Information, Advice and Guidance Officer

Information, Advice and Guidance Officer
ISAP/Works for Us Project

Job Description

Job Title
Location

Reports to
Band

Information, Advice and Guidance Officer
Skills Centre and Acorn House Central Milton Keynes and other locations
as required
Works for Us Team Manager
3B

This job description is a guide to the work that you will initially be required to undertake.  It may be
altered from time to time to meet changing circumstances.

Main purpose of post:

The IAG Officer will

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Work with the Works for Us Team Manager to ensure efficient and effective delivery of a
reliable, high quality, multi-channel service that is available to people living in Milton Keynes,
and who seek to improve their skills, access employment-focused training, and other personal
development activities.

Work with the Team Manager to support the delivery of these services direct to the public, via at
our central Skills Centre and outreaches in partnership with other agencies and corporate
companies. This will include group workshops, 1:2:1 face-to-face advice as well as support
delivered by phone, via email and web chat.

Be able to adapt to fast changing priorities and comply with all quality standards and contract
expectations under the Matrix and AQS scheme, to ensure a high quality of in-depth
employability advice and guidance.

Support clients to build essential life skills, explore training opportunities to prepare for and
further their long-term career interests.

Evaluate and improve practices to ensure we continue to meet the needs of local people,
including the most vulnerable in society

Where appropriate, provide advocacy and representation to clients on matters affecting their
employment prospects or personal development.

Develop and maintain strong working relationships with colleagues across all levels of Citizens
Advice Milton Keynes, and beyond

To provide specialist support and assistance to colleagues, contributing to a collaborative and
supportive working environment.

Assist the Team Manager in documenting success stories and collecting feedback to showcase
accomplishments, which can be shared with potential funders to promote the impactful work
being achieved.

November 2021

Information, Advice and Guidance Officer
ISAP/Works for Us Project

 Key Responsibilities:

Information, Advice and Guidance

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To deliver confidential advice and support to clients as part of the Specialist employment arm of
Citizens Advice Milton Keynes

To provide relevant vocational guidance and career counselling.

Interview clients, to identify their needs using a variety of assessment tools, such as ability or
personality tests, computer-based interest guides or skills inventories and diagnostic tools and
develop individual action plans.

Keep up to date on new initiatives and information & circulate as appropriate.

Assist clients to choose appropriate support from the range of services offered by Citizens
Advice Milton Keynes and its Works for Us Service, as well as those offered by our partners.

Manage caseload of monthly follow up meetings with clients either in person, via email, video
call or the telephone to track progress and monitor outcomes.

Enable clients to realistically consider self-employment.

Undertake some outreach work, at agreed community locations, also visiting external meetings,
provider forums, job fairs etc.

Liaise with providers of employment, volunteer & training opportunities.

Operate effective referral procedures, referring clients to other agencies, such as government
agencies, learning and training providers or specialist organisations, and advocating on their
behalf where necessary.

Ensure income maximisation through the take up of appropriate benefits

Assist clients with other related problems where they are an integral part of their case and refer
to other advisers or specialist agencies as appropriate

Research and explore options and implications so that the client can make informed decisions

Maintain clear case records using Works for Us database and casebook for the purpose of
continuity of casework, information retrieval, and statistical monitoring and report preparation

Regularly review cases, ensuring all key dates/ deadlines are met

Ensure that all casework conforms to the bureau's Office Manual and Citizens Advice QAA
standards, AQS Quality Mark and other regulated bodies.

November 2021

Information, Advice and Guidance Officer
ISAP/Works for Us Project

Assistance with work, training, and volunteer related skills

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Deliver group sessions aimed at building employability skills and maintaining knowledge within
the wider team of facilitators, advice staff and colleagues.

Provide assistance with one-to-one, small groups and sessional activities utilising work, training
and volunteer related resources including job applications, C.V.s & interview skills.

Build up and maintain knowledge of information resources on education, volunteering, training,
and work in order to signpost clients to the information they need.

Collect, update, and produce information on local opportunities or in a particular employment
sector.

Assist volunteers with obtaining appropriate information and resources, and ensuring all
information is kept up to date whilst maintaining the information bank.

Develop in-house resources to support the client group.

Maintain a supportive environment for clients.

 Research and Campaigns

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Provide statistical information on the number of clients and nature of cases and provide regular
reports to the R+C Coordinator and Team Manager when appropriate.

Assist with research and campaigns work by identifying suitable cases that demonstrate
injustice or unfairness and refer to the R&C Coordinator

Monitor advice enquiries, contributing to research and campaign projects locally, and across the
Citizens Advice network

Professional development

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To ensure through reading, training, and consultancy, that your own level of knowledge is up-to-
date and that this is disseminated as appropriate

To identify your own training needs in conjunction with the Team Manager and be prepared to
undertake appropriate training in line with the learning and development plan

Deliver training (internally and/ or externally), either through formal training sessions, or ‘on the
job’ coaching to colleagues.

Keep up to date with policies and procedures relating to advice and guidance work and
undertake appropriate training.

Attend relevant internal and external meetings in agreement with the Works for Us Team
Manager.

Prepare for and attend supervision sessions/staff meeting as appropriate.

November 2021

Information, Advice and Guidance Officer
ISAP/Works for Us Project

 Public relations

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Organise & attend marketing events and exhibitions to promote the service.

Provide presentations to appropriate social and community groups to raise awareness of
opportunities.

Maintain close liaison with relevant external agencies.

Other duties and responsibilities

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Provide information, advice, and guidance assistance on internal training courses

Carry out any other tasks that may be within the scope of the post to ensure the

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effective delivery and development of the service.

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Demonstrate commitment to the aims and policies of the Citizens Advice service.

Abide by Health and Safety guidelines and share responsibility for own safety and that of
colleagues.

November 2021