The Cost of Living crisis is unprecedented in social history and continues to have a devastating impact on the lives of many Stirling citizens. The need for advice, information and crisis intervention support around money, debt, shortages of fuel and food is huge and continues to grow.

The Cost of Living Support Worker is responsible for supporting volunteer advisers deal with the increase in casework / demand due to Cost of Living drivers.

The post holder will increase volunteer advisors capacity to deal with cost of living driven enquiries & support the main Bureau volunteer led generalist service to deal with the increased volume of enquiries.

The post holder will act as support and mentor to both office-based and remotely enabled advice volunteers ensuring they have the necessary support to deal with enquires effectively and efficiently.

General Responsibilities

• To act as the main point of contact and mentor for all advice volunteers seeking casework/advice support on Cost of Living driven enquiries
• To support bureau based & remotely enabled volunteers to assist in the delivery of the core advice service.
• To provide advice support for remote & bureau based volunteer workers particularly in relation to complex/crisis Cost of Living crises driven client enquiries.
• Provide advice for maximising income & support volunteer advisers in the provision of advice & assist people maximise their income by accessing such support as is available to them (e.g. benefits and grants).
• Provide advice & support volunteer advisers in the provision of advice for managing debt. Helping people identify their options and strategies, enabling them to get control of their borrowings or removing the burden of debt entirely.
• To undertake supervisory roles within the office – e.g. 2nd tier technical support on complex Cost of Living driven enquiries
• To communicate frequently with volunteer advisers to ensure they are satisfied, well-placed and any concerns are addressed.
• To help ensure the purpose of the Stirling CAB, its actions, policies, procedures and the role of the volunteer is clearly communicated, understood and implemented.
• To help represent and present the views of volunteers and volunteering related matters to senior management.
• Help ensure that the required monthly CAB statistics are provided to the Deputy Manager
• To carry out any other reasonable task requested by CAB management or required by the Board of trustees.

Accountability

• Provide written reports to monthly supervision sessions with Deputy Manager
• Attend annual appraisal
• Attend Annual General Meeting and quarterly reviews of role with CEO

Main Purpose:

Stirling CAB seeks to develop a Veterans Housing Advice Service (VHAS) to respond to the COVD19 / cost of living crisis legal impact area of housing to prevent homelessness by the provision of advice, advocacy, casework support and heritable representation, across all of Stirling District working closely with ( & adding value to) the Stirling CAB Armed Service Advice Project.

The impartial and independent advice, information, casework support and representation offered for Veterans will focus on access to legal housing /homelessness advice to overcome the practical barriers caused by the COVD19 pandemic/cost of living crisis and giving holistic and sustained support to overcome these. VHAS will be available at a range of easy access locations for the target group throughout Stirling Local Authority area. Training on legal housing/homelessness prevention issues & 2nd tier legal consultancy support will also be provided to Stirling CAB staff & volunteers and Veteran stakeholders.

VHAS will be accessible across the total architecture & outreach footprint of Stirling CAB advice services, to build its capacity & increase seamless access to heritable social justice for local Veterans.

Our plans are mature with 26 established trusted local CAB access points – recovery cafes, libraries, food banks and strong established Armed Services Advice Project (ASAP now in year 15), trusted links with local Veteran stakeholders. ASAP will be the main referral point to VHAS & these projects will work closely together.

Specific duties:

