Volunteering

At Woodseats Advice Centre we always welcome enquires from prospective volunteer advice workers so here is some information about what skills are needed and what is involved.

Advice workers should:

• Be interested in working with people

• Be a good listener

• Enjoy solving problems

• Be able to offer a commitment of at least 1 day (10am to 2pm) per week, for a minimum of 9 months - plus an extra day (10am to 3pm) for 12 weeks while training.

The majority of advice work centres around welfare benefits. This can involve filling in forms, making calculations or extend to the preparation of appeals. Some workers become involved in our home visiting service.

You are not expected to learn everything - you will learn how and where to look for information in our extensive information system provided by Citizens Advice (formerly the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux, NACAB) and other organisations. Workers are encouraged to develop at their own pace and to a level at which they are comfortable. Travel expenses can be paid.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer you should:

• ring the Centre and request an application form

• you will be invited for an informal interview

• you will be asked to observe 3 sessions in the centre. This is to allow you to find out more about the work and for us to find out more about you

There is then the opportunity to sit in on interviews prior to commencing the 12 week (one day a week) training course run by ACSiS, the umbrella organisation for advice centres in Sheffield.

After basic training workers are expected to make a time commitment of at least one session a week (four hours) for a minimum period of 9 months to 1 year. In addition workers attend regular workers meetings. There are also opportunities for ongoing training on an 'in Centre' basis.

AT ALL TIMES THERE IS A COMMITMENT TO STRICT RULES OF CONFIDENTIALITY AND TO SUPPORTING OUR EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES POLICIES.

Interested???

Phone 258 4384 for an application form or click here to download (Microsoft Word doc, 76kb).