Slough Outreach Adviser – Role Description
Citizens Advice East Berkshire
At Citizens Advice, we’ve been solving life’s problems for more than 85 years. We support our local community with expert free, independent, confidential, and impartial advice.
Serving the people of Bracknell, Slough and the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead last year we supported over 6,000 people securing £2.5 million of financial benefit. We know more people want our help and, at present, we are only able to meet some of the demand.
Join Our Team as an Outreach Adviser in Slough
To provide an effective and efficient outreach service to local residents within the aims, policies and principles of the CA service.
This post is to deliver generalist advice work, to achieve positive advice outcomes for people within the local community. As an outreach advisor you will be engaging with clients at Turning Point and other community venues across Slough. You will be providing information and advice, breaking down barriers and being proactive in finding them a way forward, on a wide range of subjects, such as housing benefits, debt, and employment. You will often be supporting people with mental illness, including those who are unable to access our services online. A DBS check is required for this role.
Key Details:

• Salary: £25,000+ per annum dependant on experience
• Hours: 37 hours per week (alternative hours considered)
• Contract Term: Permanent
• Location: Citizens Advice East Berkshire offices and outreach locations (some hybrid working is possible)

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

• Assisting clients at drop-in sessions and appointments at our outreach locations across Slough
• Interview clients using sensitive listening and questioning skills in order to allow clients to explain their problem(s) and empower them to set their own priorities.
• Use the Citizens Advice Information System to find, interpret and communicate the relevant information.
• Research and explore options and implications so that clients can make informed decisions.
• Act for the client where necessary by negotiating, drafting or writing letters and telephoning.
• Liaise and negotiate with other statutory and voluntary organisations to progress the client’s case and ensure they receive all assistance available.
• Signpost and refer internally and externally as appropriate in order to link clients into additional relevant support.
• Maintain detailed case records for the purpose of continuity of casework, information retrieval, statistical monitoring and report preparation.
• Ensure that all work conforms to the office systems and procedures.
• To maintain a focus on achieving positive outcomes, including financial gains and soft outcomes from welfare benefits, income maximisation, debt management, securing housing, and consequent improvements in health and well being.

Research and Campaigns

• To participate in research and campaigns work, particularly focusing on discrimination and other barriers faced by service users, contributing to reports and case studies where agreed.
• Submitting regular evidence forms and taking action when required or by providing information about clients’ circumstances through the appropriate channel.

Professional Development

• To keep up to date with relevant legislation, case law, policies and procedures, and undertake appropriate training.
• Read relevant publications.
• To participate in learning and development activities to achieve and maintain caseworker competences.
• Attend relevant internal and external meetings as agreed with the line manager.
• Assist with Service initiatives for the improvement of service.

Administration

• To effectively record advice work, using case management and other systems effectively, to ensure successful and timely support for clients.
• To manage information to enable required reporting, case studies and outcomes measures.
• To ensure that all work complies with relevant Citizens Advice quality standards, systems and procedures.

Generic
· To keep up to date with Citizens Advice aims, policies and procedures and ensure these are followed.
· To ensure that work reflects and supports the Citizens Advice service's equality and diversity strategy.
· To keep up to date with research and campaigns issues and provide evidence as appropriate.
· To maintain effective admin systems and records relevant to the role.
· To work cooperatively with colleagues and encourage good teamwork, clear lines of communication and common practices within the team.
· To abide by health and safety guidelines and share responsibility for your own health and safety and that of colleagues.
· To identify your own learning and development needs and take steps to address these.
· To carry out any other tasks within the scope of the post to ensure the effective delivery and development of the service.
Networking and partnerships
· To develop links with relevant statutory and non-statutory agencies relevant to the role.
Person Specification
Essential:
· Experience and understanding of Citizens Advice, or of delivering advice work over a range of areas, particularly on the subjects of housing, welfare benefits and debt advice, in person and remotely in an advice setting.
· Empathy and motivation to provide good quality advice and casework support to clients.
· Ability to work sensitively with a diverse range of clients.
· Commitment to achieving the best outcomes for clients through delivery of high-quality advice.
· Strong organisational and time management skills, using systems effectively, prioritise appropriately, and enable timely responses to client needs.
Other Key Requirements:
· Numeracy skills required to understand statistics and check calculations.
· Able to demonstrate good communication, listening skills and empathy to respond appropriately to challenging behaviour.
· Able to demonstrate adaptability, to manage different situations calmly and professionally.
· Ability to work independently, with the confidence to ask for help from the wider team and be proactive in managing challenges.
· Self-awareness to enable giving and receiving feedback; and constructive engagement to achieve development goals.
· Willingness to carry out role in main office and other locations and outreach venues to meet service delivery needs, with an understanding of the challenges in seeing clients away from the main premises.
· Ability to demonstrate a commitment to the aims and principles of the Citizens Advice service, including its equality and diversity policies, and research and campaigning role.
· Ability to contribute to an inventive, responsible and generous organisation and team culture, sharing tasks and supporting organisation goals.
· Ability to utilise a range of reference resources.
Why Join the Citizens Advice East Berkshire Team?

• Make a difference in your local community
• Friendly, hardworking team with great camaraderie
• Employment assistance program
• My Rewards Employee discount scheme
• Flexible hours depending on the role
• Hybrid working opportunities

To Apply: After reviewing the Job Description and Information Pack, please send your CV and a cover letter outlining your suitability for the role to recruitment@caeb.org.uk.
For an informal and confidential discussion about this position, please contact recruitment@caeb.org.uk.
Interviews will be arranged as they are received for suitable candidates and the openings will close upon successful appointment, so it is advised applications are submitted promptly to avoid disappointment.
Please be aware that Citizens Advice is not a sponsoring organisation. Therefore the successful applicant must already possess the right to work in the UK.
Please also note, in the event of a high number of applications, we reserve the right to close the application early.
Citizens Advice East Berkshire is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion, or age.
Job Types: Full-time, Part-time, Permanent
Pay: From £25,875.00 per year
Expected hours: No less than 14 per week
Benefits:

• Company pension
• Employee discount
• Free parking
• Health & wellbeing programme
• On-site parking
• Referral programme
• Store discount

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday
• No weekends

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Slough, Berkshire: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)

Experience:

• advice & casework (welfare benefits and debt advice): 1 year (required)

Work authorisation:

• United Kingdom (required)

Work Location: In person
Reference ID: ID-GA24