• Immediate on the spot legal advice and casework support (up to and including type 3), to local Veterans, to empower, enable and inform decision making to those seeking to overcome COVD19 driven legal housing/homelessness difficulties. The particular focus will be to overcome the practical barriers – separation and financial issues, housing & heritable, mental & physical vulnerabilities, and legal issues that often inhibit security of tenure.
• Support to local Veterans experiencing COVD19 legal impact in heritable legal contexts – small claims, summary cause, heritable and the Debtors (Scotland) act 1987 and any other suitable areas as required, in relation to housing related matters
• Diagnostic legal advice and refer unrepresented local Veterans to an appropriate agency to take on their cases as required.
• In Court Heritable representation to local Veterans in court when deemed necessary
• Representation for local Veterans interests at housing/homelessness case conferences and hearings.
• Liaison for local Veterans with the Sheriff Clerks Department of Stirling Sheriff Court and the Tribunal Service and to maintain and develop effective working relationships with other relevant stakeholders
• The provision of proactive and preventative impartial Legal advice awareness sessions to the wider Veteran Community to raise the profile of the legal issues and remedies surrounding the impact of the COVD19 pandemic /Cost of Living crisis in relation to housing /homelessness and raise awareness of the legal processes to overcome the practical barriers that often impair forward transition
• Liaison with other agencies such as local authority departments, social work, homelessness teams other RSL’s, DWP and to work with these agencies to inform and develop a seamless service for local Veterans via VHAS
• Work with the aforementioned agencies in the pursuit of an upstream preventative approach for local Veterans to mitigate the problems that lead to legislative action
• To develop the front-line capacity of Stirling CAB to facilitate informed, enabled and empowered decision making in relation to the process of sustained transition from the negative impact of the COVD19 pandemic/cost of living crisis in relation to security of tenure for local Veterans
• The provision of a second-tier legal consultancy service to Stirling CAB employees/volunteers engaged in the process of supporting local Veterans with improved seamless access to heritable social justice
• The provision of legal training to Stirling CAB employees/volunteers engaged in the process of supporting local Veterans with legal security of tenure enquiries driven by the impact of the COVD19 pandemic/cost of living crisis.
• To develop and maintain referral procedures with the Sheriff Court, Veteran stakeholders & other agencies
• To fully participate in the monitoring of the service and to keep adequate records of advice or representation offered as well as all referrals made to and from VHAS
• To routinely use the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Impact Hub to record the demography & impact on beneficiaries using ONS4 Well being survey.
• To routinely gather quantative (CASTLE) & qualitative statistics on the local Veteran community, case studies, client & stakeholder testimony to evidence the impact of VHAS

Organisational Responsibility:Directly line managed by the Stirling District Citizens Advice Bureau CEO

Project Delivery

The Veterans Housing Advice Service worker covers Stirling District, working closely with the Stirling CAB Armed Services Advice Project and access to advice on the frontline is essential and the worker would construct their availability and geographic location to maximise opportunity for the Veteran community engage with the minimum of obstacles.

Appointment to this post is conditional on two satisfactory references and a current PVG certificate.

The Cost of Living crisis is unprecedented in social history and continues to have a devastating impact on the lives of many Stirling citizens. The need for advice, information and crisis intervention support around money, debt, shortages of fuel and food is huge and continues to grow.

The Cost of Living Support Worker is responsible for supporting volunteer advisers deal with the increase in casework / demand due to Cost of Living drivers.

The post holder will increase volunteer advisors capacity to deal with cost of living driven enquiries & support the main Bureau volunteer led generalist service to deal with the increased volume of enquiries.

The post holder will act as support and mentor to both office-based and remotely enabled advice volunteers ensuring they have the necessary support to deal with enquires effectively and efficiently.

To provide immediate holistic person centered advice, information and representation to vulnerable individuals/families with young children (pre-birth to 3) & support to colleagues working with vulnerable families and where necessary, refer and support clients to access appropriate advice agencies

The advice and representation offered will focus on the consequences of the Welfare reform Act and the economic downturn – seeking to resolve the practical barriers and stressors that inhibit attachment, primarily (but not exclusively) Money, Benefits, Debt, and Housing

This new innovative service has three specific outcomes/ objectives:

• To build the resilience of families
• To support and empower parents to deal with problems before they escalate into a crisis
• To empower parents to address underlying problems that can cause (or may already be causing) mental health issues.

To represent clients at Social Security Appeal Tribunals and Disability Appeal tribunals focusing on those which are a consequence of Welfare reform and the economic downturn.

Delivering a series of training sessions/information sessions to front line family workers & parents primarily, (but not exclusively) on Money, Benefits, Debt, Financial capacity, Employment rights and Housing

Project Delivery

The Parents Advice Project worker covers Stirling District and access to advice on the frontline is essential and the worker would construct their availability and geographic location to maximise opportunity for vulnerable families to engage with the minimum of obstacles.

Appointment to this post is conditional on two satisfactory references and a current PVG certificate.

Background:

Poppy Scotland heads a funding partnership of several other charities that support the armed forces community. This partnership has funded the CAB service to deliver an advice and support service to the armed forces community. The armed forces community is defined as those personnel who are currently serving, those who have served in the past, and their dependants. (This definition also includes certain Merchant Navy personnel).

