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Volunteer Development Scotland Ltd. (also known as Volunteer Scotland).
Charity registered in Scotland SC013740 and a company limited by guarantee, registered in Scotland, No. SC106743. Our registered Office is Jubilee House, Forthside Way, Stirling. FK8 1QZ

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Advisor

The role of a Citizens Advice Bureau adviser is very varied. Find out more by reading the volunteer stories which are available for you to download at the bottom of this page and here are some of the things advisers do:

Interview clients by phone or in person. Some bureaux give advice by e-mail, webchat or even SMS
Provide information from our information system
Explain the options or choices the client has, and what these might mean for them
Offer practical help to clients by making phone calls, helping them to fill in forms on paper or online, helping them to draft e-mails or letters
Use online tools and sometimes perform calculations to assess entitlement to benefits
Refer clients to other agencies which might be of help to them
Record client information and summarise what information and help was provided on CASTLE, our electronic client record system
Help prevent future problems by identifying issues that affect a lot of clients – this is called social policy work
Most volunteers are generalists but in some bureaux there are opportunities for specialisation and additional tasks such a tribunal representation

Experience required

There is a tried and tested training programme, used by every bureaux in Scotland when training advisers and that will give you a great start. Also, during every advice session, bureaux will have support on hand for their volunteers. Then advisers use our extensive information system to research client queries so you don't need to have legal or other specific knowledge.

Dates

9 September 2024 - 10 March 2025

Support
Training details

Full advisor training programme, shadowing experience and supervision. Ongoing advisor training and opportunities for specialist roles in energy, debt and welfare advice

Restrictions

Minimum age: 18

Volunteers (aged 18-25) taking part in this opportunity are eligible to claim Saltire Awards hours for their activity.
Find out more