Welfare Rights Caseworker in partnership with Macmillan cancer Support
- Full time or Part time
- £26,377
- Hybrid working considered with at least 2 days at the Highland Macmillan CAB Partnership Office at Raigmore Hospital.
- Closing 19th June 2023
- Advertised from 17th May 2023
- Up to 35 hours
- plus 5% Pension
Role
SUMMARY OF MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES
The Highland Macmillan CAB Partnership, established in 2004, provides a welfare benefits advice service across the Highland region (excluding Lochaber) to people affected by cancer and their families. Based at Raigmore Hospital, our award winning team works alongside the Macmillan Person Centred Care Project and other professionals, such as Clinical Nurse Specialists and GPs, to provide holistic, high quality advice and assistance to our clients at any point in their cancer journey.
We are seeking to recruit an additional welfare benefits caseworker to join our friendly team.
The successful candidate will provide holistic advice to our clients on a range of welfare benefits issues, offer advice and information to maximise their income and ensure they are receiving the correct entitlements. This will include conducting full benefit checks, carrying out better-off calculations, assisting with revisions, supersessions and appeals of benefit decisions and also assisting client to navigate their benefit claims. The role will require the candidate to provide advice on all areas of entitlements for clients such as energy, grant applications or assistance with health costs for example. The post will require someone who has in-depth experience or understanding of the benefits system, ideally in provision of advice, information and representation.
This role will suit a resilient and empathetic person who is able to work under pressure but enjoys the challenges of advice delivery and is able to work in a non-judgmental and impartial, confidential manner.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1) Service Provision
- Provide a full welfare benefits casework service to people affected by cancer, including UK and Scottish disability benefits, and other sources of financial support, such as charitable grants, energy advice and help with health and travel costs.
- Assist clients to prepare for benefit appeals and provide representation at Tribunals as required.
- Liaise and negotiate with other statutory and voluntary organisations to progress the client’s case and ensure they receive all assistance available.
- Ensure that all work conforms to the bureau's Quality Standards at the appropriate level.
- Assume responsibility for the day-to-day management, maintenance and prioritising of own case load.
- Maintain, to a high standard, detailed (computerised) case records for the purpose of continuity of case work, statistical monitoring, information retrieval and report preparation in line with the requirements of Citizens Advice Scotland and Macmillan Cancer Support.
- Refer clients on to colleagues or other agencies as appropriate for specialist help with issues that fall outside the remit of the service, including housing, debt and employment.
- Provide advice, information and cancer-specific benefits awareness training to colleagues and other health and social care professionals working with the client group as required.
- Support Citizens Advice Scotland and Macmillan Cancer Support’s social policy work by providing case studies and feedback on issues of concern for people affected by cancer.
2) Service Design and Development
- Gather statistics and feedback in order to monitor and evaluate the service, provide information to the Health Projects Manager for reports to advisory groups, funders and partners.
- Assist with initiatives for the improvement of services to people affected by cancer
- Develop working relationships with health professionals supporting the client group
- Network with other professionals in the advice work field
- Represent the project at meetings with other agencies as appropriate
3) Professional Development
- Maintain an up to date knowledge of the benefits system and policies and procedures relevant to the post.
- Identify your own personal strengths and weaknesses, including identifying personal training needs, and attending in-house and external training courses and meetings as appropriate
- Undertake training and personal development in order to develop skills and increase knowledge and understanding of cancer and its treatments, and its impact on people affected by cancer and their ability to access financial help.
- Prepare for and participate in internal team meetings, supervision and appraisals.
4) Adherence to Citizens Advice Scotland Policies and Procedures
- Have responsibility to uphold the Aims and Principles of the Citizens Advice Scotland Service and its Equal Opportunities policies.
- Abide by health and safety guidelines and share responsibility for own safety and that of colleagues.
- Any other duties commensurate with the post.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
We are looking for someone who can demonstrate the following:
- Considerable recent experience (paid or unpaid) in advice work or related field
- Recent representation experience (paid or unpaid), or willingness to undertake training
- Good current knowledge of the UK and Scottish benefits systems, particularly that relating to people affected by cancer, sickness and disability benefits
- An understanding of the issues affecting people affected by cancer
- Experience of managing a complex caseload
- Ability to work under pressure, on your own initiative, but also to be part of a team
- Ability to work in a systematic manner and plan own workload
- Excellent organisational, communication and report writing skills
- Good IT skills – especially word-processing, and database entry
- Good working knowledge of the statutory and voluntary agencies in the area
- Understanding of community care issues
- An ability to deal with clients and other professionals in a sensitive manner
- Evidence of ability to carry out training in benefit issues to CAB staff and outside agencies or equivalent experience
- Commitment to the principle of a client driven, volunteer led service
- Commitment to the aims and principles of the CAB service
- Commitment to CAB & Macmillan Cancer Support equalities policies
Responsible to: Health Projects Manager
Application notes
Applications should be downloaded directly from our website and submitted by the closing date of: 19th June 2023 by 5pm
For further information, please contact: Business Support Administrator, Inverness Badenoch & Strathspey CAB, 29-31 Union Street, Inverness, IV1 1QA E-mail: admin@invernesscab.org
Interviews: TBA
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join our team of paid and volunteer staff to further develop our Debt Advice service across Clackmannanshire Citizens Advice Bureau. We have been delivering a valuable, high level service to the community of Clackmannanshire for over 50 years. We have accreditation in Type iii advice by Scottish National Standards for advice providers (SNSIAP) in the areas of Housing, Debt and Benefits.
