Research & Campaigns Volunteer

Purpose of the role

To co-ordinate, promote and be involved in all research and campaigns activities in the bureau

Main duties and responsibilities include:

• Provide support and guidance to advisers on research and campaigns work
• help advisers to identify suitable cases for research and campaigns work.
• check completed Bureau Evidence Forms.
• give feedback to advisers and managers on completed Bureau Evidence Forms.
• complete Bureau Evidence Forms from advisers’ Quick Evidence Forms.
• submit completed Bureau Evidence Forms to Citizens Advice.
• Keep up to date with research and campaigns issues
• monitor trends in bureau enquiries, to identify issues for potential local or national research and campaigns work.
• monitor the Research and campaigns round up, Citizens Advice and other publications and newsletters.
• network with other people involved in research and campaigns work within Citizens Advice, locally, regionally and nationally.
• network with other local groups and agencies involved in research and campaigns work.
• Maintain the profile of research and campaigns within the bureau
• report on research and campaigns issues at workers’ meetings.
• promote discussion on research and campaigns issues and campaigns.
• contribute to the bureau’s annual report.
• make a regular oral or written report to the bureau management team.
• make a regular oral or written report to the Trustee Board.
• involve advisers in appropriate research and campaigns activities.
• Contribute to learning about research and campaigns
• act as main contact on research and campaigns issues for bureau trainees.
• provide one-to-one coaching on research and campaigns issues for advisers, as required.
• run small group sessions for bureau staff on aspects of research and campaigns.
• report to managers on individual and team learning needs in relation to research and campaigns work.
• Contribute to effective research and campaigns work within the bureau
• review the effectiveness of existing research and campaigns work.
• review the priorities for research and campaigns work within the bureau.
• evaluate bureau research and campaigns initiatives.
• make proposals for new research and campaigns initiatives.
• produce written reports on any of the above, as required.
• Professional development
• attend relevant internal and external meetings, as agreed with the manager.
• participate in own supervision and appraisal.
• identify own learning needs and appropriate ways of meeting them.
• Administration
• develop and maintain an effective system for handling Bureau Evidence Forms.
• develop and maintain systems for recording and monitoring research and campaigns work in the bureau.
• maintain detailed records for the purposes of information retrieval, statistical monitoring and reporting.
• work within the bureau’s wider systems and procedures.
• Other duties and responsibilities
• uphold the aims and principles of the CAB service.
• work within the service’s policies and values, especially equal opportunity and anti-discrimination policies.
• work within health and safety guidelines and principles, sharing responsibility for own health and safety and that of colleagues.
• carry out any other appropriate tasks requested by the manager, to ensure the effective delivery and development of the service.

Personal skills and qualities that a research and campaigns co-ordinator / worker needs:

• a strong sense of justice.
• understanding of the importance of research and campaigns work.
• understanding of key current social issues, and their potential impact on CAB clients.
• commitment to the aims and principles of the CAB service.
• ability to give feedback clearly and sensitively.
• good report-writing skills.
• ability to analyse complex information.
• ability to work constructively with other agencies.
• ability and willingness to work as part of a team.
• ability to work on own initiative, within given guidelines.
• desire to continue learning.
• basic IT skills and willingness to learn further IT packages.
• good level of written and spoken English.

Person specification:

• Understanding of the importance of social policy work and a commitment to using social policy action to tackle problems at source.
• Understanding of key current social policy issues, and their potential impact on CAB clients.
• A good, up to date understanding of equality, diversity and discrimination and its application to social policy work.
• Ability to commit to and work within the aims, principles and policies of the Citizens Advice service.
• Ability to use IT systems and packages, and to use email.
• Ability to give and receive feedback objectively and sensitively and a willingness to challenge constructively.
• Interpersonal skills and the ability to motivate colleagues.
• Ability to work sensitively with clients.
• Ability to engage with and work constructively with external agencies.
• Ability to research, analyse and interpret complex information.
• Communication and presentation skills, with the ability to produce and present effective information, reports and briefings etc. verbally and in writing.
• Ability to contribute to social policy training.
• Ability to plan, deliver and evaluate a campaign.
• Ability to support bureau communications and promote social policy work both internally and externally, including engaging with the media and using social media.
• Ability and willingness to work as part of a team.
• Ability to work on own initiative, within given guidelines.
• A commitment to continuous professional development.