JOIN THE TEAM
VACANCIES
VOLUNTEER WITH MONEY MATTERS
We are always on the lookout for new volunteers to join our Money Matters team. Our volunteers will have the opportunity to learn a wide range of new skills while working as part of a friendly team who provide essential support to vulnerable people across the local community. We currently have the following openings available. For more information please contact Mary-anne Rapson at maryanne@saltbox.org.uk or call 07880 795304.
Volunteer Digital Skills Coach (full description here)
Principal function: Your role as a Money Matters Volunteer is integral to our mission of not only enhancing digital literacy but also ensuring that individuals in need have access to essential services and support
Duties: To play an active part in the Money Matters team, including:
- Provide digital assistance to clients at Foodbanks and Community Lounges in Stoke on Trent helping to improve digital inclusion
- Creating a warm, supportive and welcoming atmosphere to clients
- Providing guidance and troubleshooting assistance for various devices, including mobile phones, tablets, and laptops
- Online support, including setting up email and online bank accounts
- Supporting with online applications and forms, including but not limited to, applying for blue badges and bus passes
- Carrying out benefits checks using Money Matters online benefits calculator
- Signposting clients for appropriate further support, internally or externally, as required
- Inputting data accurately, including client details, support provided and any actions that have been taken
- Scanning and uploading documents
Financial Capability Volunteer (full description here)
Principal function: To triage foodbank clients and to provide Financial Capability support.This is a great role for anyone interested in developing skills in the field of financial capability and advice. You’ll get to work with an experienced team and learn new skills from them in a lively environment. You will be playing a vital role in improving the financial resilience of vulnerable people in the community. You may learn some money saving tips for yourself.
Duties: To play an active part in the Money Matters team, including:
- Providing a warm and welcoming atmosphere to clients
- Triaging client’s situations and signposting or referring them, either internally or externally, for appropriate further support
- Carrying out benefits checks using Money Matters online benefits calculator
- Completing a budget sheet with clients
- Supporting clients with money saving, budgeting and money management
- Recording notes and gathering statistics
- Undertake training as necessary
- Scanning and uploading documents and filing
- Booking client appointments
- Attend monthly team meetings
Volunteer Money Advisor (full description here)
Principal function: To provide advice to people in debt crisis. This is a great role for anyone interested in developing skills in the field of advice. You’ll get to work with an experienced team and learn new skills from them in a lively environment. You will be playing a vital role in improving the financial resilience of vulnerable people in the community.
Duties: To play an active part in the Money Matters team, including:
- Delivering high quality, non-judgemental debt advice in line with Financial Conduct Authority regulations
- Providing a warm and welcoming atmosphere to clients
- Assisting with administrative duties related to client casework including using an online database (training provided)
- Attend monthly team meetings
Volunteer Money Mentor (full description here)
Principal function: To provide information to clients and obtain debt advice from CMA’s own debt advisers, enabling the client to action whatever debt resolution option they choose to take.
Duties: To play an active part in the Money Matters team, including:
- Give face to face support or telephone support
- Providing a warm and welcoming atmosphere to clients
- Assisting with administrative duties related to client casework including using an online database (training provided)
- Help to fill in forms
- Look at benefit entitlement
- Provide information and referrals
- Attend monthly team meetings
Volunteer Admin Support (full description here)
Principal function: To provide admin support to the Money Matters team
Duties: To play an active part in the Money Matters team, including:
- Providing note-taking during client appointments and at team meetings
- Providing a warm and welcoming atmosphere to clients
- Assisting with administrative duties related to client casework including using an online database (training provided)
- Scanning and uploading documents and filing
- Preparing standard letters
- Booking client appointments
- Attend monthly team meetings
VOLUNTEER CASE STUDIES
Lisa
Volunteering for Money Matters has been a fantastic experience; I have had the opportunity to enrich my Social Welfare course by marrying practice with theory and to extend my learning through access to wise advisors. I look forward to continuing to increase my knowledge further.
My work with Money Matters has also given me a chance to gain a deeper understanding of the issues people face regularly with benefits and debt. It has been a great honour to have people tell me more about their lives and their experiences, and I absolutely love connecting with people on such a genuine level.
From a personal perspective, volunteering has increased my confidence immeasurably. Mobility issues have sadly meant that I haven’t been able to work properly for some years now. Getting out and being in the community has given me back the chance to talk to lots of different people, and as a result I’m feeling so much more positive about life and the future.
It has been a real privilege to be able to work alongside people from Money Matters, Saltbox and the Foodbanks, who have all been warm welcoming. I intend to continue my volunteering experience for a long time – I really thoroughly enjoy it!
Sarah
I volunteered for Money Matters as I wanted something more challenging than what most voluntary work offers. I wanted to be stretched, to learn new skills to be job ready after a long time at home looking after children. I already volunteer at the CAB, which is similar to this work in some ways, but this role required me to have more responsibility and a greater opportunity to work on my own initiative, which is what I wanted.
I really enjoy the positive reaction of many Foodbank customers who are pleasantly surprised to find that we exist and are there to help with the financial problems that many of them have. Some of the conversations I have had have been enjoyable and interesting, and is a rewarding part of the role. The responsibility of doing a good job for people who are often vulnerable and not at their best can be challenging.
I have learnt a huge amount of very useful information in training for this job, and I will come away with a formal qualification in Debt Advice which is bound to be very useful to me in future.
A good understanding of benefits is really helpful for this role, as well as good numeracy and an ability to think on your feet. This isn’t suitable for someone who wants to get away from it all, but if you love a challenge then it’s a great opportunity to do something really worthwhile.