Mayoral Volunteers

LBBD Homes and Money Hub Housing and Money Advice Volunteer

Are you Interested in helping people during this Cost of Living crisis?  With so many people within Barking & Dagenham who are struggling to make ends meet we need volunteers to help residents to use the internet or telephone and submit applications for hardship and other funds, make benefit claims online or submit documents that are required to ensure they access services, funds and banking support to improve their money and housing situation.  We can support residents to maximise their income, access Council services online and help with budgeting using the tools available on the BD Money website. 

We are looking for willing and able volunteers to assist in running drop in Homes and Money Hub sessions in Community Hubs to enable residents to access services, benefits and grants. Our volunteers will be able to offer the following services in the drop in sessions:

1. Support with form completion – Members of the public can access the public computers to complete applications for hardship, Discretionary Housing Payment, Household Support Fund and Council Tax Support plus other benefit applications.
2. Support with completion of the part A initial assessment form online if customer meets the Homes and Money Hub criteria.  
3. Support with navigation of the BD Money website for customers who do not meet the Homes and Money Hub criteria using the tools provided to help the customer access services such as BD Money banking, income and expenditure calculations and budgeting support.
4. Support members of the public when they are making phone calls to a wide range of organisations in respect of their financial and housing situations.
5. Support with completion of housing forms and navigation of the housing advice website.

We need volunteers who have:

• A desire to help people in the area of money and housing. 
• A willingness to listen to people in a non-judgmental and empathetic manner.
• Knowledge of both basic and additional IT such as emails, completing online forms and navigating websites.
• Willingness to complete Homes and Money Hub training.

You must be:

• A good communicator, have the ability to pass on knowledge in a way that suits the member of the public
• Have a warm, patient, and friendly personality.
• Creative and open to new ideas and approaches.

Homes and Money Hub Housing and Money Advice Volunteers will learn how to:

• Speak to members of the public about money.
• Encourage people to learn more about managing their money.
• Navigate useful online services and websites and learn how problem-solving e.g. looking up an answer via Google can help.

Benefits of the role:

Volunteers will have the opportunity to learn and develop their customer service and communication skills. We will provide training and support for the role via the Council’s learning portal that include:

• Homes and Money online training module plus face-to-face shadowing (to be developed)
• Data Protection 2020
• ICT &Cyber Security 2020
• Customer Promise (Customer Care)

Travel expenses:

Travel expenses will be reimbursed.

Job References:

We are happy to provide a reference after you have volunteered with us for 3 months.