Notes For Applicants
When completing the application form, please look at the points listed below and, if possible, show how your skills would help you carry out these tasks.
1 What do Bureau workers do?
1.1 Interviewing
All kinds of clients come to the Bureau with all kinds of problems. One of the first things a Bureau worker has to learn is to listen. It's important to let clients explain their problem. Then you'll need to talk with them and ask questions to clarify the issues.
1.2 Giving Information
Information files, reference books and other organisations can all help give information the client may need.
1.3 Giving Advice
The CAB worker has to explain the choices that the client has, so that the client can decide on what they want to do.
1.4 Giving Practical Help
This can be drafting a letter, making phone calls and filling in forms. For example, you'll need to do calculations for benefits, tax, rent arrears or debt. You don't need to be good at maths but you must be willing to learn how to do these calculations. Some Bureau workers also help clients at tribunals.
1.5 Case Recording
It's very important that all clients' cases are recorded so that the Bureau can offer an efficient service if the client returns or if the case becomes more difficult. You'll be trained to compile case records and will be shown what system we use for this.
1.6 Preventing Problems
By recording cases, the Bureau collects a lot of information on the different problems that clients have. It's very important to use this information for taking preventative measures, to stop other people from having the same problem. This can mean trying to change the cause of the problem, for example, a government policy or a company practice.
1.7 Administration
Advisors may be asked to help out with some basic office work, for example keeping the information files or local information up-to-date, amending stocks of leaflets, typing letters, and so on.
2 What support do I get?
2.1 We have a large range of information you can use. There are experienced Bureau managers and workers to help, and full training is given.
3 What we want from a Bureau worker
3.1 Impartiality
Whatever your personal views, you'll be expected to work with all kinds of clients and any kind of problem they have. You'll need to be prepared to examine your own views and feelings to make sure that you are able to give an equally satisfactory service to everyone.
3.2 Equal Opportunities
The CAB is committed to equal opportunities: everyone must be committed to the CAB's equal opportunities policies, including taking positive action.
The CAB Service Equal Opportunities Policy covers the whole Service and embraces specific policies on disabled people, black people and ethnic minorities, women, lesbians, and gay men, Irish people, travellers and people living with HIV/AIDS. This aims to ensure that people facing discrimination feel welcome within the CAB Service and able to use its services.
3.3 Confidentiality
Everything that you see and hear in the Bureau has to be confidential. Every worker has to sign an agreement to observe a strict rule of confidentiality before they begin working at the Bureau.
3.4 Training for new Workers
All new workers have to go through initial training. They then work under supervision for a period of time.
3.5 In-Service Training
Various kinds of training courses, sessions and self-study materials are provided and all new advice workers will be trained before giving advice.
All workers are expected to undertake further training as their skills in advice work develop and as changing/new legislation is introduced.
3.6 Staff Meetings
Attendance at these meetings is a crucial part of Bureau work, for training, case discussion, policy issues, preventative work, as well as mutual support.
3.7 New Information
Things are always changing and you will need to spend some time reading in order to keep yourself informed.
3.8 Time
You have to work in the Bureau a minimum of six hours per week plus attendance at training and staff meetings.
4 What happens after I fill in the application form?
Return the form to be Bureau manager, who'll be able to explain how the selection procedure works.