“Providing free, independent, confidential and impartial advice”

Citizens Advice Southwark has a track record of delivering high-quality services from its offices in Peckham and Bermondsey and outreach locations across Southwark and South East London. We sort out problems together, for good, by providing free, independent, confidential and impartial advice across all areas of social welfare law, and through using the experience of our clients to bring about positive change through research and campaigns. 

We are looking for a full-time debt adviser to provide casework services to our client groups from our three offices in Southwark. You will join our friendly and hard-working team to ensure the ongoing successful delivery of our specialist services. The post is funded through Debt Free London, a London-wide partnership of organisations that provide free debt advice to Londoners who are experiencing or at risk of financial exclusion and debt

You must have:

• Recent and ongoing paid or voluntary experience of managing one’s own caseload of money advice and income maximisation cases.
• Ability to write detailed up to date case notes, letters and reports as required in plain English.
• Ability to manage a challenging caseload, meet targets and prioritise work in the face of competing demands on your time.
• Ability to respond sensitively to clients from a variety of backgrounds who are under pressure and negotiate with third parties in order to minimise conflict.

Closing date: 9.00 am Tuesday 27th October 2020

Interviews: Monday 2nd November 2020

For further information and an application pack please visit our website.

We offer a range of employee benefits, including generous annual leave, an employer matched pension contribution up to 10% salary, and training and development opportunities to continue your professional development.

Citizens Advice Southwark is an equal opportunities employer and encourages applications from all applicants who meet the person specification irrespective of sex, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, sexual orientation, race, religion or belief, age, or disability.

BBO Breakthrough Money Mentor

Job role: BBO Breakthrough Money Mentor x 2 (Job share)
Hours: 18.5 hours per week (2 ½ days for a job share) or 37 hours – 12 Month Fixed Term Contract (possibility of extension subject to funding) 
Pay: £25,295 (FTE based on 37 hours per week) pro rata depending on experience.
Location: The post holder will be required to visit clients at outreach locations and home visits across Stratford District. Based at our Stratford office. Flexible working is required. (Subject to Covid19 restrictions on our service, we are currently working from home)

CASW is looking to recruit a money mentor for our Breakthrough project. Breakthrough is a joint ESF/National Lottery Community funded programme that intends to provide intensive support to beneficiaries to address the financial barriers they face to gaining and sustaining employment and taking a full and active role in their community.  The programme will be delivered across Coventry and Warwickshire.

The role of the Money Mentor is to provide intensive support to beneficiaries to address financial barriers helping them to be better able to plan for the future, work towards gaining and sustaining employment and improving self-esteem and confidence to take a full and active role in their community.

The closing date for applications

Thursday 12th November 2020 12 noon. 

Interviews will be held via video conference w/c: Monday 23rd november 2020

Do you want a rewarding career where you can really make a difference?

Are you interested in working for a leading mental health charity?

If so, you may be the person we are looking for

We’re Rethink Mental Illness, a leading charity provider of mental health services in England. We support thousands of people through our groups, services, policy, campaigns and advice and information. Our work supports us in delivering on our mission: “A better life for everyone severely affected by mental illness.”

Due to growth we have an exciting opportunity for 6 Trainee Mental Health Money Advisors to join our established and friendly Money Advice team. You will initially join us on a fixed term contract until March 2021 with a view to becoming permanent subject to funding. In addition, you will be working full time, 35 hours per week based from home. You may however be asked to travel to our Birmingham office on an occasional basis for meetings and training.

Our Mental Health & Money Advice Service provides holistic advice and support to clients who are experiencing both poor mental health and financial difficulties.  This is the first UK wide service which address both mental health and financial health together.

In everything we do, we seek to demonstrate our values: Passion, Commitment, Openness, Hope, Expertise and Understanding. If these values resonate with you, we would love to hear from you.

What will you be doing?