Main Purpose:

ASAP Regional Support Officer will work with the Citizens Advice bureaux in the defined regional areas. The officer will provide advice to members of the armed forces community, support bureaux in the provision of advice to the armed forces community, will co-ordinate regional activities and may provide training

The Cost of Living crisis is unprecedented in social history and continues to have a devastating impact on the lives of many Stirling citizens. The need for advice, information and crisis intervention support around money, debt, shortages of fuel and food is huge and continues to grow.

The Cost of Living Support Worker is responsible for supporting volunteer advisers deal with the increase in casework / demand due to Cost of Living drivers.

The post holder will increase volunteer advisors capacity to deal with cost of living driven enquiries & support the main Bureau volunteer led generalist service to deal with the increased volume of enquiries.

The post holder will act as support and mentor to both office-based and remotely enabled advice volunteers ensuring they have the necessary support to deal with enquires effectively and efficiently.

General Responsibilities

• To act as the main point of contact and mentor for all advice volunteers seeking casework/advice support on Cost of Living driven enquiries
• To support bureau based & remotely enabled volunteers to assist in the delivery of the core advice service.
• To provide advice support for remote & bureau based volunteer workers particularly in relation to complex/crisis Cost of Living crises driven client enquiries.
• Provide advice for maximising income & support volunteer advisers in the provision of advice & assist people maximise their income by accessing such support as is available to them (e.g. benefits and grants).
• Provide advice & support volunteer advisers in the provision of advice for managing debt. Helping people identify their options and strategies, enabling them to get control of their borrowings or removing the burden of debt entirely.
• To undertake supervisory roles within the office – e.g. 2nd tier technical support on complex Cost of Living driven enquiries
• To communicate frequently with volunteer advisers to ensure they are satisfied, well-placed and any concerns are addressed.
• To help ensure the purpose of the Stirling CAB, its actions, policies, procedures and the role of the volunteer is clearly communicated, understood and implemented.
• To help represent and present the views of volunteers and volunteering related matters to senior management.
• Help ensure that the required monthly CAB statistics are provided to the Deputy Manager
• To carry out any other reasonable task requested by CAB management or required by the Board of trustees.

Accountability

• Provide written reports to monthly supervision sessions with Deputy Manager
• Attend annual appraisal
• Attend Annual General Meeting and quarterly reviews of role with CEO

Responsible To:Deputy Manager

Main Purpose:

Stirling CAB seeks to develop an Independent Homelessness Advice & Representation Prevention Service to respond to the COVD19/cost of living crisis legal impact area of housing to prevent homelessness by the provision of advice, advocacy, casework support and heritable representation, across the Stirling Local Authority Area.

To provide a 2nd tier consultancy support service to the total architecture of Stirling CAB advice services, to build its capacity & increase seamless access to heritable social justice for Stirling CAB clients.

Job description:

Your duties will be to act as a Homelessness Advice & Representation Prevention Service advice worker in the Stirling CAB team with prime responsibility for COVD19/cost of living housing/homelessness impact areas. You will be expected to support the CAB service particularly in helping to ensure that CAB complies with its regulatory responsibilities.

Flexible duties:

There will be times when you may be required to undertake additional tasks, duties and responsibilities within your capabilities. Stirling CAB, acting through the CEO, reserves the right to vary your tasks, duties and responsibilities at any time and from time to time according to the needs of the Employer’s business. However, you will not be assigned to duties or required to perform services which you cannot reasonably perform or which are outside the range of your normal skills and experience.

The impartial and independent advice, information, casework support and representation offered will focus on access to legal housing /homelessness advice to overcome the practical barriers caused by the COVD19 pandemic/cost of living crisis and giving holistic and sustained support to overcome these. In line with S.Gov guidance & Public Health Scotland guidance, the Independent Homelessness Advice & Representation Prevention Service will be available at a range of easy access locations for the target group throughout Stirling Local Authority area. Training on legal housing/homelessness prevention issues & 2nd tier legal consultancy support will also be provided to Stirling CAB staff & volunteers and third sector stakeholders.

A Help to Claim Adviser (Universal Credit, further ‘adviser’) delivers a holistic advice and support service aimed at clients on completing their initial Universal Credit claim and supports them through to their first payment. This involves helping with the online forms, the evidence required, and verifying their identity online using telephone, web chat and video call.

