Advice centre worker

Advice centre workers help people to cope with a variety of problems, and to find out what their rights and responsibilities are. People contact advice centres to get free, impartial and confidential advice on a range of issues including employment rights, welfare benefits, disputes between tenants and landlords, and consumer law.

Also known as:

Citizens advice advisor
Information welfare worker
Welfare advisor

Work activities

Advice centre workers help people to cope with a variety of problems and to find out what their rights and responsibilities are. Being an advice worker involves a lot more than just handing out information. It means thinking about a person’s problems and helping them to approach a solution from a variety of angles, using all the available information to make the best decision. Advice centre workers do find information for their clients, but they are likely to spend time explaining the information fully and helping the client to think about how best to use it. Members of the public may need advice on a wide variety of issues, including employment rights, social security benefits, tenants’ rights and consumer law. They can go to a centre to get free, impartial advice and information. It is also very important that this advice is confidential; advice centre workers handle sensitive issues. Advice centre workers keep accurate records of each client case. Unlike counselling, where the client works with one counsellor, different advice workers may deal with one case. It is therefore very important that each advice worker can find up-to-date, accurate and data-protected notes on each client, which their colleagues have put together. Face-to-face interviews are very important to advice giving. However, centre workers also reply to email or written enquiries. Workers also give advice over the phone, and some advice organisations are moving towards setting up call centres. Some clients need advice and support over a long period of time.

In mediation, advice workers act on their client’s behalf, for example, by writing letters or making telephone calls. In representation, advice centre workers present their client’s case in court or at a tribunal. For example, they may be involved in legal disputes between landlords and tenants, clients’ appeals against unfair dismissal from employment, or cases brought against companies that are accused of selling faulty goods. Sometimes advice workers need to refer clients to another source, for example, a social worker or solicitor. Advice centre workers may develop expertise in a particular area, like housing or social security benefits. They normally work as part of a small team, usually made up of both voluntary and paid staff. It is possible for people to start off as volunteers and go into paid positions. Advice centres often have a paid co-ordinator or manager, whose responsibilities include recruitment, training and supervising staff.

Personal qualities and skills

As an advice centre worker, you need:

Good communication and interpersonal skills.
Tact and diplomacy.
The ability to help people from different backgrounds, with different levels of self-confidence.
To listen carefully, and ask the right questions to find out more about the client’s problems.
The ability to show genuine interest in, and empathise with, the needs of your clients.
The ability to give clear, impartial and objective advice.
A thorough knowledge of current legislation, usually to include social security benefits, equal opportunities legislation and consumer law.

You should be:

IT literate and numerate.
Flexible and adaptable.
Patient and open-minded.
Able to work well in a team.
Happy to liaise with social workers, solicitors and benefits staff, for example.
Well organised and self-motivated, with good problem-solving skills.
Able to help people, without imposing solutions.
Non-judgemental and objective.

Pay and opportunities

Pay rates for advice centre workers vary widely depending on the duties of the post, and the qualifications and experience required. Advice centre workers earn in the range of £21,000 per year, rising to up to £29,000 with experience.

Full-time advice centre workers work a basic 37-40 hours, Monday to Friday. Part-time, temporary and flexible working arrangements may be available.

You could work in the community, in a court, in an NHS or private hospital or at an outreach centre. Other opportunities are with the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) – the UK’s largest advice centre organisation. Many people begin working for the CAB on a voluntary basis, although the CAB also employs paid staff.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised in local newspapers, on the Government’s Find a Job service. Vacancies are also posted on job boards, such as Jobs in Advice.

Entry routes and training

There is no formal requirement to have a degree, although a degree or other qualification in an area such as social work, community work or law may give you an advantage. Voluntary work experience is a good way to find out more about this career – it’s also a possible route into a paid position.

The Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) offers a range of online learning materials for individual and group leaders.

You could do a level 2 (intermediate) apprenticeship in the role of customer service practitioner if it is offered by a relevant employer.

With experience and after gaining further qualifications, advice centre workers could move into related careers such as careers advice, social work or counselling, for example.

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act: This career may be an exception from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (when working with vulnerable people, for example). This means that you must supply information to an employer about any spent or unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings, if they ask you to. This is different from other careers, where you only have to reveal information on unspent convictions if you are asked to.

Qualifications

There is no formal academic requirement for entry into this career.

Adult opportunities

Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Employers value a sense of responsibility. Skills and abilities gained in a customer-facing role are an advantage.

Open and distance learning courses at various levels are available from a number of centres. Relevant course titles include information, advice and guidance, social welfare, and counselling and mediation. A range of colleges and universities offer relevant courses in Advice including with part time/flexible and distance learning study options– see Ucas.com for a full listing.

Related careers

Adult guidance worker
Call centre agent
Careers advisor
Community worker
Counsellor
Equality and diversity officer
Funeral director
Housing assistant
Recruitment consultant
Youth worker