Volunteering - CAB/Credit union

charmed1318

Hey,

Was just looking if anyone here has/is voluteering with either their credit union and/or the citizens advice..?

I have volunteered before, but in charity shops and I was looking to do something different after moving a couple of months ago.

Any advice/notes/anything is appreciated.

Thanks

IAmWales

I work with some CAB volunteers, and feedback is extremely varied. The more relaxed branches ask for half a day a week upwards and will take anyone that is willing to help, they'll find something for you to do. Others can be very strict, with recruitment only being open at certain times and being quite competitive. The one nearest the university asks for two days a week and will not take final year students as they expect a commitment for more than one year.

Another point of contention is that some branches are willing to help people even when they appear to be playing the system. I know people that have left because they've been expected to complete disability forms where a person claims to be unable to walk when they clearly can. That needs to be balanced though with the thousands of people with genuine health issues that are helped, the illegitimate claims are a definite minority.

A credit union is likely to require less commitment and training. My closest one works in conjunction with the food bank and a furniture project, so lots of different opportunities to get involved in different things.

I'd contact the branches in your area to get a feel for how they operate.

sangie595

IAmWales wrote: »

I work with some CAB volunteers, and feedback is extremely varied. The more relaxed branches ask for half a day a week upwards and will take anyone that is willing to help, they'll find something for you to do. Others can be very strict, with recruitment only being open at certain times and being quite competitive. The one nearest the university asks for two days a week and will not take final year students as they expect a commitment for more than one year.

Another point of contention is that some branches are willing to help people even when they appear to be playing the system. I know people that have left because they've been expected to complete disability forms where a person claims to be unable to walk when they clearly can. That needs to be balanced though with the thousands of people with genuine health issues that are helped, the illegitimate claims are a definite minority.

A credit union is likely to require less commitment and training. My closest one works in conjunction with the food bank and a furniture project, so lots of different opportunities to get involved in different things.

I'd contact the branches in your area to get a feel for how they operate.

That isn't my experience of credit unions. Credit unions are part of a regulated industry - legally they are financial institutions. As a result volunteers are "expensive " - they need DBS clearance. Our local credit union won't accept volunteers; and the two next nearest ones will only allow them to do minimal reception - basically, meet, greet and tell someone to take a seat for an advisor. The only one I know that allows volunteers to have a bigger role requires at least four hours a week, and a minimum commitment of 18 months. I think they are very different in different areas.

[Deleted User]

I volunteer in my local CAB and really enjoy it. They value us being there, send us on loads of helpful training and there are always jobs in the sector being emailed to us for when we want to move on to paid employment.
Mine is only open 2 days a week and I can go both or one day, they’re flexible with times and also provide lunch.

NeilCr

I’ve been volunteering at CAB for nigh on ten years now. On a break at the moment because of health reasons.

One of the main issues I’ve found (and I’ve been a volunteer recruiter) is the amount of training involved before volunteers actually get in front of a client. However much you tell people about it (and we do) it’s still a struggle to come to terms with. Most volunteers want to be out there doing something from day 1,2,3 etc. That doesn’t happen at CAB.

You have to be neutral and non judgemental (as indicated in IamWales post above some find that difficult)

I certainly would be wary of taking “anyone who wants to help”. You do have to be sure, from both a client and volunteer perspective, that the person “fits”. But there are so many different volunteering opportunities out there that many CABs are short of volunteers.

Each CAB is different from the next one. . Go in and have a chat. It’s going to likely to be not quite like what anyone posts on an Internet forum

charmed1318

Many thanks for the replies.

I applied to the CAB and am going in the CU tomorrow to open an account and get a feel for the place.