Volunteering with Citizens Advice Thanet

Citizens Advice volunteers come from all walks of life and all ages. We are currently looking for volunteers to train as advisers.

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, listening and problem solving and 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 your expenses.
No prior experience is necessary in these areas as you’ll receive full training.

What do you need?

• 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.
• Have good maths and IT skills.
• Be able to understand information and explain it to others.
• Be willing to learn about and follow Citizens Advice aims, principles and policies, including confidentiality and data protection.
• Be willing to undertake training in your role.

Interested? We would like to hear from you! Email us at volunteers@thanetcitizensadvice.org.uk.

My Journey at Citizens Advice Thanet from Volunteer to Chief Officer
My journey started at a Job Fair many years ago. I was looking to change direction in my professional life after starting a family. I spoke to a person from Citizens Advice and became interested in training as an Adviser. I was also told that the training is highly respected by employers and that it would increase work chances. (This certainly has been true).

I had not thought of volunteering as being a way of learning a new skill set – but it has the additional bonus of being cost free.

I applied to be a Volunteer Adviser in 2002; I was successful and started training. This was alongside working part-time. I loved the work, not only empowering clients with their rights, but empowering myself. To see clients arrive stressed by their situation and then leaving the interview relieved that they have had the advice they needed is very rewarding.

I eventually was able to give up my part time work to take up paid work as a Trainee Debt Adviser with Citizens Advice. This was followed by working on several other projects that Citizens Advice had received funding for, such as giving Money and Energy Advice. Following this, I worked on the Ageless Thanet project with Citizens Advice as a ‘Life Planner’ for nearly seven years. This involved advising people over the age of 50 who were experiencing difficulties in their lives, often due to a recent change in circumstances.

Fast forward, I am now the new Chief Officer. Little did I know that my initial encounter with Citizens Advice at a Job Fair would lead to this!

It has always been a privilege, volunteering and working at Citizens Advice. I would highly recommend it.

Written by:
Angela Drew-Robinson
Chief Officer,
Citizens Advice Thanet