The adviser will be expected to complete full holistic issue diagnostics, support with issues in scope of the project and any emergencies, then refer on to further services available to the client (such as drug and alcohol support). The adviser should maintain local connections with partner organisations and the DWP within their region.

The adviser will be line managed by their local bureau manager but will be operationally responsible to the Citizens Advice Scotland Operations Officer for providing their regional service and local knowledge. They will be required to liaise with the Operations Officer regarding their shifts, helpline coverage and holiday requirements

Responsible to (line management): Stirling CAB CEO

Responsible to (operations management): Citizens Advice Scotland Operations Officer

Background:Poppyscotland heads a funding partnership of several other charities that support the armed forces community. This partnership has funded the CAB service to deliver an advice and support service to the armed forces community. The armed forces community is defined as those personnel who are currently serving, those who have served in the past, and their dependants. (This definition also includes certain Merchant Navy personnel).

Main Purpose: ASAP Regional Support Officer will work with the Citizens Advice bureaux in the defined regional areas. The officer will provide advice to members of the armed forces community, support bureaux in the provision of advice to the armed forces community, will co-ordinate regional activities and may provide training

Responsibilities

• To undertake advice for members of the armed forces community

• To support bureaux advice workers in their handling of advice and support to the armed forces community by providing effective consultancy and guidance

• To establish good working relationships with each bureau in the defined regional area

• To participate in the identification of staff training needs and in the development of training materials and training plans, in association with national and regional colleagues,

• To provide training to volunteer and other advisers working in the relevant areas in order to maintain up to date approaches to benefits and other advice issues for the armed forces community

• To work with other voluntary and statutory agencies in promoting the growth of armed forces community advice and support in the relevant areas, including awareness raising work with community groups

• To establish and maintain a database of specialist agencies for referral purposes

• To establish and develop working relationships with other relevant agencies

• To monitor the operation of the Armed Services Advice service and identify areas of development

• To maintain accurate, confidential records of all casework in keeping with CAB service requirements

• To record and collate the amounts of benefit income raised and other statistics in order to contribute to the social policy work of the region

• Undertake any other reasonable duties as requested by the CEO

Team Work

• Attend and participate in the national and regional Armed Services Advice project team meetings

• Liaise closely with the ASAP Co-ordinator, Citizens Advice Scotland and other regional support areas

Accountability

• Provide written reports for and attend 3 monthly supervision sessions and annual appraisal

• Provide reports for and attend any regional group meetings

Stirling District Citizens Advice Bureau is looking for new trustees who would like to contribute to a vital service in their community.

About the Bureau

Our Bureau has been providing free, impartial advice since 1939, and continues to deliver an essential service, empowering local people to navigate the cost of living crisis and many other challenges. As an independent charity, this is only possible thanks to the support of our volunteers, including trustees.

We have grown and modernised in the past decade, launching a variety of projects and forming innovative partnerships. These have enabled us to expand and diversify our services, working in Stirling city centre, in rural outreach locations and co-located with partners, as well as providing advice by email and telephone. We work with partners ranging from NHS addiction and mental health services to local foodbanks.

About the roles

We are looking for new trustees who are aligned with our values and would like to use their skills and experience to help develop the Bureau's work. Successful candidates will have access to induction training provided by Citizens Advice Scotland and will join a supportive team of existing trustees and management.

As a trustee, you will work collectively to ensure good governance, attending regular board meetings, occasional strategy sessions and an AGM. The board sets the Bureau's strategic direction, oversees its financial position and works with management to secure new sources of funding. We encourage trustees to make use of their individual skills and interests, joining topic- or issue-based sub-groups.

We would be particularly interested to hear from people with the following skills/experience:

• IT
• Legal
• Human resources / employment law
• Management/strategy
• Local council administration/service delivery

Main Purpose:

Stirling CAB seeks to develop an Independent Homelessness Advice & Representation Prevention Service to respond to the COVD19/cost of living crisis legal impact area of housing to prevent homelessness by the provision of advice, advocacy, casework support and heritable representation, across the Stirling Local Authority Area.

To provide a 2nd tier consultancy support service to the total architecture of Stirling CAB advice services, to build its capacity & increase seamless access to heritable social justice for Stirling CAB clients.

