Citizens Advice Kensington & Chelsea

Applications for this opportunity are closed.

About Citizens Advice Kensington & Chelsea   

Citizens Advice Kensington & Chelsea provides free, confidential and impartial advice and campaigns on significant issues affecting people’s lives. Their goal is to help everyone find a way forward with the problems they face. They offer advice and information on a wide range of subjects including Welfare Benefits, Employment, Housing, Consumer law, Legal, Tax, Family law, Energy suppliers and Immigration & Nationality.  

 

About the Client Support Volunteer Role:  

  • Meet and greet clients at the CAB Kensington and Chelsea office.  
  • Signpost clients to useful information and resources. 
  • 1-day per week commitment, from 9:30AM – 4:30PM.  
  • You will begin as a Client Support Volunteer to build essential skills in client interaction. 
  • After gaining experience in client support, volunteers can receive training and progress to supporting clients on the AdviceLine service and doing one-to-one form filling appointments. 

 

Why become a Client Support Volunteer?  

  • Make a real difference to people’s lives. 
  • Enroll onto CAB’s client support training program. . 
  • Learn about a range of legal issues, covering benefits, debt, employment, housing.  
  • Build on valuable skills such as communication, problem-solving, research, campaigns, engaging with a range of audiences, and working with clients. 
  • Have a positive impact on your community.  

 

Training and Supervision  

  • CAB K&C’s structured training program will cover: 
  • Client interaction  
  • CAB’s internal systems and websites 
  • Legal knowledge (primarily in housing and welfare benefits)  
  • Form filling  
  • Triaging
  • Housing applications 
  • CAB will periodically meet 1-1 with students to review your progress through the CAB training program, focusing on completed modules and recent assessments. This will address any training needs and ensure you are supported. 
  • All students will receive the CAJ Mandatory Volunteer training, which covers data protection and confidentiality, working with vulnerable clients, professional conduct and regulation, self-care, and our expectations of CAJ volunteers. These will take place on October 22, October 29, and November 12. 

 

Valuing Inclusion   

CAKC volunteers come from a range of backgrounds, and they 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 CAB K&C is looking for:   

  • While not essential, this role will lend itself well to someone who lives within the borough.  
  • Friendly and approachable volunteers: Our clients are sometimes vulnerable and need to be supported by friendly and approachable volunteers. 
  • Respect for views, values and cultures that are different to your own. 
  • Empathy when faced with sensitive topics. 
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills: this is not limited to spoken and written English. We are particularly interested in volunteers who speak other languages as well as English. 
  • Candidates who are able to understand and explain complex information clearly (verbally and in writing). 
  • Strong IT skills. 
  • Candidates who are willing to learn and undertake training.  

 

Pro Bono Skills Development Framework    

The Centre for Access to Justice now offers all students engaged in voluntary pro bono the opportunity to participate in the Pro Bono Skills Development Framework. This framework allows you to reflect on the skills gained during your placement, aligned with the Aurora Competence Framework. Completing it earns you a Certificate of Commitment to Pro Bono, acknowledging your dedication and skill development. Your participation will help you document and showcase the valuable competencies you’ve developed, however, please note that participation in the PBSDF scheme is entirely voluntary and will not affect your placement in any way.  

 

Eligibility 

This opportunity is open to LLB students in Years 2, 3, 4, and LLM Students.   

When applying for this role, please ensure you will be able to volunteer in-person at the CAB K&C office for 1 day every week from 9:30AM – 4:30PM.  

 

How to Apply  

Applications for this opportunity are now closed.