COMMUNITY LAW SERVICE (NORTHAMPTON & COUNTY)
WESTON FAVELL FOODBANK

JOB DESCRIPTION

POST:

HOURS:

PURPOSE OF POST:

Welfare Rights Advisor

18 hours per week (to include Wednesdays)

To  work  in  partnership  with  Emmanuel  Church  and
the  Weston  Favell  Foodbank  team  to  support  the
health  and  wellbeing  of  foodbank  users  through  the
delivery  of  an  holistic  face  to  face  money  advice
service  particularly
individuals  and
families.  The  focus  will  be  on  providing  welfare
benefits  and  basic  debt  advice,  financial  capability
support,  energy  advice  and  support  to  access  any
available    measures  to  address  fuel  poverty.  An  end
to end casework service will be provided.
Funding currently in place until 31 April 2027

to  vulnerable

BENEFITS:
                                        Mileage allowance

£28,119 pro rata.  Actual salary £14,461 per annum

5% employer pension contribution
Some  home  working  (after  successful  completion  of
probationary period)
Contractual  sick  pay  (after  successful  completion  of
probationary period)
Ongoing training and development.

Background
Commuinity Law Service has a well established partnership with the
foodbank  team  having  delivered  advice  in  the  foodbank  for  3  years.
Due to staff changes, the current member of staff is leaving the post.
The adviser is present in the foodbank whilst it is operating.  Staff and
volunteers actively encourage guests to speak to the adviser, the aim
of  which  is  to  address  the  underlying  cause  of  the  need  to  use  the
foodbank.    This  is an  effective  collaboration  bringing  positive  results
for those who engage with the service.

Other things to Consider
You will be  working  as the sole  adviser in the foodbank but  are well
supported  by the team whilst  there.   When  not  in foodbank,  you will
be based at CLS main office in Hazelwood Road, Northampton.  This
post is part of our experienced benefit advice team, where numerous
other  staff  also  work  in  different  community  venues,  including  food
banks  and  community  larders.    The  team  is  friendly  and  provides
excellent  peer  support.    CLS  holds  the  LEXCEL  quality  mark  for
specialist  advice,  is  a  member  of  Advice  UK  and  also  a  member  of
immigration  and  debt  advice  partnerships  spanning
the  East
Midlands.  You will be joining a professional, friendly and experienced
team where you will have the opportunity to continue to develop your
knowledge and expertise.

Main Duties:

  To provide Welfare Benefits advice and help with claims and support with

disputes including support with benefit appeals.

  To  provide  money  advice  support  to  include  basic  debt  advice  and

financial capability support

  To  provide  energy  advice  and  facilitate  access  to  any  other  available

assistance from energy providers

  To attend outreach sessions at the foodbank
  To refer as appropriate to other CLS advisors for specialist advice funded

from other sources e.g. Housing Legal Aid
  To provide advocacy services as appropriate.
  To provide awareness sessions for staff delivering the foodbank provision

and other staff as appropriate

  To assist in the preparation of promotional materials and relevant literature

aimed at promoting take-up of the services provided by the Project
  To offer consultancy advice and support to Emmanuel Church staff in

respect of social welfare advice and information.

  To maintain an effective referral procedure from staff to the Project.
  To contribute to the development of website information about the
services provided and how they can be accessed, as required.

  To  make  referrals  for  support  from  other  agencies  or  schemes  as

appropriate.

  To comply with the Lexcel specialist quality mark standard.
  To obtain user feedback on the Project and utilise this information in

developing the project.

  To keep accurate statistical information on the work undertaken.
  To assist in the preparation of reports on the progress and achievements

of the project.

  To keep up to date with knowledge and developments in the relevant

areas of social welfare law.

  To undertake in-house and external training relevant to the post. To

represent the Service at meetings as required.

  To attend relevant internal and external meetings as required.

  To undertake any other relevant work as required.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

KNOWLEDGE

  Good  knowledge  of  welfare  benefits  entitlements  and  the  claiming

process.

  Knowledge  of  enforcement  procedures  in  respect  of  priority  and  non
priority debt and the remedies available to clients (any more complex debt
matters are referred into CLS specialist debt team)
  Knowledge of debt counseling practice and procedure
  Knowledge  of  energy  saving  measures  including  the  support  available

from energy suppliers

  A good understanding of services provided by the voluntary and statutory

sector.

EXPERIENCE

  Recent  experience  of  providing  specialist  social  welfare  law  advice  to

include welfare benefits and preferably debt advice.
  Experience of working with vulnerable client groups
  Experience of outreach/community based work.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

  Excellent  communication  skills  –  the  ability  to  communicate  effectively

both orally and in writing.
IT literacy


  Good time management skills.
  Good administrative skills.
  Excellent advocacy skills.
  A commitment to equality of opportunity.
  Self motivated and able to work both independently and as part of a team.
  Ability  to  work  effectively  in  partnership  with  other  agencies  whilst

maintaining the confidentiality and independence of the Service.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

Potholders  will  require  use  of  a  car  and  postholders  must  hold  a  full  driving
license and have use of a car which must be insured for business use.

All  postholders  are  required  to  have  a  Disclosure  and  Baring  Service  (DBS)
check.