you are here: home - volunteering

Volunteering

How to get involved as a volunteer

There are over 16,000 volunteers in the CAB service, but we still need new volunteers every year to help us meet the demand for advice.

We have opportunities for people to train as volunteer advisers, trustees, administrators, social policy campaigners and more. With so many different roles available you should be able to find a way to get involved. Find out more about what is in it for you if you join the world's largest advice network.

You could:-

train as a volunteer adviser - we particularly need people with language skills to help people for whom English is an additional language
become a trustee board member, responsible for the running of the bureau
support the smooth running of a bureau as an administrator or receptionist
help us campaign for change as a social policy campaigner gathering evidence about clients' problems to change policies
provide IT support
fundraise for the bureau or help get issues covered in the local media.

What do our volunteers do?

Advisers
Assisted Information Providers
Administrators
Receptionists
Trustee board members
Campaigners

Some bureaux also involve volunteers in other roles, such as press and PR, fundraising, volunteer recruitment and community liaison.

Advisers

Being an adviser is a very varied role. As an adviser you will:

interview clients at drop-in sessions and appointments in the bureau, over the phone and at outreach sessions
give information from the CAB electronic information system and other sources
give advice in explaining the choices and consequences the client faces
give practical help by writing letters, making phone calls, completing forms, doing calculations and even representing clients at tribunals
refer clients to other agencies if they are better placed to help
keep records of all clients' cases
prevent future problems by identifying issues that affect a lot of clients.

You do not need any particular qualifications or experience to train as an adviser. All sorts of people are CAB advisers. You need to:

be good at listening
be able to work in a team
be able to read and write English, and do basic maths
be open-minded and non-judgmental
enjoy helping people
be able to commit to 8-10 hours per week
have basic IT skills

Support every step of the way

Advisers do not need to know it all! We provide all trainee advisers with a comprehensive accredited training programme that will give you the skills you need to deliver a high quality service to clients. Our up-to-the-minute electronic information system contains most of the information you will need when advising clients
You will not be left alone after you are trained. There will always be a more experienced adviser, who will give you support, advice and guidance
All advisers are insured by CAB in case mistakes are made
Once you have qualified as a Generalist Adviser, you will have the opportunity to develop further skills and increase the depth and breadth of your knowledge

Assisted Information Providers

AIP`s welcome clients and ascertain their needs, explaining what services the bureau can offer. They work with advisers in assisting clients to access information and must be able to commit between 4-8 hours per week. They need interpersonal skills and must be open minded and impartial. Tasks may include:

Managing the waiting area
Assist clients to access publicly available information
Use the on line appointments system within guidelines
Record self-help clients on CASE and CASE day-sheet
Answer the administration telephones as required
General administration

Administrators

Administrators ensure that bureau systems run smoothly. Good support is essential for the running of any organisation, and CAB is no different. There are many different administrative roles - we can match your skills and time available to the bureau's needs. Tasks may include:

using spreadsheets, databases and word processing packages
maintaining and developing administrative systems
stock control of leaflets and materials and updating information
helping to arrange events
receiving and sending faxes, mail, email and telephone calls
taking notes and minutes at meetings.

Receptionists

Receptionists are the public face of the CAB. They are the main link between the public and the bureau. This role would suit people who are methodical, organised and patient. As a receptionist, you would:

greet clients and make them feel comfortable
arrange appointments and answer phone calls
provide information on the CAB service to clients
manage the waiting room
keep records.

Trustee board members

All Citizens Advice Bureaux are independent charities, governed by their own board of trustees, who are ultimately responsible for the quality and range of the service. Day-to-day control is delegated to the bureau manager, but trustees:

set the overall direction and support the development of the bureau
ensure the bureau meets the needs of the local community and the Citizens Advice membership standards
employ CAB staff and control bureau finances
earn and retain the respect of important and influential people and organisations in the community, including funding bodies
ensure the bureau complies with relevant laws.

Bureau trustee boards need people from all sections of the community with a wide range of different skills, experience and perspectives. Trustee boards tend to meet in the evenings, making this a flexible role, which trustees often fit around a full-time job. A full induction into the trustee board's role and responsibilities will be provided.

Campaigners

Campaigners, or Social Policy Co-ordinators, use information from problems brought to the bureau by clients to help bring about real change by influencing local and national policy. This is a flexible role, which can sometimes be partly carried out away from the bureau and outside opening hours. It can involve:

completing and collating evidence forms that record information about the problems clients experience
identifying and raising issues in the bureau and at meetings
training staff and volunteers in spotting particular issues and completing evidence forms
conducting research and writing reports on local issues
media campaigning and liaising with other bureaux and agencies to provide a voice for clients.

For more on our social policy work, please visit the Campaigns section.

Getting in touch

To find out more about being a CAB volunteer please visit the CAB volunteering website.

Navigation