• Undertaking ongoing training and to complete the MaPS accredited training and any other training required including on mental health.
• Under supervision, advising clients on the best solutions to their debt issues and provide support where required to individuals who have financial problems by telephone, email and letter.
• Supporting advisors within the team with casework to further my own knowledge and understanding.
• Managing my own caseload, maintaining detailed, up-to-date, accurate case notes on the AdvicePro database in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation. (GDPR).
• Ensuring service user feedback is encouraged in the form of compliments, comments and complaints and they are appropriately responded to.
• Keeping informed about changes to the landscape and legislation related to debt, benefits and mental health using both journals and newsletters.
• Identifying issues affecting people living with mental illness and debt nationally and address these by providing evidence, contributing to Rethink Mental Illness’ work in policy and campaigns.

Do you have what we are looking for?

• GCSE English & Maths at Grade C or Level 4 & above.
• Experience working in a role providing customer service via telephone and email.
• Evidence of a commitment to learning and professional development.
• Good collaborative and written/verbal communication skills.
• Some experience of working with people with mental illness or poor mental wellbeing. This could be gained via paid work, volunteering or personal experience.

Due to SLA, the training programme will begin on the 7th December, you therefore must be able to start with us week commencing the 30th November.  

Unfortunately, due to the requirements of the funder for this role, we are unable to accept applications from those who have previous experience providing debt advice or casework.

What will you receive?

You will have plenty of opportunities to enhance your abilities with the chance to make a real difference every day. In addition, you will have excellent development opportunities including funded training, career development and a range e-learning courses. You will also receive:  

• Salary of £17,433.82 to £19,860.93 per annum
• Comprehensive training programme 
• Contributory pension scheme
• Life assurance and employee assistance programme
• 25 days annual leave rising to 30 days plus bank holidays
• Your "Rethink Day" - 1 day’s additional leave (pro rata) on your Birthday
• Eyecare vouchers
• Flexible working  

Don’t just change jobs, change lives!

Just a couple of final things,

We welcome applications from everyone, applicants with lived experience, those who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning+ (LGBTQ+), people with a disability, or those from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds are actively encouraged to apply. We are proud to have also been awarded Disability Confident employer status. We have an ambition of becoming an anti-racist organisation and we recognise there is more to do in ensuring our recruitment is fair and inclusive, which is why we are recruiting new roles in helping us to achieve this.  Please be mindful that we may close adverts early if we receive a high volume of applications which is why we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

Job title: Generalist Benefits & Money Adviser

Region: South West Midlands (Home Based)

Directorate: Operations

Contract: 6-month FTC, full time 35 hours per week

Salary: £25,469 per annum pro rata

About The Royal British Legion

The Legion is at the heart of a national network that supports our Armed Forces community through thick and thin – ensuring their unique contribution is never forgotten. We’ve been here since 1921 and we’ll be here as long as they need us.

Our Values and Behaviours

Does the following describe you?

- A desire to provide a great customer service and support

- Enjoy and thrive in working in teams and with others

- Passionate about supporting the Armed Forces community and honouring their contribution

- Come to work each day to be the best you can and to learn and develop

- An encourager, eager to share your knowledge and experience to help others

If so then we would like to hear from you ….

The Role

The Royal British Legion’s Benefits, Debt and Money Advice Service supports beneficiaries and their families who are experiencing financial difficulties. We are seeking to recruit a committed and enthusiastic team player to join the team delivering a high quality, person-centred Benefits & Money Advice Service across the Midlands region.

With a passion for supporting beneficiaries whose issues may include welfare benefit appeals and money issues, you will require the ability to work under your own initiative, combined with up to date knowledge and experience.

You will have experience of managing a caseload of benefit and money advice cases, and of prioritising tasks daily.  You will provide advice, advocacy and representation using your knowledge and experience of the relevant legislation.

You will have excellent interpersonal skills and be able to foster and maintain strong relationships to ensure proactive and effective work with clients, colleagues and other stakeholders.

You will be based at home, working remotely in the interim in line with health & safety and Government guidance on Covid-19. If it is safe to do so, the role will in future require regular attendance at local RBL offices in addition to client appointments and attendance at tribunals.

