Dumfries & Galloway

Make a Difference

Feel the difference

Become a Dumfries & Galloway Citizens Advice Service Volunteer Adviser...

Over 80% of the people who keep each citizens advice bureau (CAB) in Scotland running are volunteers, helping many thousands of people each year.

With more volunteers, we could help even more people.

What about you - can you help us make a difference?

Citizens advice bureau are a network of independent charities.  Each CAB helps the people in its community by providing free and confidential advice, information and support.  Whatever the problem, the CAB can help clients find the answer.  You'd be amazed by just how much information our advisers can access on just about any issue you can think of, including:

Benefits  - questions about entitlements, support with applications and appeals against unfair decisions

Debt & Money Advice - how to manage debts, improve your financial situation and maximise your income

Work-related problems - questions about terms and conditions, dismissal, redundancy, discrimination and unfair dismissal

Consumer issues - everything from broken kettles to difficulties with gas and electricity suppliers.

Relationships - issues relating to splitting up, children and bereavement

Housing - your rights, including potential or actual homelessness

What's in it for you?

There are many reasons to consider volunteering in the CAB.  Some of them are:

• Training and skills development
• Put your existing skills to use
• Meeting people
• Helping clients, helping the community
• Working for change
• Improved health and wellbeing

Volunteers

News from our Volunteer Advisers...

December 2011

Graham joind the Dumfries Bureau in July of this year, having previously advised within the Argyll and Bute area, based in the CAB in Lochgilphead.

Graham states, "I did my initial training at a small CAB, with no more than around 6 staff, and then moved on, one stage at a time, from answering the telephone and dealing with simple queries.  During this time I was "buddied" and given feedback along the way to help identify my positives / negatives.  I found all this very interesting." 

"However, moving to a much larger CAB is very different in many aspects, although the type of queries are the same, as is the advice given, regardless of the size of the bureau.  I realise that having a large team of volunteers, support team, and specialist staff is essential for the smooth running of this large operation. 

 The support and feedback I have received since joining the Dumfries Bureau has benefitted me immensely."