Training

In November 2004, Helen King the long established guidance tutor left the employ of Chelmsford Citizens Advice Bureau, her 16 years experience and knowledge will be sorely missed by her colleagues and all those volunteers that she guided through to become advisers. But the mantle of guidance tutor has been passed into the capable hands of Lizzy Candy. Not only has the guidance tutor changed but the training process has altered to. Trainees have to do most of their learning on their own by working through training packs and completing Records of Learning.
They have to attend a five day course towards a Certificate in Generalist Advice, and can then attend courses for more in-depth knowledge on particular subjects such as debt, housing or employment. Trainees also get assistance from the Guidance Tutor in the Bureau and from staff and of course, from the other advisers.

All advice workers must be competent in using the electronic information system (EIS) and the electronic case recording (CASE). It takes a great deal of time to individually instruct all trainees in the use of these systems and to do this within the tight time limits demanded by the training course.
Citizens Advice now insists that social policy be given a higher profile in the Bureau. This will involve making all our clients aware of social policy when they ask for advice. It will also involve getting more personal information about our clients.
Trainees will be taught to collect this information as efficiently but as sensitively as possible.
All this adds to the trainees' core training needs on how to enable their clients to cope with their own problems and difficulties. We have had two new intakes of trainees since the beginning of this year, both sets are dealing well with the training …and coping with a trainee guidance tutor. If they can survive these everyday training hurdles then they should certainly become first rate advisers.

Back to Annual Review 2004-5