Job description:

Your duties will be to act as a Homelessness Advice & Representation Prevention Service advice worker in the Stirling CAB team with prime responsibility for COVD19/cost of living housing/homelessness impact areas. You will be expected to support the CAB service particularly in helping to ensure that CAB complies with its regulatory responsibilities.

Flexible duties:

There will be times when you may be required to undertake additional tasks, duties and responsibilities within your capabilities. Stirling CAB, acting through the CEO, reserves the right to vary your tasks, duties and responsibilities at any time and from time to time according to the needs of the Employer’s business. However, you will not be assigned to duties or required to perform services which you cannot reasonably perform or which are outside the range of your normal skills and experience.

The impartial and independent advice, information, casework support and representation offered will focus on access to legal housing /homelessness advice to overcome the practical barriers caused by the COVD19 pandemic/cost of living crisis and giving holistic and sustained support to overcome these. In line with S.Gov guidance & Public Health Scotland guidance, the Independent Homelessness Advice & Representation Prevention Service will be available at a range of easy access locations for the target group throughout Stirling Local Authority area. Training on legal housing/homelessness prevention issues & 2nd tier legal consultancy support will also be provided to Stirling CAB staff & volunteers and third sector stakeholders.

For an information discussion about the post contact Craig Anderson, CEO CraigAnderson@StirlingCAB.casonline.org.uk

01786 464773

Fixed term for 1 Yr in the first instance ( till Winter 23)

The Energy Advice Project is a new and innovative approach that extends & increases our ability to help vulnerable energy consumers in the Stirling Council Area. It is unique, in that Stirling Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) is reaching out to the people who need help, rather than expecting to find them at specific events. The Energy Advice Service moves beyond the traditional ‘advice’ only model typical of most CABs, to actually delivering change with a capital budget and strong referral relationships to more specialist energy advisors.

The Energy Advice Project will work to prevent and reduce fuel poverty and health inequality in Stirling District, in a time of desperate need, by increasing the capacity of our established, trusted and accessible local presence & total advice architecture, to help those in crisis reduce their energy bills and keep warm with a specialist energy advice worker, (supported by frontline volunteer advisers), who will deliver practical advice and support and advocacy to navigate utility company hurdles, provide access to energy saving items, deliver crisis intervention support & increase access and understanding on the full range available grant assistance.

Stirling CAB has an established energy advice footprint & is well versed in utility company management processes and current industry products, helping vulnerable people navigate complex, challenging and confusing utility issues.

This Energy Advice Service workers focus is vulnerable consumers irrespective of their housing tenure primarily (but not exclusively) where:

• Household's first language is not English

• Households are digitally excluded

• Households are lone parent families

• Households with a person living with a disability or essential medical needs

• Households with other protected characteristics as defined by the Equality Act 2010

Main Purpose

To provide immediate holistic person centered advice, information and representation to unpaid carers & support to colleagues working with unpaid carers and where necessary, refer and support clients to access appropriate advice agencies

The advice and representation offered will focus on the consequences of the Welfare reform Act and the economic downturn – seeking to resolve the practical barriers and stressors that impact on Unpaid Carers, primarily (but not exclusively) Money, Benefits, Debt, and Housing

This new innovative service to the Unpaid Carers community will:

• Support income maximisation & represent clients at Social Security Appeal Tribunals and Disability Appeal tribunals focusing on those which are a consequence of Welfare reform and the economic downturn (when required).
• Deliver a series of training sessions/information sessions to front line unpaid carers support groups primarily, (but not exclusively) on Money, Benefits, Debt, Financial capacity, Employment rights and Housing

Project Delivery

The Unpaid Carers Welfare Rights Adviser will cover Stirling & Clackmannanshire Districts and access to advice on the frontline is essential and the worker would construct their availability and geographic location to maximise opportunity for unpaid carers to engage with the minimum of obstacles.

Appointment to this post is conditional on two satisfactory references and a current PVG certificate.

Organizational Responsibility: Directly line managed by the Stirling District Citizens Advice Bureau CEO

The VULNERABLE PERSONS FUEL POVERTY OUTREACH WORKER, funded by the Scottish Southern Energy Network, will work with Stirling CAB to identify and support families and elderly people suffering fuel poverty within rural Stirling District.

