Telephone Assessor

For Citizens Advice Hart

What will you do?

Assessors are one of the first points of contact that our clients interact with.

The Telephone Assessor will talk to clients on the telephone to fully explore the issue or issues that they have.

The issues we deal with are varied:

It could be a problem at work with their employer, for example be facing dismissal or redundancy
It could be a Housing issue– they may be having difficulty with their landlord.
They may want to understand if they are entitled to any Benefits as they are struggling making ends meet.
They may have debts that they need help with.
They may have a problem with a neighbour.

Once they fully understand the issue, the assessor will research information relating to the problem and provide information to help the client clarify their issues and inform any action they may take.

They will research using our public website and other trusted sources such as gov.uk
They will summarise the case and detail information given to the client onto our database.
They will signpost clients to other organisations for further help and support.
They may make a further appointment for the Client to see or speak to one of our Advisors for specific or detailed advice.

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, digital skills and explaining complex information
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.

Valuing inclusion

Our volunteers come from a range of backgrounds and we particularly welcome applications from disabled people, people with physical or mental health conditions, LGBT+ and non-binary people, and people from Black Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities.

What skills do I need?

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 excellent verbal and written communication skills and good spelling or willingness to use spell checker
have good 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

Ideally, we ask for a minimum of 7 hours per week, which can be over one day or spread over two days, for at least 6 months.

We can be flexible about the time spent and how often you volunteer so come and talk to us.

Interests

Civic Responsibility and Communities
Homeless and Housing
Mental Health
No specific interest

Activities

Advice and Information
General Helping
Law and Legal Support

Details

Accessibility
Age restrictions
18+
DBS check needed
Equal Opportunities Policy
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.
Expenses reimbursed
Health and Safety Policy
Ongoing support
Recruitment Process
Suitable for under 16s
Suitable for under 18s
Training provided
My be self study
Volunteer induction
Volunteer Policy
Volunteers covered by insurance
Written role description

When can I volunteer?

Slot	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Morning	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
Afternoon	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
Evening	No	No	No	No	No	No	No

Availability Details

We are currently looking for volunteers on Tuesdays. Ideally, we ask for a minimum of 7 hours per week and volunteers to commit to at least 6 months. We can be flexible about the time spent and how often you volunteer so come and talk to us.