Trainee Volunteer Advisor Volunteer Roles
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
We are looking for trainee volunteer advisers to join our advice team to support people across Ashford, Kent
You will be trained to give advice to clients across channels including face-to-face and telephone.
Volunteers make up around 75% of our workforce. We would not be able to provide such a vital free advice service without them.
What will you do?
• complete an introduction to Ashford Borough Citizens Advice and training for your role
• talk to clients over the phone, face to face, or online to explore what problems they've come for help with
• find information about the clients' problems and help them to understand their options
• support clients to take action to resolve their problems. This might include drafting or writing letters, making phone calls, or referring the client to another organisation
• write a summary of the clients' problems and what action you've taken
• look out for problems' that are common, or are unfair, and write a short report about the problem or a letter to an elected official like an MP, AM or local councillor
What's in it for you?
• 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 problem solving
• 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.
What do you need to have?
You don't need specific qualifications or skills but you'll need to:
• be friendly and approachable • be non-judgmental and respect views, values and cultures that are different to your own
• have good listening skills
• have excellent verbal and written communication skills
• have good maths and IT skills • be able to understand information and explain it to others
• be willing to learn about and follow the Citizens Advice aims, principles and policies, including confidentiality and data protection
• be willing to undertake training in your role
How much time do you need to give?
Ideally we ask for you to be available for 2 advice sessionsw per week, for at least 12 months.
We can be flexible so come and talk to us.
Sutton Mental Health Foundation was established as a charity in 1998 and the aim of the Foundation is to support people with mental health needs in the London Borough of Sutton, helping to keep them well and active and helping them to have a voice in mental health care in the Borough. Our vision is to provide a community in Sutton which values mental wellbeing and understands how to respond positively to anxiety and distress. The Foundation works together to promote mental wellbeing resilience and recovery from mental distress.We provide nonclinical support, and we are part of the Voluntary Sector.
The Foundation is seeking to add to the expertise of our experienced, professional Board of Trustees, who are all volunteers. All our Trustees need excellent communication skills, the ability to work effectively as part of a team, strategic vision and good, independent judgement. Although not limited to, we would particularly value the experience and skills in the following areas :
- Company Secretary/Legal Experience
- Fundraising in the following areas – Grant, Corporate and Public
- Marketing
Lived or shared experience of mental health – desirable.
Inclusion is one of our values and we are looking for diversity in the makeup of our Board and that we particularly welcome applications from underrepresented communities.
The Board of Trustees meets every six weeks, in the evening at 7 p.m. for approximately 1 ½ hours in Sutton. Sometimes our Board meetings are on-line.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.