Time On Your Hands? Become a Citizens Advice Bureau Basingstoke Volunteer

If you find you have time on your hands, then why not consider becoming a Citizens Advice Bureau Basingstoke volunteer?

Citizens Advice Relies on Volunteers

Have your circumstances changed recently? Children started school? Recently retired? A student requiring work experience?. If you now find you have got some time for you and would like to fill it with something stimulating and interesting then why not consider volunteering at Citizens Advice? Many people don’t realise that Citizens Advice is a charity giving information and advice on a variety of subjects. Furthermore it is very much dependant on volunteers like you!

Di Lewis’s Story

Di Lewis writes: “I decided to go for it because I wanted something that was not only flexible around the school run but also would give me the school holidays to spend with the children.. Being able to choose my own hours was hugely beneficial to me and one of the major draws of this charity. I also hadn’t been in the workplace for a number of years, so didn’t feel I had the confidence for a ‘proper job’. Volunteering for a couple of half days per week has increased my knowledge and re-built my confidence

“I also wanted to do something to help in the local community, but I know I’m not a committee person. For me, Citizens Advice offered a role that was much more ‘hands on’. Every day you find yourself face to face with clients with real issues who need us. By helping them solve their problems, a volunteer can experience real satisfaction with the knowledge you have actually made a difference to a client’s life.”

Training Available

Don’t worry if you feel you need to be very intelligent or know lots of stuff. You get plenty of training and the information is at your fingertips, as long as you feel comfortable in accessing the organisation’s website.

A Day in the Life of a Citizens Advice Bureau Basingstoke Volunteer

So what does a typical day entail? There are many roles that you can volunteer for; whether it be as a Receptionist, Administrator, Assessor or Advisor. As an Advisor, Di see clients with a whole range of issues, some major and some relatively minor. All are problems that our community experience. One day you may have a client who is homeless and needs help getting somewhere to stay, another who has got bailiffs knocking at their door, one may just want to know how to apply for a Blue Badge pass. Whether big or small, the problems people experience are real to them and they are always grateful to have the help. Sometimes so much so that cake and/or flowers appear!

A Rewarding Experience

Despite joining because of the flexibility it offered, Di has found volunteering at Citizens Advice extremely rewarding: “I’m using my brain, I’ve learnt so much and am continually learning. No two situations are the same and just when you think you’ve seen it all, another situation walks through the door!”

So, if you want to do something that is mentally stimulating with flexible hours, paid expenses and the feeling of doing something worthwhile that is outside of the home then please consider volunteering for Citizens Advice. Or if it’s not something that interests you, do you know anybody who might want to give it a try?