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As a CAB volunteer you can provide a valuable service to your community whilst receiving recognised training and gaining experience that can help enhance your career and improve your prospects
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What training do Citizens Advice Bureaux provide?
All Citizens Advice Bureaux (bureaux) provide training for their volunteer advisers. Some bureaux also provide a training service for external agencies.
Training for volunteer advisers
In order to do all the tasks expected of a volunteer adviser, you will receive support and full training.
The framework of the training course is set by the national organisation, Citizens Advice Scotland.
A training course normally runs for around 12 weeks, with two theoretical training sessions weekly. A third session is spent in the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB), shadowing and then being mentored by an experienced adviser. The practical sessions in the CAB will continue after the theoretical course is completed and until the trainee is assessed as fully competent to give advice.
The trainee is assessed through a Competences Scheme, which provides evidence that the trainee is working to an acceptable standard. Trainees are fully supported throughout this process.
In-service training is provided on a regular basis by bureaux to ensure their advisers maintain their expertise and keep up to date with new legislation and developments.
Citizens Advice Scotland provide specialist training for representatives on benefit and employment appeals tribunals, as well as training on all of the computer based tools used in the bureaux.
Each volunteer is provided with a Personal Training Record. This can be a valuable document if seeking work within or outside the CAB service. Some bureaux also offer accredited training for volunteers such as Scottish Vocational Qualifications.
IT training
An assessment of each trainee’s level of IT skills is carried out during the induction period. Basic IT training is provided as part of volunteers foundation training. Further training is provided in-house and also accessed from other agencies. It is possible to work toward the European Computer Driving License (ECDL) qualification using computer based training.
The use of IT equipment is an integral part of the work of both advisers and admin personnel.
Visit our Volunteer section to find out about volunteering opportunities.
Training service
Some bureaux provide training to other agencies such as the Employment Service for New Deal placement training. This could be non-accredited training on benefits or accredited Scottish Vocational Qualification - advice, administration or assessor awards.
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