At a Glance
- Tasks: Provide essential welfare rights advice and support to clients in need.
- Company: Join Leeds Citizens Advice & Law Centre, making a real difference in the community.
- Benefits: Flexible working, ongoing training, and a supportive environment.
- Other info: Opportunity to grow and make a significant impact in Leeds.
- Why this job: Be part of a team dedicated to social justice and improving lives.
- Qualifications: Strong communication skills and a passion for helping others.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 40000 £ per year.
Join the Team Making a Difference in Leeds! Do you believe in social justice, equality, and making a real difference in people’s lives? Leeds Citizens Advice & Law Centre helps over 30,000 people a year with welfare benefits, debt, housing, energy issues, and more. We’re looking for enthusiastic and motivated individuals to join our dedicated team of advice professionals. We are looking to expand our casework team with specialists in welfare benefits and housing.
Responsibilities
As a Welfare Rights Caseworker you will play a key role in ensuring our clients receive good quality benefits advice, via a range of communication channels including face to face, telephone and digital. You will have experience of providing a full range of welfare rights advice, for a wide range of clients, working with other teams across the service in assisting them to achieve the best outcome for their circumstances.
Qualifications
All applicants should be organised, with the ability to work independently. Strong verbal and written communication skills are essential as is the ability to listen, engage and empathise with vulnerable clients.
What We Offer
- Flexible working patterns with the option of hybrid working for most roles
- Supportive, inclusive work environment
- Ongoing training and development to help you grow
- A real chance to make an impact in the lives of people across Leeds
We’re seeking people with strong communication skills, resilience, a commitment to social justice, and the desire to support our communities through high-quality advice and casework. Whether you’re exploring a client’s problem with them, supporting someone through an energy issue, guiding a client through the benefits system, or supervising advisers and volunteers, your work will be vital – and valued.
We’re Disability Confident. Disability Confident is a government scheme that supports employers to improve how they recruit, retain, and develop disabled people.
Welfare Rights Caseworker in Leeds employer: Citizens Advice BANES
Citizens Advice BANES is an exceptional employer, dedicated to making a meaningful impact in the Aldershot community through its focus on energy access and debt solutions. With a supportive work culture that prioritises employee growth and development, staff members are encouraged to enhance their skills while working collaboratively to address complex energy issues. The unique opportunity to supervise outreach initiatives allows for direct engagement with the community, making this role not only rewarding but also vital in fostering positive change.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Welfare Rights Caseworker in Leeds
✨Dive into Local Community Groups
Social work thrives on community connections, so get involved in local groups or forums specific to your interests. Whether it’s volunteering at local shelters or joining community action boards, these are great ways to boost your visibility and make direct contacts that could lead to opportunities like the one at Citizens Advice BANES.
✨Attend Social Work Events and Workshops
Keep an eye out for workshops, seminars, or conferences in social work. These events are fantastic for meeting professionals in the field, learning about emerging trends, and spotting job openings. Plus, you might just bump into someone from Citizens Advice BANES!
✨Showcase Your Passion and Expertise
Use platforms like Instagram or LinkedIn to share your journey and insights into the social work sector. Whether it’s writing about your experiences or sharing relevant articles, this helps to establish you as an engaged professional. Potential employers, like Citizens Advice BANES, will notice your enthusiasm!
✨Leverage Your Network
Don’t hesitate to reach out to professors, mentors, or even past colleagues who are in social work. They might have inside knowledge about openings at Citizens Advice BANES or be able to connect you with someone who’s hiring. Networking is key, especially in a full-time role where relationships matter.
We think you need these skills to ace Welfare Rights Caseworker in Leeds
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Social Work:In your cover letter, let us see your passion for social work shine through! Talk about the experiences that made you want to pursue this career—whether it’s volunteering, personal experiences, or academic projects. We want to know why this field matters to you.
Emphasise Relevant Qualifications:Make sure your CV highlights any relevant qualifications, like degrees in social work or certifications like a DBS check. If you've done any workshops or training, don’t forget to include those as well. We're keen to see your commitment to your professional development!
Detail Your Experience with Clients:Since this is a hands-on field, detailing any direct experience you have with clients is crucial. Whether it's internships, volunteer roles, or previous jobs, highlight those experiences in your CV to show us you've got the practical skills necessary for the job!
Tailor Your Application to Citizens Advice BANES:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to Citizens Advice BANES! Research our mission and values, and refer to them in your cover letter. This shows us that you understand our work and are genuinely interested in being a part of our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Citizens Advice BANES
✨Understanding the Role of Empathy
In social work, understanding and demonstrating empathy is key. Be prepared to share personal experiences or scenarios where you effectively showed compassion and support. This helps show that you genuinely care about the well-being of others, which is crucial in social work.
✨Demonstrating Knowledge of Frameworks
Familiarise yourself with the frameworks and models used in social work, such as the Strengths-Based Approach or the Ecological Perspective. Be ready to discuss how these frameworks apply to your work, especially if you can tie them into real-world examples or case studies you've encountered.
✨Showcasing Your Multi-Disciplinary Skills
In a full-time social work role, you'll often collaborate with healthcare professionals, educators, and law enforcement. Be prepared to describe your teamwork experiences and how you've effectively communicated with other disciplines to achieve the best outcomes for clients.
✨Preparing for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that put you in hypothetical social work situations, such as dealing with a crisis or managing a complex case. Think through your thought process for these scenarios beforehand, considering how you'd assess the situation and what steps you'd take, as this demonstrates your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
