Advice & Assessment Welcome Volunteer

The HUB on Medway Street is the main entrance for clients who wish to access the services on offer.  Staff in the Hub can provide level 1 advice on housing and welfare rights and for more complex cases, can refer clients to one of our other services, such as housing, welfare rights, immigration, employment and learning, and family services.

Summary of Role

To be the welcoming face for clients arriving for advice and support, to access services or find an appropriate alternative source of help and advice, complete initial registrations with clients and then work with the Assessment Team to see how best to progress a client’s journey at the Centre.  Reception duties (further details below).

How does this role make a difference?

You will be supporting a team that is helping people from the local community, who are vulnerable and facing disadvantage, including; homeless young people, people living in insecure accommodation or at risk of losing their housing, low-income families with young children, unemployed people, refugees and migrants.  Your presence supports the smooth running of the Centre and increases the team’s capacity to see and help more people.

What will you be doing?

• Answering the intercom and buzzing clients in when they arrive
• Welcoming clients to the Centre, signing them in and out of the building calling the staff member to tell them that their client has arrived
• Registering new clients and booking an appointment with the Assessment team
• Assisting with the collection and distribution of client mail
• Administrative support to services, such as, photocopying or scanning documents for service teams and emailing them to relevant staff member
• Printing off and posting out letters to clients
• Possibility of assisting with benefit claims/forms
• Assisting clients and staff with phone calls if volunteer speaks a needed language

What are we looking for?

• You will be a confident and patient person with a professional and friendly manner and able to remain calm under pressure
• Some experience of customer service or dealing with a diverse range of people desirable
• Good listening skills
• An ability to communicate well and with confidence when handling enquiries
• Some IT skills useful
• A non-judgemental attitude towards people’s problems in their lives

What is the time commitment?

We are currently seeking someone for one day a week on a Monday, 9.30am to 3.30pm, with an hour lunch break at 1pm. You could also do a half day of 9.30am – 12.30pm or 12.30pm – 3.30pm.  We are looking for a commitment of 6 months, which sounds like a long time, but there’s lots to learn and volunteers find this goes very quickly!

How will you be supported?

You will be supported by the Advice and Assessment team.
You will be offered regular supervision and a staff member will be present in the Hub whilst you are on duty.
You will be reimbursed for reasonable and agreed ‘out of pocket’ expenses, such as travel and contribution to lunch up to £6.

BACKGROUND:

The Cardinal Hume Centre works to prevent and tackle youth and family homelessness. We:

• Provide a home to 39 young people
• Offer support to local children and families at risk
• Help families keep or find a stable home and manage their money
• Mentor people to find work or training
• Help people secure their legal right to remain in the UK and access homes, work and benefits

Last year we helped over 1200 people, including nearly 600 families and 230 children and young people.  Our aim is to tackle homelessness, poor housing and poverty at a young age and break its cycle into later life.  We want to see the value in each individual and nurture potential, helping young people and families to thrive.

The Centre prides itself on its welcome and person-centred approach. It recognises each individual is different, often with complex needs and so our response must be multi-layered. We therefore have six principal services: residential services for homeless young people; family support; housing and welfare rights advice; employment support; learning; and immigration advice and advocacy.

Recruitment Procedure

Apply > Informal interview > Reference and DBS checks > Trial period

Tagged as: Administration, Supporting / Advising