The role is subject to relevant employment checks, including Enhanced DBS Clearance.

How to Apply

Please apply by clicking ‘Apply Online’

Closing date for this role is: Wednesday 21st October 2020

Do you want a rewarding career where you can really make a difference?

Are you interested in working for a leading mental health charity?

If so, you may be the person we are looking for

We’re Rethink Mental Illness, a leading charity provider of mental health services in England. We support thousands of people through our groups, services, policy, campaigns and advice and information. Our work supports us in delivering on our mission: “A better life for everyone severely affected by mental illness.”

Due to growth we have an exciting opportunity for 2 Senior Mental Health Money Advisor to join our established and friendly Money Advice team. You will join us on a permanent contract working full time, 35 hours per week based from home. You will however be asked to travel to our Birmingham office on an occasional basis for meetings and training.

We are looking for someone to join our Mental Health & Money Advice Service acting as a mental health and money adviser providing holistic advice and support to clients who are experiencing both poor mental health and financial difficulties.  This is the first UK wide service which address both mental health and financial health together.

In everything we do, we seek to demonstrate our values: Passion, Commitment, Openness, Hope, Expertise and Understanding. If these values resonate with you, we would love to hear from you.

What will you be doing?

• Providing strong leadership to the advisers I supervise and work closely with the service manager to develop the advice team.
• Continuing to develop my knowledge of mental health, welfare benefits and money advice to meet the needs of the service and help advisers I supervise to do the same.
• Monitoring the quality and accuracy of advice and casework provision and take action to address issues with quality and ensure advice is holistic covering debt, welfare benefits and mental health.
• Undertaking regular case work reviews to advisers to help resolve case issues and make sure workloads are manageable.
• Providing cover to the service manager during periods of absence and annual leave covering a range of duties.
• Advising and supporting clients by telephone who are experiencing mental health and money problems, their friends, carers and relatives and professionals involved in their care and support.
• Commenting on and inputting into the quality and publication of mental health and money related resources written and updated by the team and published online to ensure they are accurate.

Do you have what we are looking for?

• I can evidence training (caseworker and/or specialist levels) in money advice from accredited training providers e.g. IMA and Wiser Adviser.
• I have at least 3 years’ experience providing money advice (including debt and financial capability, welfare benefits/income max) either face to face or via telephone.
• I have 2 years’ experience of providing casework covering debt, welfare benefits or mental health.
• I have experience of coaching or supporting other staff or volunteers.
• I have at least 1 years’ experience in remote advice delivery e.g.  telephone, email, virtual chat etc.
• I have experience of working with vulnerable clients, particularly people affected by mental illness.
• Familiar with relevant legislation, regulation and guidance covering welfare benefits and money advice.
• Wide range of money advice knowledge; budgeting, dealing with priority and non-priority debts, County Court / High Court options, insolvency options and a wide range of welfare benefits.
• I am accredited by the Institute of Money Advisers or willing to work towards this accreditation.

What will you receive?

You will have plenty of opportunities to enhance your abilities with the chance to make a real difference every day. In addition, you will have excellent development opportunities including funded training, career development and a range e-learning courses. You will also receive:  

• Salary of £25,690.03 to £28,087.95 per annum
• Contributory pension scheme
• Life assurance and employee assistance programme
• 25 days annual leave rising to 30 days plus bank holidays
• Your "Rethink Day" - 1 day’s additional leave (pro rata) on your Birthday
• Eyecare vouchers
• Flexible working  

Don’t just change jobs, change lives!

Just a couple of final things,

We welcome applications from everyone, applicants with lived experience, those who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning+ (LGBTQ+), people with a disability, or those from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds are actively encouraged to apply. We are proud to have also been awarded Disability Confident employer status. We have an ambition of becoming an anti-racist organisation and we recognise there is more to do in ensuring our recruitment is fair and inclusive, which is why we are recruiting new roles in helping us to achieve this.  Please be mindful that we may close adverts early if we receive a high volume of applications which is why we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

Are you excited by the idea of helping people to turn their lives around? Do you have experience of advising people about money management and debt? If this sounds like you and you’re looking for a role in a unique, award-winning charity, then this could be the perfect next move for you.

