Advice, Information Volunteer Roles

Citizens Advice Staffordshire North & Stoke on Trent

Admin Volunteer – Biddulph Office

We are looking for one or more administration volunteers to provide admin support to our advisers at Biddulph Town Hall. The office is staffed on Mondays and Wednesdays with a drop-in each morning from 10.30am to 1pm and pre-booked appointments in the afternoons.

Where: Citizens Advice Office, Biddulph Town Hall, High St, Biddulph, ST8 6AR.

When: Minimum of one morning or afternoon per week (3 hours) on a Monday and / or Wednesday.

What will you do?

• Complete an introduction to Citizens Advice and training for your role.
• Help with the day to day running of the Citizens Advice service.
• Assist at drop-ins by greeting clients, assisting clients to fill in a personal information sheet and entering the data onto a database.
• Scan, print, and photocopy documents using a printer.
• Update spreadsheets and databases.
• Any other admin duties as required.

What’s in it for you?

• Gain and build on valuable skills and experience such as communication, admin, IT skills and working in a team.
• Increase your employability.
• Contribute to the smooth running of the advice service which makes a real difference to peoples’ lives.
• Work with a range of different people, independently and in a team.

And we’ll pay towards travel 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.
• Respect views, values and cultures that are different to your own.
• Have good IT skills.
• 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.

Valuing inclusion

Our volunteers come from a range of backgrounds, and we particularly welcome applications from racially minoritised people/people of colour, disabled people, people with physical or mental health conditions, LGBTQ+ and non-binary people.

If you are interested in becoming an admin volunteer and would like to discuss flexibility around location, time, ‘what you will do’ and how we can support you please contact us.

Contact details

Call or email Margaret Collin to request an application pack. You are also welcome to contact Margaret if you have any questions before you apply.

This role is advertised as part of TPP's Free Giving Back Services. This volunteer advertisement copy has been supplied to TPP and applicants apply direct to the organisation. Please contact the organisation directly if you have any questions about this volunteer role.

Responsibilities:

• Execute a results-driven social media strategy;
• Develop and curate engaging content for social media platforms;
• Assist in the creation and editing of written, video, and photo content;
• Attend events and produce live social media content (as applicable);
• Maintain unified brand voice across different social media channels;
• Collaborate to create a social media calendar;
• Monitor social media channels for industry trends;
• Interact with users and respond to social media messages, inquiries, and comments;
• Review analytics and create reports on key metrics;
• Assist in the development and management of social media marketing and influencer marketing strategy.

Qualifications / Skills:

• Passion for women's human rights;
• Expertise with social media and proficiency with major social media platforms and social media management tools;
• Proficiency with editing tools/digital media formats;
• Ability to understand historical, current, and future trends in the digital content and social media space;
• Strong copywriting and copy editing skills;
• Top-notch oral and verbal communication skills;
• Impeccable time management skills with the ability to multitask;
• Detail-oriented approach with ability to work under pressure to meet deadlines.

Education and Experience Requirements:

• 2+ years experience with social campaigning, social media marketing or content development;
• 2+ years experience with donor campaign platforms;
• Direct experience using social media management tools;
• Experience with Microsoft Office (Excel, Outlook);
• Experience with Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, Premier Pro) or equivalent digital media editing tools a plus.

Thank you for your interest in volunteering with Faith to Faithless, Humanists UK’s support programme for so-called ‘apostates’. We’re expanding our in-person events across England and Wales, and we’re looking for passionate volunteers to help us make a difference. We currently have regular events in Sheffield, Bournemouth and London. We are looking to expand this to the Midlands, Wales and beyond, you can positively impact lives and help create a more inclusive society. Join us today and be part of the change!

As an Apostate Event Organiser, you will:

• Arrange regular social events for people who have left religious groups.
• Find suitable venues like cafes, museums or restaurants.
• Set the date and time that works best for everyone.
• Communicate with the Apostate Services Development Officer via email and online meetings.
• Check social media for updates.
• Welcome guests and ensure their safety (training will be provided).
• Speak with attendees in a warm and empathetic manner while providing event information.

The application pack contains all the information you will need to decide whether the role is right for you.

To apply for the role, please email us, letting us know:

• Who you are, including a little bit about yourself
• Why you are interested in the role
• What you think you’d bring to the role (e,g. your skills and experiences that would be particularly relevant)
• What you’d like to get out of the role
• Any concerns, or extra support you’d need in the role

A copy of our Recruitment and Promotion and Equal Opportunities policies are available to view on our website.

Access to healthcare is a vital part of our clients’ recovery. Many of our clients have ongoing physical and mental health needs arising from their experiences in their home countries, their journey to and life in the UK. Unfortunately, our clients encounter numerous barriers to accessing the healthcare they need including bureaucratic delays, language barriers and miscommunication as well as problems accessing online services.

The Access to Healthcare Volunteer will work with and advocate for clients to ensure they overcome these barriers and get the healthcare support they need and are entitled to as soon as possible. The role is situated within the Housing and Welfare team but will support clients across the organisation who need support.

