Page headingPage heading

Volunteer Advisers

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 to enable the client to 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 essential reading
  • Attending bureau meetings.

Personal skills and qualities that an adviser needs:

  • A commitment to the aims and principles of the CAB service
  • Excellent communication skills
  • To be open and approachable
  • To be able to communicate clearly both orally and in writing
  • To be able to sift through information and extract that which is relevant
  • Basic mathematical skills, including percentages
  • Respect for views, values and cultures which are different to their own
  • To understand why confidentiality is important
  • Open to using computers on a regular basis
  • A positive attitude to self-development and assessment
  • To be able to work as part of a team
  • Able to recognise their own limits and boundaries in the role.