We are recruiting!
We have two vacancies
Guildford County County Court Help Desk Adviser
Adviceline Adviser (see below for details)
Guildford County Court Help Desk Adviser
Location: Citizens Advice Woking
Salary: (FTE) £24,000 – £25,000 (depending on experience)
Hours per week: 37.5
Type of contract: Fixed Term (twelve months)
Closing date for applications: Friday 22nd September 2023
Interview date: TBC
Do you want to help people stay in their homes?
Do you have some legal experience and interest in County Court processes?
We are looking for someone to join our team to provide an essential service to clients who have been served with possession proceedings. We offer pre-court advice and assistance, a County Court Help Desk, support in Hearings, emergency applications to prevent eviction and where appropriate, ongoing casework in the areas of welfare benefits, debt, and housing.
Knowledge of the citizens advice service will be an advantage and the successful candidate will be expected to complete training to become a citizens advice adviser.
Please email wokingca@gmail.com for an application pack
A commitment to the Aims and Principles of the Citizens Advice service will be essential.
“This role has by far been the most challenging but rewarding role I have ever taken on. It has been incredible to be able to make such a difference to a client’s life. To be able to prevent or delay homelessness, to have families and friends of the client come up to me after a hearing just to thank me has been fulfilling. This experience has helped me navigate the areas of law I wish to pursue” – The views of our current Court Help Desk Adviser
Adviceline Adviser
Why you are needed.
Life is complicated and sometimes people encounter challenges and problems that they do not know how to deal with, and they need help. By joining Citizens Advice you will be part of a team of local charities made up of employees and volunteers who provide advice, information, and support to help Surrey residents navigate their challenges.
We are looking for candidates who believe in the Citizens Advice mission and are looking for an opportunity to work in an environment that has a positive impact.
We have 10 new roles which will be pivotal in providing additional support to our telephone service (Adviceline) already being delivered by dedicated teams in each of Surrey’s Citizens Advice offices. You will be a crucial part of a new pilot program that is bringing all of these together to support as many residents as possible.
How you will make an impact:
- You will be the main point of access for clients and provides first response to the full range of advice issues such as benefits, debt, housing, employment, family and immigration.
- You will explore the client’s issue and decide on the appropriate next steps which could be making an appointment with a caseworker or signposting to another agency.
- You will look out for problems that are common, or are unfair, and raise awareness.
We recruit great people from a wide variety of backgrounds, not just because it is the right thing to do, but because it makes our organisation stronger. So, even if you think you do not meet all the skills listed below, we would still love to hear from you!
Skills that will help you:
- Ability to interview clients using sensitive listening and questioning skills
- Ability to research, analyse and interpret complex information
- Ability to understand statistics and check accuracy of calculations
- Ability to use a variety of IT/digital systems and packages
- Commitment to delivering high quality service
- Open to continual learning and training as required by the role
- Understanding of the issues affecting society and their implications for clients
Why join us:
- Opportunity to be a changemaker
- Wonderful team joined together in a common aim
- Excellent opportunity for continual training that could lead to future opportunities
- £22,000 – £26,000 (pro rata for part time), depending on experience (trainees considered)
The Citizens Advice service values diversity promotes equality and challenges discrimination. We encourage and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds. We particularly welcome applications from disabled and Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic people.
The closing date for applications is 11th September 2023. We would love to hear from you so if you require further detail or would like to request an application form please email recruitment@casws.org.uk