Main tasks and activities:

• Support clients to register for a new GP / dentist if they change area
• Help clients who are eligible to apply for HC2 certificates either online or via paper form
• Liaise with healthcare services to ensure that interpreters are available for appointments
• Apply for reimbursement of appointment travel costs for any clients who are eligible
• Keep clear and detailed notes on client records, including uploading any medical documents sent by the client

Skills, knowledge and experience needed:

• Understanding of, and commitment to, the objectives of the Helen Bamber Foundation
• A demonstrable empathy for our vulnerable clients, including asylum seekers, refugees and survivors of torture and trafficking
• An understanding of the challenges facing our client group
• Basic knowledge of UK healthcare systems
• Experience working with vulnerable people
• Experience of administrative systems
• Excellent organisational skills and ability to manage own time and workload, and to prioritise a range of competing demands
• Punctual, reliable and self-motivated
• Excellent teamwork skills
• Willingness to complete any necessary training (eg working with interpreters)

What you will get out of the role:

• A strong understanding of how HBF’s MOIC contributes to the well-being of our clients and an insight into the needs of our clients
• An appreciation of the processes and systems that asylum seekers and refugees deal within the UK
• An understanding of the barriers that asylum seekers and refugees face
• New skills in working with vulnerable people, people from different cultures
• An ability to multi-task between competing priorities.
• Knowledge and experience working within a multidisciplinary team and the charity sector

Equal Opportunities:

The Helen Bamber Foundation and Asylum Aid is an equal opportunities and Living Wage employer. We are committed to attracting and recruiting diverse candidates as we are keen to make sure that our staff, trustees, volunteers and ambassadors reflect the communities we serve and the wider community we work in at every level within the organisation.  We particularly welcome applications from those with Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds.

Please Submit CV and Cover letter explaining why would you like to be considered for this volunteering role and your motivations for applying.

Please note that successful candidates will be offered the volunteer position subject to a DBS check.

This role is for people who already have some previous experience in people facing roles. We are looking for people who have empathy, are good listeners and are non-judgemental. You will be supporting a small number of clients who have more complex needs and require extra support to get through difficult situations. We are looking for people who have two to four hours a week to spare. You will be offered support in this role by the Partnership.

Support clients by:

• Providing moral support in meetings and making sure the client understands.
• Making phone calls or supporting a client to make calls.
• Helping with form filling and letter writing
• Working with clients on solutions to more complex issues e.g. debt.

Benefits for you:

• Support from a Case Worker Co-ordinator

• Increasing your knowledge of the asylum process and immigration law
• Improving your knowledge of community resources and how to support clients to access them

• Establishing relationship with clients who appreciate someone walking alongside them

If you are interested in becoming a Caseworker please submit your CV and someone from the Partnership will contact you. 

We invite you to participate and develop your professional and human capabilities in a project of immersion and study of the reality related to the Human Rights of people and families displaced by political violence and their situation of extreme poverty in the Peruvian Andes, especially women. . and children, many of these families, especially children, suffer from health-related problems and malnutrition, lack of educational opportunities and very low self-esteem as a consequence of their social and cultural stigmatization in addition to the lack of job opportunities for their parents.

We intervene directly in these areas and communities, with a holistic approach and carrying out direct social work, our methodology is direct contact with these families and people

We are carrying out research on human rights and gender issues, socioeconomic studies and the impact of the dominant modern culture on the rights and cultural traditions of these people, in addition to carrying out numerous case studies as well as activities related to education, cultural revaluation, gender violence and others

 WE OFFER:

• Option for accommodation in a private room in the organization's house.
• Healthy basic foods and exchange of national or international dishes, local food options upon request.
• Basic work materials.
• Improve your level of Spanish with practical courses from basic Spanish to advanced Spanish
• Personalized advice and tutoring 24 hours a day by members of the organization
• Every weekend there are excursions, campsites and expeditions to many beautiful and enigmatic places, as well as tourist places in the Andes, the jungle of Peru. They are non-commercial trips. There is no additional cost to accompany or guide you.
• Wi-Fi Internet access.
• Work and integration in a very united multicultural team.
• Total sociocultural immersion, living reality and real native culture, interacting with people from the communities, visiting museums, fairs and native markets or participating in celebrations that we organize together to achieve the organization's objectives.
• Learn and experience ancient Andean spiritual and healing traditions (optional) and is intended for interested individuals only.
• Possibility of holding a paid position in the organization, fundraising, teaching courses, etc. They are paid activities.

REQUIREMENTS:

• minimum age: 18+ years.
• have an open, tolerant and positive mentality.
• It is very important to have skill and patience when dealing with young children (5-9 years).
• possess native English or advanced level of English.
• Fill out and send the Application form found on our website
• (optional) skills or interests related to yoga, fitness, holistic energy health, and related spiritual philosophies.
• Highly motivated person who accepts facing challenges.
• ability to work and integrate into a multicultural team.
• (optional) have some level of Spanish.
• Although anyone can apply for the Volunteer position, the internship is aimed at students or university graduates or those with technical training.
• contact or communication via Skype, WhatsApp or social network.

COST:

There is no cost to volunteer with our organization.

