Volunteer


Free for at least one day a week?

If you:

  • Enjoy helping people
  • Have at least one day a week free
  • Work well as part of a team
  • Have a commitment to equal opportunities
  • Have an understanding of the need for quality advice
  • Wish to provide practical support to other people, making a positive difference

Then you might be interested in becoming a CAB volunteer advice worker.

Age doesn't matter. We are keen recruit people from all age groups, whether recently left college or time to spare following retirement. Maybe you are unemployed, or want to return to work now the children are at school: CAB experience can lead to paid employment. No formal qualifications are required either - we will train you.

The Process
Becoming a volunteer advice worker means making a commitment of both time and energy. Dependent on many external factors, whilst in training a new volunteer would have to set aside between 8 and 10 hours a week for working through modules. Some of these modules are external and you will meet trainee advisers from other bureaux there. You will also observe interviews with clients (with their permission) and towards the end of the training programme will undertake at least one supervised interview with your guidance tutor. This will be the terrifying moment when you step into the waiting room and say, "Who's next please?". But take comfort - all CAB advice staff have had to do this.

Once you have successfully completed the training course you take your place on the advice rota. There is a two-month probationary period after which you will have review with the manager and your guidance tutor. If all is well (for both parties) then you become a fully fledged CAB adviser.

Unfortunately it costs a lot of money to train a new volunteer and, to make this a worthwhile commitment for both new advisers and us, we require people to commit to volunteer eight hours a week for at least a year. Eight hours is equivalent to two advice sessions a week. You are of course entitled to a holiday.


 

Find out more by contacting - The Manager, Bideford CAB, 28a Bridgeland Street, Bideford, Devon, EX39 2PZ - or  email