Working Chance helps women with convictions to develop their employability and self-belief and find a job they can thrive in. We aim to give them independence, purpose and hope for the future.

This new role will be part of our small, friendly employability team who support women to build their confidence and work-readiness and help them to overcome any barriers to their employability. It will have a particular focus on helping women who want to improve their money management skills and tackle debt. While most of the women we work with have left prison (or served non-custodial sentences), some of our work is delivered in prisons to help give women every chance when they leave.

To succeed in this role, you’ll need to be highly empathetic with excellent people skills, able to quickly build rapport and trust. As well as giving advice and support to women one-to-one, you will be designing and delivering engaging and down to earth interactive workshops (currently delivered via Zoom) on finance and debt, so confidence and prior experience of delivering training is a must.

Being non-judgemental is central to our values as a charity and we believe that everyone should have the support and encouragement they need to thrive, not just survive. If you share that vision, then do please consider applying.

Please visit our website to apply. 

Debt Free South West (previously known as Money Advice West) is the South West’s leading independent free debt advice partnership.  Our skilled advisers help over 6,000 people facing debt and poverty issues each year since 2006. 

The role is employed by Talking Money, the lead organisation within the partnership.  Talking Money is a Bristol-based money advice charity that provides free, independent, specialist debt and benefits advice, and general money guidance, information, and support to local citizens.  We have a strong track record of providing training and consultancy to local voluntary, statutory and private sector organisations.

The role will start from 4 January 2021 and will be for an initial fixed term to 30 November 2021.

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Debt Free South West is expecting a large increase in demand for free debt advice and so Talking Money is recruiting 1 new 0.6 FTE Quality Co-ordinator to support our partners across the South West of England.  This is a great opportunity for you to progress your career in an industry where you can make a real and positive difference to people’s lives.

This new and challenging role involves working closely with the Quality Manager and Technical Supervisors to regularly audit our partnership organisations and monitoring and reporting on the quality of debt advice they deliver to clients. Applicants should have a minimum of 3 years current or recent experience of providing debt advice.

This role is home based working with multiple agencies in Bristol, Bath, Gloucester, Weston-super-Mare and Yeovil with some travel to agencies and within the UK.

The Quality Co-ordinator will:

• Undertake debt advice file reviews to establish, monitor and improve the quality of debt advice to ensure delivery partners meet quality requirements as set out by the funder, (MaPS), in accordance with FCA regulations and guidance.
• Compile data and identify areas for technical improvement and training across the partnership
• Work collaboratively within the Debt Free South West partnership to identify and share good practice
• Work with the Quality Manager, Project Manager and funder to implement and monitor quality improvement initiatives within the partnership

The Quality Co-ordinator will be expected to contribute to the team by:

• Working to an agreed work-plan
• Work in collaboration with our funder and partner organisations locally and nationally
• Being an active member of the partnership
• Complying with policies and procedures of Talking Money

CVs and covering letters are not accepted so please contact us for an application pack.

Closing date for applications is 11.59pm on 8th November 2020.

Interviews are planned for the week beginning 16th November 2020 and applicants should be available for a start date of 4th January 2021.

Citizens Advice North Lincolnshire offers confidential advice online, over the phone, and in person, for free.

We give people the knowledge and confidence they need to find their way forward – whoever they are, and whatever their problem.

About the Project

Currently this £27 million project, funded by the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) delivers multi-channel debt advice to 300,000 people a year, including some of the most financially excluded groups in society, with over £0.5 billion in debts. The service is delivered through 450 debt advisers based across 120 advice agencies, 2 national contact centres, 1 national webchat service, 1 national Debt Relief Order Unit and an overflow telephone service.