Clackmannanshire Citizens Advice Bureau, based in Alloa, is an independent and innovative advice organisation providing holistic advice to the residents of Clackmannanshire across 6 locations in the county. We average 26-30 paid staff and 21 volunteers who provide a wide range of services across our 20 projects.
We offer additional working benefits such as 5% employers pension contribution, free membership of an employer health plan, free ebike loans, annual performance related salary increases, flexible working scheme including some home working and flexible starts finish times and the ability to buy and sell annual leave.
We are looking for a highly motivated and conscientious individual who wants to be part of a nationally accredited information and advice service.
The Debt Adviser will provide specialist debt advice up to Scottish National Standards Type iii, to clients referred through general services and partner agencies.
This will include complex debt case management, maintaining consistent working practice and quality assurance of debt cases ensuring that policy and practice meets all legal & regulatory requirements including the Financial Conduct Authority.
Enthusiasm, strong social awareness, good communication skills and an excellent team player are prerequisites for this demanding position. Significant experience in advice work, good organisational skills and an eye for details are essential. Consideration will be given to highly experienced exceptional individuals with experience as Generalist Advisers who can undertake Debt Advice training.
This post specifically exists to ensure the delivery of a high quality Debt Service within Clackmannanshire Citizens Advice Bureau. It will involve providing support to staff and volunteers who also deliver the service. This post supports the learning and development of a high quality service by ensuring provision of formal/informal training to staff/volunteers in conjunction with our General Services Supervisor.
We are looking for an enthusiastic, dynamic and motivated person to join our team. The Session Supervisor has day to day operational responsibility for the delivery of a high-quality generalist advice service within Airdrie Citizens Advice Bureau. The Session Supervisor is responsible that the quality of advice delivered is in line with the Scottish National Standards and Citizens Advice Scotland’s Membership standards.
This post also supports the learning and development of a high-quality service by providing formal training to volunteers and staff as and when required.
The successful applicant will be encouraged and supported in their personal development by the Bureau Manager.
Employee benefits
Airdrie Citizens Advice Bureau offers excellent terms and conditions and is an inclusive employer considering flexible working arrangements where appropriate. For more details of some of the other benefits on offer to our employees, please contact us for more information.
Core Duties
- Provide supervision and support for advice workers, particularly in relation to advice enquiries, CASTLE data entry and enquiry entry.
- Support advisers to produce accurate, legible and complete client records.
- Contribute to building and supervising an effective team, understanding the importance of continual improvement of the service.
- Undertake advice work as and when required.
- Implement effective Triage Service
- Support and maintain uniform advice standards and contribute to their development. Ensure that advice work undertaken complies with CAS Quality Audit standards, Scottish National Standards.
- Actively implement the Aims and Principles of the CAB service, together with its other policies.
Essential Criteria
- Delivery of advice and information services to clients.
- Ability to work without supervision
- Basic training skills
- Ability to deal with staff, volunteers and the public in a calm, caring and competent manner
- Ability to analyse and interpret complex information
- Ability to prioritise own work and that of others, meet deadlines and manage workload in a pressured environment
- Ability to give and receive feedback objectively and sensitively and a willingness to challenge constructively
Desirable Criteria
- At least 2 years’ experience of supporting others in advice provision
- A working knowledge of CASTLE for the purpose of recording client cases
- Commitment to ongoing training
- Working within the voluntary sector
- Experience of supporting vulnerable clients
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The Cost of Living crisis is unprecedented in social history and continues to have a devastating impact on the lives of many Stirling citizens. The need for advice, information and crisis intervention support around money, debt, shortages of fuel and food is huge and continues to grow.
The Cost of Living Support Worker is responsible for supporting volunteer advisers deal with the increase in casework / demand due to Cost of Living drivers.
The post holder will increase volunteer advisors capacity to deal with cost of living driven enquiries & support the main Bureau volunteer led generalist service to deal with the increased volume of enquiries.
The post holder will act as support and mentor to both office-based and remotely enabled advice volunteers ensuring they have the necessary support to deal with enquires effectively and efficiently.
General Responsibilities
- To act as the main point of contact and mentor for all advice volunteers seeking casework/advice support on Cost of Living driven enquiries
- To support bureau based & remotely enabled volunteers to assist in the delivery of the core advice service.
- To provide advice support for remote & bureau based volunteer workers particularly in relation to complex/crisis Cost of Living crises driven client enquiries.
- Provide advice for maximising income & support volunteer advisers in the provision of advice & assist people maximise their income by accessing such support as is available to them (e.g. benefits and grants).
- Provide advice & support volunteer advisers in the provision of advice for managing debt. Helping people identify their options and strategies, enabling them to get control of their borrowings or removing the burden of debt entirely.
- To undertake supervisory roles within the office – e.g. 2nd tier technical support on complex Cost of Living driven enquiries
- To communicate frequently with volunteer advisers to ensure they are satisfied, well-placed and any concerns are addressed.
- To help ensure the purpose of the Stirling CAB, its actions, policies, procedures and the role of the volunteer is clearly communicated, understood and implemented.
- To help represent and present the views of volunteers and volunteering related matters to senior management.
- Help ensure that the required monthly CAB statistics are provided to the Deputy Manager
- To carry out any other reasonable task requested by CAB management or required by the Board of trustees.
Accountability
- Provide written reports to monthly supervision sessions with Deputy Manager
- Attend annual appraisal
- Attend Annual General Meeting and quarterly reviews of role with CEO
Main Purpose:
Stirling CAB seeks to develop a Veterans Housing Advice Service (VHAS) to respond to the COVD19 / cost of living crisis legal impact area of housing to prevent homelessness by the provision of advice, advocacy, casework support and heritable representation, across all of Stirling District working closely with ( & adding value to) the Stirling CAB Armed Service Advice Project.
The impartial and independent advice, information, casework support and representation offered for Veterans will focus on access to legal housing /homelessness advice to overcome the practical barriers caused by the COVD19 pandemic/cost of living crisis and giving holistic and sustained support to overcome these. VHAS will be available at a range of easy access locations for the target group throughout Stirling Local Authority area. Training on legal housing/homelessness prevention issues & 2nd tier legal consultancy support will also be provided to Stirling CAB staff & volunteers and Veteran stakeholders.
VHAS will be accessible across the total architecture & outreach footprint of Stirling CAB advice services, to build its capacity & increase seamless access to heritable social justice for local Veterans.
Our plans are mature with 26 established trusted local CAB access points – recovery cafes, libraries, food banks and strong established Armed Services Advice Project (ASAP now in year 15), trusted links with local Veteran stakeholders. ASAP will be the main referral point to VHAS & these projects will work closely together.
Specific duties:
- Immediate on the spot legal advice and casework support (up to and including type 3), to local Veterans, to empower, enable and inform decision making to those seeking to overcome COVD19 driven legal housing/homelessness difficulties. The particular focus will be to overcome the practical barriers – separation and financial issues, housing & heritable, mental & physical vulnerabilities, and legal issues that often inhibit security of tenure.
- Support to local Veterans experiencing COVD19 legal impact in heritable legal contexts – small claims, summary cause, heritable and the Debtors (Scotland) act 1987 and any other suitable areas as required, in relation to housing related matters
- Diagnostic legal advice and refer unrepresented local Veterans to an appropriate agency to take on their cases as required.
- In Court Heritable representation to local Veterans in court when deemed necessary
- Representation for local Veterans interests at housing/homelessness case conferences and hearings.
- Liaison for local Veterans with the Sheriff Clerks Department of Stirling Sheriff Court and the Tribunal Service and to maintain and develop effective working relationships with other relevant stakeholders
- The provision of proactive and preventative impartial Legal advice awareness sessions to the wider Veteran Community to raise the profile of the legal issues and remedies surrounding the impact of the COVD19 pandemic /Cost of Living crisis in relation to housing /homelessness and raise awareness of the legal processes to overcome the practical barriers that often impair forward transition
- Liaison with other agencies such as local authority departments, social work, homelessness teams other RSL’s, DWP and to work with these agencies to inform and develop a seamless service for local Veterans via VHAS
- Work with the aforementioned agencies in the pursuit of an upstream preventative approach for local Veterans to mitigate the problems that lead to legislative action
- To develop the front-line capacity of Stirling CAB to facilitate informed, enabled and empowered decision making in relation to the process of sustained transition from the negative impact of the COVD19 pandemic/cost of living crisis in relation to security of tenure for local Veterans
- The provision of a second-tier legal consultancy service to Stirling CAB employees/volunteers engaged in the process of supporting local Veterans with improved seamless access to heritable social justice
- The provision of legal training to Stirling CAB employees/volunteers engaged in the process of supporting local Veterans with legal security of tenure enquiries driven by the impact of the COVD19 pandemic/cost of living crisis.
- To develop and maintain referral procedures with the Sheriff Court, Veteran stakeholders & other agencies
- To fully participate in the monitoring of the service and to keep adequate records of advice or representation offered as well as all referrals made to and from VHAS
- To routinely use the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Impact Hub to record the demography & impact on beneficiaries using ONS4 Well being survey.
- To routinely gather quantative (CASTLE) & qualitative statistics on the local Veteran community, case studies, client & stakeholder testimony to evidence the impact of VHAS
Organisational Responsibility:Directly line managed by the Stirling District Citizens Advice Bureau CEO
Project Delivery
The Veterans Housing Advice Service worker covers Stirling District, working closely with the Stirling CAB Armed Services Advice Project and access to advice on the frontline is essential and the worker would construct their availability and geographic location to maximise opportunity for the Veteran community engage with the minimum of obstacles.
Appointment to this post is conditional on two satisfactory references and a current PVG certificate.
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