Sessional Welfare Benefits Adviser

Maundy Relief - We work on the frontline in the community by responding immediately to need.

Role title: Sessional Welfare Benefits Adviser

Hours: 10 hours per week, between 9-10am and 4-6pm Monday to Friday

Rate of pay: £20 per hour, self-employed basis

Duration of role: 6 months.

Background

Maundy Relief is a grassroots charity, based in Accrington and serving the people of East Lancashire. Our aim is 'to provide an immediate response to poverty and need in the local community'. Our service users are diverse, but many are socially marginalised and vulnerable adults who face a range of challenges including substance misuse, homelessness, and involvement with the criminal justice system, family breakdown and poverty. We are committed to providing an inclusive service, free to access and open to all who need it.

Purpose of the role

• To help provide an effective advice service to people in East Lancashire.

Duties include:

• Interviewing clients, letting the client explain their enquiry and helping them to set their own priorities
• Finding, interpreting and communicating the relevant information and exploring options and implications in order that the client can come to a decision
• Acting, where necessary, on behalf of the client, negotiating, drafting or writing letters or making appropriate referrals
• Providing advice in clients' own homes when necessary (training will be given)
• Completing clear and accurate case records
• Recognising the root causes of problems and participating in taking appropriate action
• Keeping up to date on important issues by attending the appropriate training and essential reading

Skills and qualities needed for this role:

• A commitment to our aims - an immediate response to poverty and need
• Experience of one-to-one working with clients
• Familiarity with the welfare benefits system
• Being open and approachable
• Ability to sift through information and extract what is relevant
• Literacy, numeracy and IT skills
• Respect for views, values and cultures that are different to their own
• An understanding of why confidentiality is important
• A commitment to own learning and development