Citizens Advice have recently secured significant additional funding in response to COVID-19 and the expected 60% increase in demand for our debt advice service. This funding will enable us to bring onboard to the project new providers and locations and increase resourcing at existing providers.

This is an exciting time to join Citizens Advice as we embark on one of the largest upscaling of debt advice services in a decade.

About the Role

We want people who are passionate about giving an effective service to those most in need. You will need to demonstrate that you can engage skilfully with clients who are vulnerable and distressed and have proven skills at working in a busy environment.

You will be a highly motivated strong team player with excellent interpersonal and organisational skills. You will have the ability to understand written and oral information of some complexity; have good numeracy skills sufficient to compile accurate financial statements and calculate benefits; and, have effective oral and written communication skills for the purposes of negotiation and reporting. 

You will be trained to give advice across channels including face-to-face, telephone, email and web chat and will receive project funder accredited advice-level training within 12 weeks of starting your employment, with further specialist level training to follow.

The role is initially fixed until 31 March 2021 with the possibility of extension to November 2021.

The successful candidate must commence employment no later than 30 November due to funder restrictions.

Further information and details about how to apply is available to view via the Apply link or the attached Job Pack. 

Closing date: 26 October 2020

Citizens Advice Bury & Bolton are an independent, impartial and not-for-profit charity. As an organisation, we provide free, confidential, independent and impartial advice and information. 

Our services are focused on supporting communities who are most vulnerable and those who are locked out of the welfare system, or on the verge of being excluded. 

We can help with housing and welfare benefit issues or deal with queries about immigration and/ or community care issues. We can advise on legal matters, answer questions about money advice too. We also have lots of experience on family and personal matters too. 

We have a strong, client focused team of paid staff and volunteers.

Citizens Advice Bury & Bolton is one of only a few local Citizens Advice offices across the county able to provide immigration & asylum advice to everyone. We have been providing an immigration advice service for over 20 years and have fully accredited advisors.

All of our immigration work is regulated by the Office of Immigration Services Commissioner. 

Click here to view the role description & person specification

To apply – simply submit your CV.

There is no closing date set for this vacancy – we will appoint as soon as able to successfully interview. 

If, following review of your CV, you are shortlisted for interview, we will ask you to complete and submit a full application.

Hours: 30 hours per week
Responsible to: Advice Project Manager
Applications closing date: 27th October 2020 (9.00 am)
Reserved interview date: 3rd November 2020

Citizens Advice Mid-North Yorkshire is looking for two enthusiastic energy advisers to join our advice team and make a real difference to their community. The roles are based in either our Northallerton or Selby offices with home working flexibility.

The roles will involve providing energy advice to address fuel poverty, delivering budgeting support and help to switch suppliers, advising on ways to be energy efficient, keep homes warm and save money.

Experience of giving advice is desirable and energy advice experience will be an advantage but is not essential as training will be provided. The successful applicant will have strong IT skills as these roles will use phone, email, webchat, video calls and accurate case recording to deliver the service.

We are looking for excellent admin skills, strong organisational abilities and a good telephone manner. The ability to communicate well is essential.

About CHAS

We are a small yet highly ambitious charity, and have used the last few years to begin a journey of substantial change and growth. We’ve formalised our internal structures, expanded our staff team and developed a growing portfolio of additional projects and partnerships. CHAS has a special place in Bristol and the local community, offering a high-quality advice service and community partnership projects since 1965.

CHAS offer advice, advocacy and practical, hands-on support to prevent homelessness and keep people in their homes. The need for our service and quality housing advice has never been higher, and it is vital that we grow sustainably to play our role in helping Bristol meet this need, maximising our impact and influencing real change.

The Opportunity

After a sustained Covid-19 response, we’re now at a stage in our development where we are expanding our project work, investing in our advice service and our local community, to increase the capacity of advice and outreach.

You will provide housing advice, primarily through the delivery of newly funded partnership projects, giving specialised legal advice on issues ranging from landlord and tenant disputes, housing related benefits and rehousing.

You will further our aims by leading the charity’s outreach with members of the community, and being the driving force behind targeted early-intervention support. This is a new role within CHAS, and there is significant scope to shape it. In addition to advice and outreach, there will be the opportunity to get involved in a range of areas such social media, as a tool for community outreach.

About you

We're looking for someone with exceptional communication skills, a positive attitude and the ability to thrive in a creative, collective, collaborative and committed team. You'll be a self-starter, able to lead the delivery of new projects as well as work well within our existing team.

You will have the legal experience and knowledge to deliver high-quality housing advice & support, to deliver real impact for the people we support.  You will be confident delivering in-depth casework on the full range of housing issues, with the ability to share and contribute positively whilst having a flexible approach to service delivery.

What we offer

In return, we offer:

• An enhanced holiday entitlement
• A flexible working policy
• 5% employer pension contributions
• Subject to successful completion of a probation period, enhanced sick pay
• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme
• Development opportunities

To apply, please complete the application form, with reference to the job description and essential criteria.

RENT AND INCOME ADVISOR

Closing date:       21st October 2020

Aim of the role: To support customers to minimize rent arrears by implementing the Rental Income Policy and working on a one to one basis with customers supporting them to manage their money and understand their financial responsibilities. To offer support and advice to promote tenancy sustainment which will enable Customer to live independently.

Salary:£24,720.00 per annum

Location:Croydon and Stockwell

Contract: Permanent

Hours:37.5 per week (Monday to Friday)

Benefits:

 As part of your employment package with us, we offer:

• a competitive salary, comprehensive training and development programme
• 30 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• option to buy or sell annual leave up to one week’s annual leave
• a health cash plan providing cash back towards healthcare bills and other wellbeing benefits
• occupational sick pay
• contributory group pension scheme
• free life assurance
• cycle to work scheme and season ticket loans

Covid-19       

Our priority is the health, safety and wellbeing of our colleagues and the homeless people we house and support.

We are fully complying with the Government’s Laws and guidance on social distancing and infection control, to keep our colleagues and homeless residents safe throughout the pandemic. All of our policies and procedures have been updated to ensure covid-safe working practices are followed. We have installed screens between desks in offices within our supported accommodation, and changed layouts and use of meeting rooms in our services to ensure maximum social distancing. All colleagues have access to PPE and hand sanitiser in the workplace. Our Head Office is currently closed, with all central teams working from home, and we will continue to review this situation on an ongoing basis.

About the Role

• To minimise customer rent arrears by implementing the Rental Income Policy and working on a one to one basis with customers supporting them to manage their money and understand their financial responsibilities.

• To promote financial inclusion through providing welfare and benefit advice, supporting customers in claiming the appropriate welfare benefits and manage their finances.

• To liaise closely with the Housing Benefit department to ensure claims, backdates, overpayments and appeals are processed efficiently. 

About You

• You will be a dynamic, flexible and self-motivated individual
• You will have Previous experience of managing rent arrears in a social housing setting

• Experience of supporting vulnerable people to achieve independent living
• A clear understanding of why people become homeless, and the needs and challenges they face to sustain their tenancy.
• Previous experience of providing basic welfare and debt advice
• Experience of working in partnership with Statutory and Voluntary Agencies to achieve a positive outcome for our customers.

About Evolve Housing + Support

Evolve is a leading homelessness charity in London, providing housing and support to over 2,000 people each year.

 We believe in building on people’s strengths, aspirations and goals to help break the cycle of homelessness and help them move forward with their lives.

 We offer a programme of support tailored to meet people’s individual needs, including housing, employment and skills training, mentoring and counselling. We work with young parents and children at risk of exclusion to build the skills and resilience that can help prevent homelessness. We campaign to end street homelessness. We build affordable homes to help people move on to an independent life.

 Our mission is to help children, young people and adults who are homeless or at risk of homelessness reach their potential, and move on to live happy, fulfilled lives.

Your application

Evolve Housing + Support is an equal opportunities employer and encourages applications from all sections of the community, including people who have experienced homelessness themselves.