Accommodation:

option of accommodation in the organization's home at a low price, 50% discount or exemption from this contribution for accommodation from the second month of participation to those participants who have good social work and integration into our work team. (for more details see the accommodation option on our website)

At Watford & Three Rivers Refugee Partnership, our objective is to provide practical and emotional support, ultimately helping our clients achieve a sustainable position as full members of our society. Many of our clients are destitute, homeless and have no access to assistance from the government. Our mission is to provide access to advice and essential services until statutory services are in place.

Volunteering at the Drop-In centre provides an opportunity for you to help our refugee clients with any issues they might have. We have sessions running every Tuesday between 11am and 1pm at St Mary’s Church, High Street, Watford. The Drop-In provides an opportunity for refugee clients to come and discuss any issues they have and to be listened to by one of our volunteers. Many of our clients are likely to have lived here for a while but an issue or crisis in their lives means that they need to discuss it and seek some help. They may also be in the process of seeking asylum. We can provide advice and sometimes resolve their issue there and then and at other times we refer them to another agency or invite them to come back once their issue has been looked into.

The Drop-In Centre could not function without our team of committed volunteers, and we are always looking for additional help.

Full training given on starting the role as well as regular training sessions and continual support from more experienced volunteers.

Responsibilities:

· Help with filling in forms and interpreting official documents.

· Liaising with statutory and voluntary agencies.

· Referring clients for follow up action by our Case Review Team and linking them with a befriender.

· Referring clients to our partner solicitor who specialises in immigration law and comes to the Drop-In 4th Tuesday of the month.

· Advice on how to access appropriate housing and free food in the area.

· Access to the charity’s other services, such as free English classes.

Requirements:

· Able to attend at least one Tuesday Drop-In a month.

· Complete training as required and attend bi-monthly volunteer support meetings.

Skills:

· An ability to communicate and empathise with people from a variety of backgrounds and needs.

· Basic IT skills.

· Assist clients in accessing essential services such as legal, housing, financial and food.

· Can work well as part of a team.

· Enthusiasm to help refugee clients.

Desirable experience: 

· Previous volunteering experience.

· Previous experience working in a people-facing role.

If you are interested in becoming a Drop-In volunteer please apply via Charity Jobs or contact us and a volunteer coordinator will contact you to discuss this further.

The Salusbury World advice team have been successfully helping clients to navigate welfare benefits, immigration problems, housing support and to find work for 20 years. 70% of our clients require an interpreter. 

We particularly need interpreters to support our Farsi-speaking clients.

Some appointments take place virtually and some are face-to-face appointments, usually in the London borough of Brent. 

Your main tasks will be to: 

*offer clear independent interpreting of the client’s issue and responses from the advice worker to the client. 

*support clients from a variety of Farsi-speaking countries, many with almost no English.

Experience of interpreting is desirable but not essential. You need a warm personality and an ability to build a rapport with people quickly, a high standard of English, and a non-judgemental and supportive approach.

Commitment: this is an irregular commitment, as and when needed. It is likely to be 2 or 3 hours per month but may be less.

We offer induction training, support and reimburse travel costs. 

Volunteer with Citizens Advice Staffordshire North and Stoke on Trent

What will you do?

• complete an introduction to Citizens Advice and training for your role.
• talk to clients over the phone to explore what problems they’ve come for help with. If you are able to speak or hear over the phone you can train to give advice by email or webchat.
• 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.

Some examples of what you could do: 

• explore what benefits a client is entitled to and help them to complete a benefit application form.
• help a client who has problems with their landlord to understand their housing rights.

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, and 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.

No prior experience is necessary in these areas as you’ll receive full training.

For individuals who are doing advice giving roles, and who are also training to be a solicitor, if you started training to be a solicitor before 1st September 2021, you may be able to get up to six months reduction in your training contract. 

If you started training to be a solicitor after 1st September 2021, you may be able to include time spent volunteering (or working) in advice giving roles as part of (or all of) your qualifying work experience. See Solicitors Regulation Authority for more information.

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 good 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?

We ask for a minimum of 3 hours per week, for at least 12 months.

Many of our volunteers give one full day or two half days per week.

Valuing inclusion

Our volunteers come from a range of backgrounds, and we particularly welcome applications from racially minoritised people/people of colour, disabled people, people with physical or mental health conditions, LGBTQ+ and non-binary people.

If you are interested in becoming an adviser and would like to discuss flexibility around location, time, ‘what you will do’ and how we can support you please contact us.

Contact details

Contact Margaret Collin for more information or to request an application pack.

Location

You can volunteer at any of our offices in North Staffordshire: Hanley, Newcastle under Lyme, Biddulph, or Leek.

You can complete e-learning at the office of your choice, but you will need to be available to attend two training days at the Hanley office.

Head Office
Advice House
13-15 Cheapside
Hanley
Stoke-on-Trent
ST1 1HL

This role is advertised as part of TPP's Free Giving Back Services. This volunteer advertisement copy has been supplied to TPP and applicants apply direct to the organisation. Please contact the organisation directly if you have any questions about this volunteer role.