Does Anyone Volunteer for their Local CAB?

chocsessential

Hi, just as the question suggests really. An opportunity has come up for me to do this but I wondered if people normally worked in their nearest CAB or preferred to work in a different one so their neighbours didn't know about it?

It sounds very cloak and dagger but it isn't. I just wandered how most people did their volunteering and if any issues arose from being recognised.

cabbage

Hiya

I used to volunteer in my local CAB but am now a paid member of staff. If you recognise a name or a face your supervisor will always assign another volunteer to that person as it can be awkward for both of you.

I sometimes see people I know in town but I am not allowed to say Hi as it is a breach of confidentiality. Generally speaking if they say hi to you, you are allowed to say hi back but thats it. Clients have returned for another appointment and have queried my response to them and when I explain the reasons they are ok with it.

Our local CAB have 3 offices so if yours is the same you could chose one not so close but to be honest its not been an issue for me in the five years I have been advising.

The other side of the coin is that if people know where you volunteer they are always trying to get advice from you at the pub etc rather than book an appointment! I usually duck out of it saying I don't have the advice with me and would need to look it up on the advice system.

As for volunteering, its hard work but the rewards are immense. Even as a paid member of staff with extra responsibility I can't believe how lucky I am to do a job that makes such a vast difference to people's lives. The amount of times I've been told that "at last I will sleep better tonight" or see someone severely depressed and in debt start taking their first steps to recovery and thinking about working again is great.

chocsessential

What a very helpful response, thank you. The role would involve me advising people after I have taken training. I imagine these kinds of issues would be covered in the training course anyway now I think about it. That's interesting what you say about saying hi to people you recognise in the street. I live in a strange area where people are quite unfriendly so maybe that won't be a problem, ha ha.

cabbage

Hi

Yeah it may not be an issue where you live ha ha. In my town everyone is really friendly.

I had someone stop me at the Leisure Centre and she said hi and of course I said hi back and she wanted to discuss the outcome of her enquiry. I had to admit to her that I couldn't remember the details but she said "i just wanted to say thanks and its all sorted out" I didn't break confidentiality but it could have been awkward.

Today I found out that a benefit claim I did 8 weeks ago resulted in a gain of just over £100 per week for a client. This will make a huge difference to her life. Its made my day!

I've never once regretted volunteering for the cab. They do ask alot of their volunteers and you must commit to 6 hours a week in our bureau but its very sociable, rewarding, educational and you get far more back. Go for it!

chocsessential

It sounds like you've done really well in your role. This is what the manager said to me too about the time commitment, that I would have to come in two days a week. Is that what you did? I can kind of do that but I can't take on a big time commitment because of being self employed and needing to earn money the rest of the time.

Well done for making such a difference to your clients' lives

cabbage

Hi

Yes, I had to come in over two days as the bureau is only open 10 - 2pm so that would be only 4 hours but they can be flexible as your time on courses and reading your training packs can make up the six hours. It depends on the bureau really as most are so grateful for volunteers that they will let you do one day even if it means less than six hours but all are different.

I did my training and held down a part time job - others hold down full time jobs and still manage it so it can be done. The training itself is good and is accredited so can help towards other qualifications away from the CAB.

I ended up giving up my job as my dad decided to move to my sisters for her to care for him and I organised that for him and helped him sell his home. At the same time my daughter needed a major operation so I was lucky that I could just about afford to give up work to look after them both.

I was then offered a 6 hour paid post which has gradually grown to an 18 hour post. There's enough work if I wanted to go full time but I don't as I like my hobbies and having some free time. The wages are ok, not the best but better than I was earning in a clerical role.

If I won the lottery, I would still work for the CAB but for free - that's how happy I am. I'm not saying that its not hard and that it doesn't get you down occasionally but all the negatives are made up for when you get a result for your clients. Its not even about the thanks you get from clients its just knowing you made a difference I suppose.

Will have to remember that when I am having a bad day and think back to carefree days working as an admin assistant!

soba

Cabbage, or anyone else who knows - when you were a volunteer did you specialise in one area of helping people, say debt or housing problems, or did you have clients with issues across the board?

fengirl_2

If you are a generalist advisor you will advise on everything. If your Bureau has specialists in debt, housing, etc then those clients will be referred directly to them.
I understand all Bureaux are now introducing triage systems, so you may well be put on those duties.

cabbage

Hiya

Yeah I trained as a generalist adviser. Anyone needing specialist advice would be referred to our in house specialist or to another agency.

Although I am still a generalist I now do debt work and more detailed case work.

Alot of bureau's do have a triage system called gateway. All clients are offered an initial 10 min face to face interview to either refer to a specialist or signpost to another organisation.

We don't do that at our bureau but we operate a gateway system for telephone calls to the bureau. All appointments are booked through the gateway telephone system. Clients either get an appointment or if its easier for them, telephone advice. We also offer a drop in service.

Been doing this for just over a year and its working very well. Those who need or want an appointment, get one and those who don't or have a quick query are helped over the phone. Before we introduced it, we were forever getting booked up too far in advance and had a lot of no shows but now because everyone accesses the service the same way, we have appointments sometimes next day or if not within a few days.

alwaysonthego_2

I have volunteered for the CAB for the past three years and love it. My CAB does not stipulate any set amount of hours per week and are really flexible. We run a gateway sytem where all our clients have to ring us and we book appointments or signpost them to other agencies depending on their gateway interview. Although the gateway is good, we still find we are booked up for a coupkle of weeks ahead.

chocsessential

But say you trained as a money advisor and were the only person with that particular training. If you recognised someone and did not feel comfortable advising them would the manager still be able to assign another advisor to help them, or would you have to do it because you are the only one with that expertise?