Citizens Advice Plymouth depends on its volunteers to deliver face to face and telephone information, advice, advocacy and preventative education to the clients who need us.

We helped over 11,000 people across the city last year, dealing with nearly 78,000 enquiries and helping our client’s access over a £1 million of income. We also deliver national projects such as our Utility advice projects.

We are seeking an enthusiastic, proactive and committed individual to join our Research, Campaigns and Communications team who will support our policy research. We use what we learn through working with frontline advisers, clients, the national team and external stakeholders to work on policy changes and practices for our clients on a local or national level. We build evidence through key pieces of research. 

In this role you will work within the Research, Campaigns and Communications team and support them with data entry, analysis, evidence collation, surveys, running reports, preparing and running campaigns.

  What will you do?

• Complete an introduction to Citizens Advice Plymouth
• Complete training for your role across all enquiry areas in order to provide appropriate and accurate information to clients.
• Monitor political business.
• Gather evidence to contribute to the development of local campaigns.
• With support of the R&C team develop high impact, strategic local campaigns that raise awareness of national/local issues or apply pressure to decision makers and change policy and practice.
• Help identify and recruit people with lived experience to share their story.
• Conduct all elements of client work in line with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), including data handling.
• Keep an eye on, and report, problems which are common or unfair, and write a short report on these issues for our Research & Campaigns work.
• Work as part of a team with other Research and Campaigns team volunteers and staff, as well as liaising with other projects and departments within Citizens Advice Plymouth and our partners as necessary. 

  What’s in it for you?

• Make a real difference to people’s lives.
• Invaluable experience of working within the research and campaigns area.
• Build on valuable skills such as communication, listening and problem solving, and increase your employability.
• Support from a motivated and enthusiastic team.
• Work with a range of different people, independently and in a team.
• Have a positive impact in your community and contribute to real social change.
• Receive reimbursement for reasonable travel expenses.

  What do you need to have?

• Demonstrate commitment to the Citizens Advice aims, principles and policies.
• Be friendly, approachable and respectful of views and cultures that are different to your own.
• Genuine interest in social policy.
• Some experience of research or campaigning.
• Strong attention to detail
• Ability to take initiative, multi-task
• Have excellent listening skills.
• Demonstrate excellent verbal and written communication.
• Have excellent IT skills.
• Be able to act sensitively around emotive topics.
• Willingness to undertake training in order to improve your own skills and knowledge.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

  How much time do you need to give?

We ask for 8 hours per week minimum, which can be over one day or spread over two days, for at least 12 months. All training and volunteering is completed within our Cobourg House office. Our training plan is tailored to each role, and you will need to attend the office on a fixed day each week to complete your training. Your volunteering time after this will be determined in consideration of your availability and our service coverage.

  Valuing inclusion

Our volunteers come from a range of backgrounds, and we particularly welcome applications from people with physical or mental health conditions, LGBT+ and non-binary people, and people from Black Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities.