Citizens Advice Walsall

Volunteer Application Form

WHEN COMPLETED PLEASE RETURN TO:-

Citizens Advice Walsall, 139-144 Lichfield Street, Walsall, WS1 1SE

or by email

Dear Applicant,

Thank you for your interest in volunteering with us. As a Registered Charity we train volunteers to help us in our work and need people who can return the time and resources we commit to their development by giving us a regular, long-term commitment.

We have a number of opportunities for people interested in working with Citizens Advice Walsall (CAW) including Interpreters, Reception Information Assistants (that’s someone who deals with clients to assess what help they need) and Generalist Adviser. Each of these roles requires different skills and different levels of commitment in terms of attendance and training. For example, training as a Generalist Adviser is the most demanding role and on average takes 9-12 months with a weekly time commitment of 12 hours.

Every volunteering role in CAW requires good basic levels of English, numeracy, and literacy skills this is because volunteers work with clients to identify the nature of the person’s enquiry and often need to help them to understand letters, documents, interpret information and contact other agencies/companies on their behalf.

So what happens next? We receive large numbers of applications to volunteer. These are reviewed every 2 months or so and a shortlist of applicants drawn up and invited to interview. We will write to you with the time and date for the interview if you are shortlisted.

When you attend for interview, you will be asked to do a basic maths test. We ask you to do this test because a lot of our work involves advising people about finances, benefits and tax credits. We will then discuss your application with you and ask you some questions. If you are accepted as a volunteer we will let you know as soon as possible and ask you to attend an Induction Day.

If you do not hear further from us it is because we are unable to offer you a volunteering opportunity.

Yours sincerely,

Becki Floyd or Jacquie Jennings

Advice Session Supervisors (Training)

Tel: 01922 700600

Email:

Citizens Advice Walsall

Volunteer Application Form

Name
Address
Postcode
Contact Number
Email
Are you interested in any particular type of volunteer role(s)?
e.g. Interpreters, Reception Information assistants, Generalist Adviser,
Social policy worker, Trustee.
Describe any skills and experiences you have that would be useful for the role you are
interested in.
For example dealing with people face-to-face or on the phone, speaking/ writing a language other than English, sign language, filing, research, using a computer, helping people to learn
Please tell us what are you currently doing?
e.g. employment, education, caring responsibilities, looking for work, retired.
Why do you want to volunteer for the CAB?
What do you hope to get from the experience?
What do you think are some of the main problems facing your community?
It is useful to know what time you are available to volunteer during the week.
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Please indicate approximately how many hours or days per week you would like to volunteer for:

Are there any times that you are unlikely to be available, e.g. school holidays?

Is there anything else you would like to say about yourself?

References

Please give the names and addresses of two people, other than your family, who can tell us about you – e.g. an employer, teacher or someone who knows you well.
Name
Address
Postcode
Contact Number
Email
Name
Address
Postcode
Contact Number
Email
Please tell us about any specific needs you would like us to take into account, either
at the interview or if we offer you a volunteer role e.g. mobility.
This information will be treated as strictly confidential.

Citizens Advice Walsall Volunteer diversity monitoring information

The Citizens Advice service is committed to valuing diversity and promoting equality. We encourage and welcome applications from all people, whatever their background, who are interested in applying to be volunteers regardless of age, disability, gender re-assignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

In order to achieve these aims we need to know about the diversity of people who apply to be volunteers in the service. Please help us by providing the following information.

All information will be treated confidentially and will be separated from your application form before your application is considered. This information will not affect your application.

Position applied for
Applicant ref. number (for office use only):
Age / Gender
Disability
The Citizens Advice service believes that people are disabled by the barriers society places in their way and not by their own impairments. We believe everyone has a role to play in society and we want the service to benefit from the widest range of talent available.
Do you consider yourself to be a disabled person or do you have a long-term health condition?
Yes / No
Ethnic origin
How would you describe yourself?
Choose one section and tick the appropriate box within it.
A White
r British
r English
r Scottish
r Welsh
r Northern Irish
r Irish
r Gypsy or Irish Traveller
r Any other White background, please state……………………………..
B Mixed Heritage
r White and Black Caribbean
r White and Black African
r White and Asian
r Any other Mixed background, please state……………………………..
C Asian or Asian British
r Indian
r Pakistani
r Bangladeshi
r Any other Asian background, please state………………………………
D Black or Black British
r Caribbean
r African
r Any other Black background, please state……………………………
E Chinese or other ethnic group
r Chinese
r Arab
r Any other, please state………………………………….
F r Prefer not to say
How did you hear about volunteering?
………..…………………………………………………………………………………………...….
Please note: To ensure the safety of our clients, the Citizens Advice service requires that all volunteers who have direct access to clients, where any part of the work is primarily targeted at legally defined vulnerable adults or children, have their criminal records checked. However, the Citizens Advice service is committed to the promotion and delivery of equal opportunities to volunteers and so has a policy to ensure ex-offenders are not discriminated against.
All offences, other than sexual crimes against a child or vulnerable adult, will be treated on an individual basis taking into account issues such as the risk to the client, the circumstances of the offence (e.g. what it was, is it relevant to the volunteer role, how long ago it was) and the reputation of CAW. Anyone with a conviction for a sexual offence against a child or vulnerable adult, whenever it was committed, is not considered suitable to volunteer within the service and will not be taken on by a Citizens Advice Walsall.
We will consider all applications that we receive however due to the high number of
applications we receive, we will only be able to respond where there are suitable vacancies.
There are many other volunteering opportunities available throughout Walsall.
Would you like us to pass your application form on to One Walsall to look for other volunteering opportunities for you?
Yes / No

Data Protection Act 1998

As part of the recruitment procedure we may collect and store sensitive personal data about you. We are required by law to obtain your consent to such data being recorded. It is our policy to store data relating to recruitment procedures for up to a year after the date on which it is submitted. Any information of this nature will be treated confidentially. Sensitive personal data is defined as information relating to any of the following: racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs, trade union membership, health, sexuality or sex life, offences and/or convictions.
For the purposes of the Act the Data Controller is Hursheda Chauhan
I give my consent to sensitive personal information being recorded and stored.
Signed / Date

Please return this form to Training Supervisor, Citizens Advice Walsall,

139-144 Lichfield Street, Walsall, WS1 1SE or by email to: