Volunteering at Citizens Advice in West sussex
What’s it like to volunteer at Citizens Advice in West Sussex?
Have you ever considered volunteering? Volunteers are at the heart of what we do here at Citizens Advice West Sussex. As a charity, we couldn’t provide the high level of care and support that we offer to our community without their hard work. Our friendly volunteers:
- Welcome in visitors who come to see us at our in-person branches
- Share important advice with our users over the phone about debt, benefits, housing, pensions and more
- Help users access the benefits they’re entitled to
- Support people to help them fill out important forms
- Research common issues our communities face and work to find solutions to them
- Spread the word about the support we offer, signposting our services online and on social media
- Help us to raise money for our charity so that we can continue the important work we do!
Volunteering at CAWS is an amazing way to gain lots of new skills, meet new people and learn more about the community you live in.
When asked about the benefits of volunteering for CAWS, our colleagues have talked about how diverse, challenging and rewarding the roles are here. One volunteer shared that she gives up her time to work with our team because it gives her “satisfaction to know that she is doing something that is worthwhile for the local community.”
If you decide to volunteer at CAWS you will receive:
- Training for your role
- Support from our team and their wide knowledge base
- A dedicated supervisor who will be here to help you settle into your role
- Learning resources that will enhance your skills
- Travel expenses for any commutes you do to volunteer with us
Sound like something you’d like to be a part of?
We’re have a few different roles at CAWS at the moment. If you are interested in coming aboard, take a look at a small selection of the roles that are currently available below and read on to find out how you can apply for them.
- Benefits Form Filler Volunteer – Provide essential support in filling out forms with residents who need help to access the financial assistance they need.
- Fundraising Volunteer – Help us to raise money for our charity by organising fundraising events and building relationships with local organisations. Be a part of making sure that we can continue to provide free, accessible advice for the residents of West Sussex.
- Volunteer Adviser – Assist clients in getting the right help for the problems they face by assessing their issues with empathy and identifying the most appropriate course of action.
- Research and Campaigns Volunteer – Gather insight on the different issues affecting our residents and find solutions to address the root cause.
What’s the application process like to become a volunteer at CAWS?
First of all, it’s a good idea to take a look at the roles that are available on our website and have a little read about what kind of work you would be doing for each one. We have a talented team with lots of skills across a range of areas, you can have a read about our work and decide what best suits you. Once you have an idea of what you’re interested in, you can click ‘apply now’ and fill out our application form, sharing any experience you have that you think would help in the role.
Don’t worry, we love to give our volunteers the opportunity to try things out and learn new skills, so if you’re interested in volunteering to gain experience in an area you haven’t worked in before, we’d love to hear from you!
What’s most important to us is that you’re interested in what we do and the reasons why we do it – we care about providing free, responsible and honest advice in West Sussex and we love it when our volunteers can show us that they feel that way too.
Once you have filled out your application form, a team member will be in contact with you as soon as we have had a chance to read through your application. If you are invited to an interview, we will let you know when and where this will take place and ask for your availability.
If you’d like to know more about the process, have questions about volunteering for roles that you can’t see on the site or just want to find out more about what it’s like to be a volunteer at CAWS you can email us at volunteer@westsussexcab.org.uk.
We can’t wait to hear from you!