Please ensure that your answers give a clear outline of how your application meets the criteria for this job.

Job title:  I&A Adviser

Hours: 37.5 hours per week           

Responsible to: Ask Us Anything Manager     

Contract: 12 months from start date (extension subject to funding)

How to apply: CV and covering letter by 12noon Monday 26th October

Interviews: TBC

Role Purpose:

The role will provide information and advice, including casework, in a wide field of subjects, including welfare benefits, housing, health, community care, and local services, to older adults (65+) across the London Borough of Merton as part of the Warm & Well Programme. Despite the rapidly evolving situation due to Covid-19 we anticipate that the role will deliver support face to face at our centre, in client’s homes, on the phone and by email. Travel within the London Borough of Merton will be an essential part of the role and access to own transport highly preferable.

Summary of Duties:

1. To explore the needs of older people holistically, identifying options and follow up actions
2. To respond to enquiries, providing high quality information and advice to older adults across multiple channels including face to face, clinics, home visits and telephone
3. To perform benefit checks using our benefits calculation programme
4. To support clients with forms and applications for benefits and other relevant matters such as accessible transport schemes e.g. Blue Badge, Taxicard, Dial-a-Ride
5. To act as the client’s representative where required
6. To complete case records and follow up actions on our confidential database
7. To collect and report monitoring information
8. To work with the Ask Us Anything Manager to support and train volunteers
9. To liaise with external partner agencies in order to promote, develop and deliver the service
10. To deliver outreach work and support events as required
11. To conduct work in line with all internal policies necessary to deliver a good quality service, including confidentiality, conflict of interest, and referral procedures

Person specification

Experience

1. At least 2 years’ experience of providing information and advice to the general public. Experience of face to face service delivery is desireable
2. Experience of researching information from written and digital sources
3. Experience of working with statutory (NHS, Local Authority, DWP etc.) & voluntary sector organisations
4. Experience of working in a team

Knowledge

1. Strong knowledge in at least one of the following: housing, health, community care, money and benefits. Knowledge of local services in Merton is useful but not essential
2. Understanding of the challenges faced by older people in accessing advice and information (sensory, cognitive, mobility etc.)
3. Willingness to undertake and update knowledge and skills with training

Skills

1. Strong communication skills with an ability to relate to people at all levels and from a variety of cultural backgrounds
2. Strong communication skills suitable for dealing sensitively with clients who may be vulnerable and distressed
3. Ability to work competently across organisational boundaries
4. Ability to organise your own work to ensure that priorities and deadlines are met
5. Strong numeracy skills
6. Ability to write clear, concise, and comprehensive case notes and letters
7. Excellent IT skills particularly Microsoft word, email, Internet, and management database, such as Charity Log
8. Proven ability to function well, and contribute to, teamwork
9. A knowledge of, and commitment to, equal opportunities
10. A sound understanding of the need for confidentiality in the role, and an ability to work to defined policies and procedures
11. An understanding, and commitment to, the needs and dignity of older people and the contribution they make to society

Other requirements

1. An enhanced criminal records bureau check will be required in this post
2. An ability to undertake home visits for housebound and older people requiring travel across the borough
3. Due to the nature of the role, a driver with own car or other transport is essential

The post holder will be responsible for the delivery of high-quality advice, and casework services to High Trees users. As an advisor, you will provide advice, guidance, support and information in the areas of welfare benefits, housing, tax credits, council tax difficulties, and/or debt management to High Trees users and will signpost/refer service users internally and externally for further advocacy and support.
 
Reporting to the Employment and Welfare Manager, you will manage a caseload of individuals seeking welfare advice, delivering tailored support and coordinating referrals where necessary. 
 
You will have an understanding of the benefits system, and keep this knowledge up to date, allowing you to help guide participants through the transition into employment or changes to their employment. 
 
You will possess a good understanding of the client groups engaged in our programmes and the multiple and complex barriers they may face when entering or re-entering employment.