Hi,

I am currently undertaking work as a benefits advisor on a voluntary basis. I am trying to secure a paid position in this area. However, over the last six months, I have noticed a noticable decline in the number of these posts being advertised.

Have other advisers noticed this and if so, what factors are causing the lack of jobs?

There'a job going at Lancaster CAB at the moment - it's been advertised for a couple of weeks now so don't know if you've missed the closing date. It's for an (ME) benefits adviser.

Where do you look for any vacancies?

as a quick snapshot, we advertised 18 jobs in the rightsjobs area of righstnet last month, compared to 12 in october 2006, and 17 in april 2006 ....

Hi, thanks for the help. The position at Lancaster CAB is only for 18 hours a week. As I do not drive, I would have to live in Lancaster.

I look on the main CAB website, Rightsnet and in the Jobs North West newspaper.

There seem to be quite a lot of jobs which involve advising on more than one area such as benefits and careers.

However, I only really have experince of advising on benefits.

Hi,

Do you check GMEP website and Manchester City Council's jobs update..? if close by...

Cjeck for local council jobs as on their websites... many have posts for advisers.. ie - Manchester Advice are looking for a part time adviser and Salford are looking for a money adviser...

Worth a try

Also wednesday's Guardian..

Keep plugging away it'll happen, and network e.g. attend liaison meetings etc etc, very often its knowing people and them knowing you that can make all the difference. It's hard doing advice work unpaid (e.g. on JSA)and it can gnaw on your self belief that anything will crop up but don't give up and picture all those people you've helped getting them social justice, and be bold when applying for jobs because again its a good opportunity to network, and may be on occasions learn about jobs in the near future e.g. imminent maternity cover etc.

I don't know much about your region in terms of distances, but could you not get a bus or train to Lancaster.

I say this because i live life in the bus lane too.

hope you get some paid work soon, remember just because your advice isn't paid it doesn't diminish its value or true worth, its just gets fraught economically, oh and the jobcentre too, but even that has its ironies e.g. liaison meetings when you challenge DWP stuff.

p.s. check the local papers alot of smaller agencies advertise in the local papers e.g. one of our local cabs has advertised in local paper, hasn't advertised on NACAB website, guardian/rightsnet. Believe it or not alot of advice centres live very insular lives and aren't even aware of e.g. rightsnets.

Quote
"Keep plugging away it'll happen, and network e.g. attend liaison meetings etc etc, very often its knowing people and them knowing you that can make all the difference. It's hard doing advice work unpaid (e.g. on JSA)and it can gnaw on your self belief that anything will crop up but don't give up and picture all those people you've helped getting them social justice, and be bold when applying for jobs because again its a good opportunity to network, and may be on occasions learn about jobs in the near future e.g. imminent maternity cover etc.

I don't know much about your region in terms of distances, but could you not get a bus or train to Lancaster.

I say this because i live life in the bus lane too.

hope you get some paid work soon, remember just because your advice isn't paid it doesn't diminish its value or true worth, its just gets fraught economically, oh and the jobcentre too, but even that has its ironies e.g. liaison meetings when you challenge DWP stuff.

p.s. check the local papers alot of smaller agencies advertise in the local papers e.g. one of our local cabs has advertised in local paper, hasn't advertised on NACAB website, guardian/rightsnet. Believe it or not alot of advice centres live very insular lives and aren't even aware of e.g. rightsnets." End quote

Thanks for the help.

I am not demoralised, I have really enjoyed undertaking my voluntary work and I have helped a lot of people in dire straits. My local Jobcentre have actually been very supportive.

I am just wondering if it would be a good idea to get some unpaid experience in another area, like careers or housing as there do not seem to be that many posts at the moment soley advising on welfare rights.

In terms of travelling to Lancaster I would have to get a bus from where I live to St Helens, a train from St Helens to Wigan, another train from Wigan to Lancaster and then Journey from Lancaster train station to wherever the CAB is.

We seem to have to recycle advisors throughout the few agencies in this locality and have had difficulties in past with finding folk to fill vacancies.

This is always good for bosses though as the remaining advisors in (some)firms/agencies have no option but to put in more hours to be able to manage the caseload without a full complement of staff and then because they've coped those in their ivory towers decide another member of staff isn't necessary. Cyncial? Me?

Quote "We seem to have to recycle advisors throughout the few agencies in this locality and have had difficulties in past with finding folk to fill vacancies."

Im talking about over the last six months. Before that there seemed to be a lot more vancancies. Thanks for the advice in the e-mail by the way, it is much appreciated.

There does appear to have been a decline in welfare rights adviser posts - particularly within local authorities - in some areas its actually quite difficult to recruit experienced advisers - not sure about the point made that the number of vacancies on Rightsnet has increased - some of the jobs advertised apppear to be debt, generalist, management jobs - not welfare rights advisers

I've perceived fewer jobs of late, and a stagnation in salaries too. In 1996, when I first looked for a WR jobs, there were significantly fewer specialist WR jobs around, and salaries were around £12-14k (as far as I can remember).

But around that time also, the advice sector saw an explosion in funding. The national lottery had really begun to kick-in in funding projects and more and more projects were being funded by legal services. I think that's why salaries increased significantly over this time - there were more jobs available then experienced advisers. The limited experience I have of recruiting for advisers, and my knowledge of new advisers, backs this up.

I think that things have settled down now, and, with reform of legal aid and the increase in self-help and telephone advice, might actually be on a slight decline. There's certainly been no significant shift in salaries over the last 2-4 years or so as far as I'm aware.

As for specialising in other areas, I guess that's entirely down to you. Some years ago it wasn't that unusual to find WR combined with employment, but I've haven't seen or heard of such a post for a long time. Debt is always a favourite, and your generalist experience might give you a bit of an edge there.

In searching out your ideal job, you might need to consider moving to a different part of the country, or least take on a reasonable commute. If that's something you don't want to do then perhaps broadening your skills would be beneficial in opening up opportunites more local to you. Perhaps it might be worth considering completely different areas where benefits advice is a big part of the role: disability charity support worker, housing support worker, etc, etc.

If you are brave enough, you might try to make out a case for a new project where none is currently available! Maybe your volunteer employer would consider if that's a possibility...? That's how I got my first job (although it wasn't my idea).

Whatever you do, I wish you the very best of luck!