Welwyn Hatfield Citizens Advice Bureau

VOLUNTEERING

Join our committed and enthusiastic team and help people from your local community.

Whatever role you volunteer for, it will be interesting and will help people from the local community. The different roles are outlined below and you can call 01707 260934 (ask for Linda or Nina) for more information.

Stop Press

At the moment we are specifically looking for volunteers for the following roles:

  • Advisers
  • Telephone Advisers
  • A Treasurer
  • Trustee with expertise in Human Resources

Volunteer Advisers

Welwyn Hatfield Citizens Advice Bureau is looking for volunteers to do advice work with members of the public. We are looking for people who would provide advice face to face, or over the telephone. All advisers are given free formal and on the job training. You are supported every step of the way and all your expenses are paid. As a CAB adviser you would:

  • interview clients
  • help them negotiate with people such as creditors or service providers
  • draft letters
  • make telephone calls on behalf of clients
  • refer them to other agencies

We ask for a minimum commitment of 6-8 hours a week.

Training to be an advice worker

Training includes developing interviewing skills, interpreting information, calculating benefits as well as training around attitudes, challenging discrimination and so on.

The training programme includes using study packs, observation of interviews, plus coaching and support. CAB volunteers come in all shapes and sizes-, retired people who want a challenge, people with home responsibilities who want to keep in touch with the work environment, returners to work who want to learn a whole new range of skills, and unemployed people who want to add to their CV.

Other voluntary opportunities

There may also be opportunities for volunteer administration workers, receptionists, IT support workers and project workers. You may be surprised at the number of different roles in a Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB). There is less training for these roles and we only ask for you to commit to 3-4 hours a week.

Trustees

Welwyn Hatfield CAB is a registered charity and has a board of trustees made up of volunteers. The board carries out the following roles:

  • manage and plan the bureau's overall strategic direction
  • act as employer for paid staff
  • manage the bureau's finances
  • ensure the bureau complies with the law
  • are responsible for premises, insurance and equipment.

We welcome people of all ages, backgrounds and experience to their trustee boards. The Board meets four times in the year and there is an AGM. The meetings are all in the evening. At the moment we are looking for a treasurer and a trustee who is an expert in Human Resources.