering the case system 
• Passing on client messages and be the first port of call for clients returning to the service 

Qualifications/experience: 

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

• Awareness of, and ability to, understand and empathise with clients from a diverse range of backgrounds and disadvantaged groups living in the community
• Ability to remaining non-judgmental
• Ability to provide outstanding customer service
• Ability to use sensitive listening and questioning skills to get to the root of the issues and empower clients, whilst maintaining structure and control of meetings
• Ability to work as part of a team and be open to receiving feedback and learning from others
• Ability to give and receive feedback objectively and sensitively
• Understanding of the debt advice model with proven casework skills and experience of dealing with complex and challenging cases
• Ability to manage own time and meet deadlines
• A commitment to continuous professional development, including a willingness to develop knowledge and skills in advice topics 

 
What’s in it for you: 

• make a real difference to people’s lives 
• make a real difference to people’s lives 
• learn about a range of issues such as benefits, debt, employment and housing 
•  build on valuable skills such as communication, listening and analysing 
• increase your employability 

• work with a range of different people, independently and in a team. 
• have a positive impact in your community. 

And we’ll reimburse expenses too. 

Your Title *

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Are you interested in any particular type of volunteer role(s)?

Describe any skills you have that would be useful for the role you’re interested in:

Is there anything you have done over the past few years that you would like to tell us about?

Why do you want to volunteer for Citizens Advice? What do you hope to get from the experience?

What do you think are some of the main problems facing your community?

It is useful to know when you will be available to volunteer. Please indicate below the full days when you are generally available – please tick all that apply *

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How many hours per week, or days per week would you like to volunteer for?

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Are you willing to commit to our three month in-house training programme? (This question relates to our Generalist Adviser role only)

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References

Please tell us about any specific needs you would like us to take into account, either at the interview or if we offer you a volunteer role e.g. mobility.

Please Note *

To ensure the safety of our clients, the Citizens Advice service requires that all volunteers who have direct access to clients, where any part of the work is primarily targeted at legally defined vulnerable adults or children, have their criminal records checked. However, the Citizens Advice service is committed to the promotion and delivery of equal opportunities to volunteers and so has a policy to ensure ex-offenders are not discriminated against. All offences, other than sexual crimes against a child or vulnerable adult, will be treated on an individual basis taking into account issues such as the risk to the client, the circumstances of the offence (eg what it was, is it relevant to the volunteer role, how long ago it was) and the reputation of the bureau

Our policy on convictions We typically only carry out Standard, Enhanced and Enhanced with child and or adult barred list, Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks for roles working directly with clients in services targeted at vulnerable adults or children. Other roles such as conducting home visits, or providing immigration advice, and trustees who have authority to sign cheques or authorise invoices, or treasurers may require a Basic disclosure check. Citizens Advice Richmond will ask about unspent convictions after a conditional volunteer role or employment offer. Having a criminal record is not in itself a barrier, and we will only take relevant convictions or sexual offences into account. If you are concerned about this and would like to discuss your individual circumstances further, please contact volunteering@citizensadvicerichmond.org Our policy is in place to make sure ex-offenders are treated fairly. We consider each offence individually, looking at issues like risk to the client, how long ago it took place, the circumstances and whether they are relevant to the volunteer role. Anyone with a caution or conviction for a sexual offence against a child or vulnerable adult is considered unsuitable to volunteer.

Entitlement to work or volunteer If you are from outside the EU / EEA, it’s important you check you are permitted to volunteer or carry out ‘unpaid work’ in addition to your main reason for entering the country, to avoid jeopardising your visa status. If you cannot find the answer clearly on your immigration documentation, contact the UK Border Agency (www.gov.uk/contact-ukvi-inside-outside-uk)

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What made you apply to be a volunteer? *

Data Protection Act 1998 *

As part of the recruitment procedure we may collect and store sensitive personal data about you. We are required by law to obtain your consent to such data being recorded. It is our policy to store data relating to recruitment procedures for up to a year after the date on which it is submitted. Any information of this nature will be treated confidentially. Sensitive personal data is defined as information relating to any of the following: racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs, trade union membership, health, sexuality or sex life, offences and/or convictions. For the purposes of the Act the Data Controller is Citizens Advice Richmond. By clicking to tick-box you confirm that you give your consent to sensitive personal information being recorded and stored..

Declaration *

If you have given us any information about your health, disability or access requirements, under data protection law we need your explicit consent to hold or use that information. We will only use it in order to allow us to make reasonable adjustments and/or to keep you safe, and it will be held securely. I give my consent for this information to be used by Citizens Advice Richmond

How we will use your information The information you give us on this form will be used to help us decide whether to recruit you as a volunteer – this is our ‘legitimate interest’ under data protection law. It will only be seen by staff involved in the recruitment process, and will be stored securely. We will retain unsuccessful application forms for up to 1 year from the date the application form was received. If you are recruited we will retain your contact information in order to involve and support you. We will also collect additional information, such as next of kin details, and over time records of training, support meetings and where relevant, appraisals. Again, it will be kept securely, and only those people who need to see your information in order to involve you will have access to it. All use of volunteer information will be relevant to their involvement, and may include: ● Contacting volunteers when necessary ● Making changes to role, support or equipment to improve accessibility ● Monitoring statistical details of our volunteers ● Providing ongoing support to volunteers ● Monitoring the quality of advice given to clients ● Addressing problems or complaints You have legal rights over your data, including access to it, and the right to ask that it is corrected, restricted or deleted. There is more information on these rights on the Information Commissioner’s Office website: www.ico.org.uk If you have any questions about the use of your data, please contact us: www.citizensadvicerichmond.org/contact-us

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