Anyone wanting to give their time to help people struggling in the region has an opportunity to become a volunteer adviser.

The rewarding role at Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire would involve training to help with a vast range of problems. These include but are not limited to benefits, debt, housing and employment.

The small, independent charity has seen demand for help with cost-of-living issues shoot up.

Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire is helping ten times as many people needing referrals for foodbank vouchers as pre-pandemic.

The charity is now looking to take on six new trainee generalist advisers to join the existing team.

The charity is particularly keen to encourage applications from people with a diverse range of backgrounds. This is especially the case for people from BAME backgrounds who are currently under-represented.

The service aims to provide high-quality advice to members of the public. It also aims to influence Governments and other organisations by informing them of the effect of their actions on the lives of clients.

The role would involve giving advice to clients both face-to-face and over the telephone.

Main duties and responsibilities may include:

• Interviewing clients, both face-to-face and on the telephone, letting the client explain their enquiry and helping the client to set priorities
• Finding, interpreting and communicating the relevant information and exploring options and implications in order that the client can come to a decision
• Acting, where necessary, on behalf of the client, negotiating, drafting or writing letters or making appropriate referrals
• Completing clear and accurate case records
• Recognising the root causes of problems and participating in taking appropriate action
• Keeping up to date on important issues by attending the appropriate training and by essential reading
• Attending team meetings

Personal skills and qualities needed to become a Volunteer Adviser:

• A commitment to the aims and principles of the service
• Excellent communication skills
• Being open and approachable
• Ability to communicate clearly both orally and in writing
• Ability to sift through information and extract what is relevant
• Basic mathematical skills, including percentages
• Respect for views, values and cultures that are different to their own
• An understanding of why confidentiality is important
• Being open to using computers on a regular basis
• A positive attitude to self-development and assessment
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Ability to recognise their own limits and boundaries in the role
• Good IT skills essential – ability to use websites/ databases/ research information

Applicants should be IT competent and able to commit to two sessions per week for at least two years.

Training will be held over a full day – probably a Wednesday. There will be additional training time when new recruits can observe experienced advisers.

There will be opportunities to help out for a few sessions prior to training starting so that applicants can check the role is right for them.