Welfare Rights Officer (Part-time, Fixed-term) - North West Aberdeenshire Citizens Advice Bureau

North West Aberdeenshire Citizens Advice Bureau based in Turriff and Macduff is an independent and innovative advice organisation providing holistic advice and support to local people.  

Role purpose: To ensure the provision and development of quality advice, information and representational advocacy on statutory benefits, and other social welfare matters by way of casework and specialist support services to Bureau volunteers and paid staff of the Bureau, social work, health and voluntary sector practitioners.

Key work areas and tasks:

Casework

Provide casework covering the full range of Welfare Rights

▪ Act for the client where necessary by calculating, negotiating, drafting or writing letters and telephoning and assisting clients with their benefit claims

▪ Negotiate with third parties as appropriate.

▪ Ensure income maximisation through the take up of appropriate benefits.

▪ Prepare and present cases to the appropriate statutory bodies, tribunals and courts as appropriate.

▪ Assist clients with other related problems where they are an integral part of their case and refer to other advisers or specialist agencies as appropriate.

▪ Make home/outreach visits as necessary.

▪ Provide advice, assistance and training to other staff across the whole range of welfare rights advice issues.

▪ Ensure that all casework conforms to the bureau's quality standards

▪ Maintain case records for the purpose of continuity of casework, information retrieval, and statistical monitoring and report preparation.

▪ Ensure that all work conforms to the bureau's systems and procedures.

▪ Assist clients to connect with relevant employability and housing services

Social policy

▪ Assist with social policy work by providing information about clients' circumstances.

▪ Provide statistical information and provide regular reports to bureau management.

▪ Monitor service provision to ensure that it reaches the widest possible client group.

▪ Alert other staff to local and national issues.

Professional development

▪ Keep up to date with legislation, case law, policies and procedures relating to money advice work and undertake appropriate training.

▪ Read relevant publications.

▪ Attend relevant internal and external meetings as agreed with line manager.

▪ Prepare for and attend supervision sessions/team meetings/management

team meetings as appropriate.

▪ Assist with Service initiatives for the improvement of services.

Administration

▪ Review and make recommendations for improvements to bureau services.

▪ Use IT for statistical recording, record keeping and document production.

▪ Keep up to date with policies and procedures relevant to bureau work and undertake appropriate training.

▪ Attend internal and external meetings as agreed with the manager.

Public relations

▪ Liaise with statutory and non-statutory organisations and represent the Service on outside bodies as appropriate.

▪ Maintain close connections with relevant external agencies.

Other duties and responsibilities

▪ Carry out any other tasks that may be within the scope of the post to ensure the effective delivery and development of the service.

▪ Demonstrate commitment to the aims and policies of the CAB service.

▪ Abide by health and safety guidelines and share responsibility for own safety and that of colleagues.

Employee benefits

North West Aberdeenshire Citizen Advice Bureau, offers excellent terms and conditions, including a total of 28 days leave and a pension scheme with 8% employer contributions.  North West Aberdeenshire Citizen Advice Bureau 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 email Shona.watson@nwacab.org