Motivated person required to deliver the AIM HI Income Maximization Project across Midlothian.

The post holder will be required to provide holistic money and benefits advice to improve the circumstances and well-being of Midlothian families. The worker will provide help and assistance with checking benefit entitlement, completing benefit applications and challenging benefit decisions. The work will also include income maximisation, advice on budgeting, utility, housing and other issues including some assistance with debt (including housing debt).

Good interpersonal skills are essential and the post holder will work closely with referring professionals and be responsible for developing innovative ways to engage with some hard to reach groups.

14 hours per week with some flexibility. Combining the post with our other income maximisation vacancy will be considered. If you are interested in both posts please apply for both vacancies.

The Citizens Advice network in Scotland is the largest independent advice service in the country. Citizens Advice Scotland is a charity within this network – we act as a national organisation supporting and representing the service as a whole and the interests of citizens. At the heart of the network there are 59 individual citizens advice bureau across Scotland, all operating as independent charities in their own right, which focus on providing support and advice directly to clients. Each of these organisations is a member of Citizens Advice Scotland. We believe that every citizen should have access to free, impartial and confidential advice that helps them make informed decisions, whenever they need it and however, they choose to access it.

The Digital Advice Content Team’s primary role is to provide digital advice content for Scotland. The successful candidate for this role will be:

• Comfortable using evidence, data and research to make the right content decisions
• Able to contribute to and use style guides and design patterns to produce consistent content
• Someone who puts user needs at the heart of their work, to make people's interactions with online content as simple and speedy as possible
• Experienced in evaluating current content strategies based on the results of user research and data for constant improvement of existing content
• Able to build relationships and work closely with policy, legal and other expert colleagues to make sure content is accurate and consistent
• Capable of promoting user-centred content design within the department and beyond
• Experienced in communicating in a straightforward, honest and engaging manner, choosing appropriate styles to maximise understanding and impact
• Encouraging the use of different communication methods, including digital resources, and highlight the benefits, including ensuring cost-effectiveness
• Ensuring communication has a clear purpose and takes into account people’s individual needs
• Able to share information as appropriate and check understanding
• Someone who shows positivity and enthusiasm towards work, encouraging others to do the same
• Confident in ensuring that important messages are communicated with colleagues and stakeholders respectfully, taking into consideration the diversity of interests
• Alert to emerging issues and trends which might impact your work area and new opportunities

This role offers you the opportunity to work at the heart of supporting Scotland's largest independent advice network and to make an invaluable contribution to the lives of people moving to or living in Scotland.

Occasional travel to the Edinburgh and Glasgow offices will be required.

Employee benefits

Citizens Advice Scotland offers excellent terms and conditions. We want our people to have a great work life balance and we have designed our working practices and benefits to support this. Here are some of things our employees benefit from: a 35-hour full time working week, 40 days annual leave, genuine flexibility in working hours with a flexi-time system, and blended/hybrid working opportunities for every role.

Citizens Advice Scotland is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion. We offer a range of family friendly, inclusive employment policies and flexible working arrangements to support all our staff. We are also committed to equality of opportunity for all and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.

CAS provides options for blended working to allow employees to balance their time attending the office with time working from home. The number of days you will be able to work from home each week will be dependent on your job role and can be discussed as part of the recruitment process.

Investing in Communities is a Scottish Government funded joint initiative of Midlothian Voluntary Action, Volunteer Midlothian and Dalkeith Citizens Advice Bureau that aims to improve the health, wellbeing and resilience of people in the Central Dalkeith and Woodburn areas through information, advice, learning and practical action.

The postholder is responsible for collaborating with partner organisations to develop, deliver and evaluate actions to achieve project aims. In particular, this includes advice and information provision for those in or at risk of financial hardship and building skills and knowledge of local people so they can make informed life and financial decisions.

Up to date understanding of Scottish and UK benefits system and experience of providing advice and information (paid or unpaid) to people experiencing disadvantage are essential. Postholder must hold City and Guilds Level 3 Energy Awareness Award, or be willing to work towards this as part of the role.

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