1. To ensure that vulnerable clients in the SSEN supply area, are supported to access the Priority Services Register. To help educate and inform, enable and empower clients to take appropriate action to manage their fuel usage and build their capacity around such via basic energy efficiency advice and instruction; and by linking up with the Bureaus specialist Energy Advice Service, increase access to specialist energy advice & related grants / financial support / products that reduce energy usage – low energy light bulbs, draught proofing, insulation, energy efficient white goods.
2. To provide holistic advice which fulfils the objectives of the project – maximise income (via benefit health checks / QBC and claims, up to but excluding type 3 - representation); working closely with the Bureaus Tackling Rural Isolation Support Service, and by liaising with the Bureaus specialist Energy Advice Service, reduce fuel debts via access to grants (e.g. Energy saving trust and budgeting / basic debt advice. Identify and assist vulnerable clients in the SSEN supply area to obtain cheaper providers by liaising with the Bureaus Energy Best Deal worker.

Organizational Responsibility

Directly line managed by the Stirling District Citizens Advice Bureau CEO

Main Purpose: To provide immediate advice, information and representation to vulnerable individuals engaged in the Alcohol or Substance recovery process, recovery cafes, provide 2nd tier consultancy support to colleagues within Forth Valley Alcohol or Substance recovery services and where necessary, refer and support clients to access appropriate advice agencies

The advice and representation offered will focus on the consequences of the Welfare reform Act and the economic downturn – seeking to resolve the practical barriers and stressors that inhibit Alcohol or Substance misuse recovery – primarily (but not exclusively) Money, Benefits, Debt, and Housing

To represent clients at Social Security Appeal Tribunals and Disability Appeal tribunals focusing on those which are a consequence of Welfare reform and the economic downturn.

Delivering a series of training sessions to front line ADP workers primarily, (but not exclusively) on Money, Benefits, Debt, Financial capacity, Employment rights and Housing

Project Delivery

The three FTE CAB Addiction Advice Project workers cover Forth Valley Alcohol Drug Partnership area. One FTE based in Stirling, Falkirk and Clackmannanshire Proximity and access to advice on the frontline is essential and the workers would construct their availability and geographic location to maximise opportunity for Substance recovery staff and clients to engage with the minimum of obstacles.

Appointment to this post is conditional on two satisfactory references and a current PVG certificate.

Admin Location:

Stirling District Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB)

Norman MacEwan Centre

Cameronian Street

Stirling

FK8 2DX

Term:Fixed term for three years tied directly to the Henry Smith Foundation funding (continuation dependent on funding)

Hours:28 hours per week, flexible to meet the demands of the Service. These posts may include occasional evening and weekend work. A relevant secondment would be considered.

Leave:29 days Annual Leave, plus 10 days public holidays pro rata.

Location:Stirling District Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB), Norman MacEwan Centre, Cameronian Street, Stirling, FK8 2DX

Organizational Responsibility: Directly line managed by the Stirling District Citizens Advice Bureau CEO

Main Purpose:To provide immediate advice, information and representation to vulnerable individuals engaged in the Alcohol or Substance recovery process, recovery cafes, provide 2nd tier consultancy support to colleagues within Forth Valley Alcohol or Substance recovery services and where necessary, refer and support clients to access appropriate advice agencies

The advice and representation offered will focus on the consequences of the Welfare reform Act and the economic downturn – seeking to resolve the practical barriers and stressors that inhibit Alcohol or Substance misuse recovery – primarily (but not exclusively) Money, Benefits, Debt, and Housing

To represent clients at Social Security Appeal Tribunals and Disability Appeal tribunals focusing on those which are a consequence of Welfare reform and the economic downturn.

Delivering a series of training sessions to front line ADP workers primarily, (but not exclusively) on Money, Benefits, Debt, Financial capacity, Employment rights and Housing

Project Delivery

The three FTE CAB Addiction Advice Project workers cover Forth Valley Alcohol Drug Partnership area. One FTE based in Stirling, Falkirk and Clackmannanshire Proximity and access to advice on the frontline is essential and the workers would construct their availability and geographic location to maximise opportunity for Substance recovery staff and clients to engage with the minimum of obstacles.

Appointment to this post is conditional on two satisfactory references and a current PVG certificate.