Volunteer Information

Would you like to make a difference to local people in South Gloucestershire?

New premises: Adviser Mary-Anne helping a client

Our Adviser Mary-Anne helping a client

Aims and principles of the service

  • To ensure that individuals do not suffer through ignorance of their rights and responsibilities or of the services available; or through an inability to express their needs effectively.
  • To exercise a responsible influence on the development of social policies and services, both locally and nationally.

The service is opposed to all forms of racism and discrimination and is committed to ensuring that all services are equally available to all people.

  • Resists and challenges acts of discrimination and undertakes to support its clients and staff when confronted with racial harassment.
  • Seeks actively to conform to the 1976 Race Relations Act and 1984 Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) Code of Practice.
  • Is an Equal Opportunities employer and encourages participation of all ethnic groups at all levels of the service.

The Service therefore provides free to all individuals a confidential and impartial service of information, guidance and support, and makes responsible use of the experience so gained.

The service offers professional standards of service. It relies on committed volunteers.

Availability information

It is hoped that all new volunteers will commit themselves to two years voluntary work in the Bureau.

The charity asks that advice workers do a minimum of two sessions per week. The rota will be negotiable, but flexibility will be important. Certain days may be particularly busy when one or more extensions may be operating. As others will cover for you when you are on holiday, it is hoped that you will cover for others.

The time commitment will commence from the start of the training.

Teamwork is an essential feature of working in the service.

Team meetings

These are held monthly. You will be asked to attend as of these as you can due to the training content.

Training to be an adviser

The total training time will be approximately 4 months.

It takes about six months from the start of basic training to the day when a new worker can go on the rota. There is a further 6 months during which the new adviser is under supervision. By the end of this period the adviser will hope to have achieved the competencies which make up the Certificate in Generalist Advice Work.

At an appropriate time in trainees sit in and observe interviews with clients and later progress to conducting supervised interviews under the guidance of an experienced adviser. Training is also given in writing up case notes at the conclusion of an interview.

Each training programme is organised by the Training Officer, who is an experienced adviser.

For more information, please contact Lead Supervisor Emmanuelle Claverie at: emmanuelle.claverie@southgloscab.org.uk