As part of Advice UK’s Propel-funded project, Skilling up for Justice, Island Advice Centre – a community advice organisation in Tower Hamlets – has been leading an initiative that offers training to a group of amazing individuals from a range of community organisations within the borough – looking to develop their skills and experience within advice work. Seven of the participants agreed earlier in the summer to contribute to a series of case studies, outlining their backgrounds, their experience of the training so far, and what they wanted to achieve from taking part in the programme.
Case study one
Since secondary school, I’ve always known that I wanted to work in a field that involves advising and helping people, whether that was in an educational, housing, or health setting. I have personal experience with universal credit, housing, and medical assessment forms, so that experience is something I can offer. It’s a way for me to give back.
Outside of work, I have a child at primary school, so I’ve arranged childcare for the days I’ll be at the advice centre during my volunteer placement. I would really like to build my experience in giving advice, and I’d like to do the Level 3 NVQ after completing the Learning to Advise course. I’d explored job opportunities as an adviser previously at the Jobcentre, but I lacked the necessary experience at the time, and this will help me find the right role. It’s also been great finding out about the different networks that I can access as an adviser: I didn’t know they existed!
Case study two
I really want to further develop my skills and gain a qualification which will get me back to work. I have been working as a volunteer in my church, helping people who needed a safe place to sleep for the night and a meal in the middle of the day: I saw it advertised on the street, and went along. That’s where I realised how little things in life can make a big difference, for example help to fill a form. One of the ladies was very stressed about bills. She couldn’t afford to pay the large sum she was being asked for, so we helped her get debt advice. This training is great for me as it is flexible and fits round the multitasking I have to do as a mum, and it’s very close to where I live.
Case study three
At the moment I work as a paid adviser, and I would like to learn more about advice giving. I want to serve people who are not able to help themselves or who are stuck: to raise their voice to get the thing they really need! That requires empathy and respect, and I want to develop my skills and technical knowledge. People looking for advice can be in a difficult place, and it can be hard to work with them: I know from my own life experience that things are unpredictable. Any of us could find ourselves going through these kind of situations, even if things are OK now. Accessing the training has been quite difficult for me, as I need to commute a long way, and I have school age children: it’s helpful for me to have some flexibility on timings! But at the same time, I do realise I need the training a lot. It’s also been really encouraging meeting other people doing similar work to me.
Case study four
I have volunteered in a number of different organisations in the borough over the last 8 years, including at a local foodbank. I became increasingly concerned that the emergency assistance we were providing didn’t address the underlying issues that were contributing to food insecurity. I wanted to volunteer as an adviser and get trained for advice-giving, so I did an energy champion course. I eventually managed to get a placement working in a debt advice service. I started looking into more training over a year ago, but at the time it wasn’t clear whether there was funding for the programme to run. My experience was a bit fragmented: there wasn’t a joined-up way of getting initial training, doing a placement and then moving onto an NVQ.
Combined with the training I am receiving in my placement, I hope that I will get what I need to become a skilled adviser, with the experience I need to apply for a paid role. I also want to get experience of other areas of advice, like welfare rights and housing.
Case study five
My own reasons for doing this training are upskilling and self-development, I was made redundant during COVID, and it’s time for a change. I want to build my confidence, and I also want to help people in the local community that struggle with language as a barrier when they are seeking support.
Growing up, I had to help my parents with interpreting and filling in forms. They had very little English, and I saw the struggles they and other family members went through. Being multilingual, I feel like I can be the bridge to eliminate the barrier. The fact that that the training is being delivered during term time is brilliant, as it would have been a barrier for me to attend during school holidays. Also, the fact that the training is free!
I was in two minds whether to do the NVQ L3 in Advice and Guidance or not but have decided to take the next step: it really helps that the qualification costs are funded: I couldn’t do it otherwise. Longer-term, this could help me move into a coordinator role.
Case study six
I used to work as a support worker for people with disabilities, and often had to give people help with benefits, welfare, council systems, housing and debt. I was never provided with formal training and want to build a proper foundation that enables me to build on my knowledge – and be confident that I’m giving the right advice at the right time. I’ve found the training very accessible, although some of the content I do know already from my previous experience. I’m looking for ways in which I can continue to grow my skills and work with people referred to me by their GP practice. I’m really interested in the links between social welfare advice and health: it’s really important to understand how these things fit together in people’s lives.
Case study seven
I want to learn more about advice giving as I believe this will enhance my ability to support others and offer guidance, particularly as I’m studying for a health and social care qualification. This training will also help me to improve skills such as communication and problem solving.
I have been volunteering a local community centre and gardening project, and through this met people who are struggling with different things like housing benefit and the cost-of-living crisis. I originally got to know the centre through work experience at school. During the first few weeks I was able to shadow a professional advice worker and take notes on people’s circumstances and the advice given to them. Working in this way broadened my knowledge on certain areas where I was unsure on how to approach the issues raised. It also helped me develop further skills such as perseverance and patience.
I could see myself working in an advice service in the future, let’s see what happens!
