To ask if you work in welfare/benefits or advice/support...

[Tinseltastix]

How you got into it? I am 35 and completely miserable at work, my mental health is seriously suffering. Currently a web/content manager and general office dogsbody with a horrid boss earning less than 20k I spend every spare moment online trying to figure out what I want to do with my life, pretty embarrassing that I still don’t know tbh.. I’m happy to retrain and have the funds to do so but keep changing path.

I’ve seen a few roles for welfare advisors and it really appeals to me as well as being relatively well paid. It doesn’t look like there are courses as such I could take for his and it’s a learn on the job sort of thing. Would taking a course in social care or information guidance help? I would need to keep working full time so would need to study distance learning and volunteering is out due to working hours, anyone have any tips?

When I worked in benefits most of the people we spoke to worked in the MLA (MPs) office. They do a lot of work advocating for people.
Maybe also something to look into.

It's a learn on the job thing - as long as you're numerate and literate you'll be fine. If you struggle with either though it'll be almost impossible.

You need to be a real “people person” and you have to be forward, persistent, unrelenting and bolshy: you’re advocating for often vulnerable people who are often unaware of and unable to stand up for their own welfare rights. You have to build excellent relationships with both your clients and with people at various agencies. You can’t take the first (or even second or third) “no” for an answer. You need to know, on the spot, if you have just been given a dud answer, and be able to push back with the policy stance.

It’s very rewarding work but it isn’t easy. I worked in social housing for over a decade and my colleagues who worked in welfare rights/money advice/income maximisation were just absolutely relentless and admirable.

Interestingly, several of my colleagues who worked in these roles started out elsewhere in sales roles and a couple had been estate agents. I think it’s the attitude you need to have. You can’t just take the first answer you’re given and back off, the nature of organisations like the DWP means you really have to be up for a (verbal and emotional) fight. You also won’t always get on with or even like the clients you’re advocating for - but you can’t let that stop you.

Volunteering probably is the best way into it. There are some advice and guidance qualifications but these are usually done on the job as well. This area doesn't pay well either, so I'm assuming it's job satisfaction you're after rather than a better salary?

so I'm assuming it's job satisfaction you're after rather than a better salary?

Bit of both really. I fought tooth and nail for 8 years to have my ASD son diagnosed and get the support he needed, so I do feel passionate about advocating for others. Yes the salary isn’t amazing but the local jobs advertised at the moment are offering 28k which is a big jump from my current wage. Unfortunately they want previous experience.

I know I can’t continue in my current job much longer and I need to increase my salary soon if I want any chance of getting out of rented accommodation. This is the first role that’s appealed to me that doesn’t require going to university to better myself.

Have a look at The Guardian job page on Wednesdays

Previous experience doesn’t always mean that it has to be exact, you can apply relying on transferable skills.

Eg welfare advisor, customer service experience esp if it includes product knowledge is transferable.

If you've seen a vacancy just apply.

I’ve sat on interview panels and have employed people who don’t have the exact knowledge but have the attributes to acquire them, these are 30k+ jobs btw.

Start volunteering if you can at your local advice centre or CAB, even a few hours a week - it will definitely give you experience and the taste for it and you might be able to get a job if one comes up.

I was a support worker for people who were homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. We had some basic benefit training, and very often getting the right benefits in place prevented people from losing their homes. I found that side of the work interesting and I was pretty good at it (sorry to blow my own trumpet).

Then I got the chance of a 2- year secondment to work on another project that was solely benefits work, and got a lot more training and experience. By the time that came to an end, we had someone in the organisation who delivered all the benefits training, and we got on well. Her team expanded as more projects found they needed dedicate benefit advice and were prepared to fund it, and eventually the right job with the right hours for me was created.

I've been doing it for 3 years now.

I work in Information and Advice for a national Charity. We advise on loads of things but majority is benefits related. I really enjoy my job it is varies every day. If you have the time a good way in is volunteering, CAB have, (or did have, I know their have been big changes), a great volunteering training programme. But any charity that offers advice would love volunteers, we have quite a few in our office and they are so valued. But if you cannot volunteer it is also a learn on the job role, and always is as benefits change all the time. So I would say apply if you see something as I have hired people with very little benefits knowledge but with lots of relevant skills and an interest in the sector and they have been great.

Thank you all for the replies. I’ve searched every charity and advice centre in my area but the person specification under ‘essential’ all say, SVQ level 3 in a related field, doesn’t say what field though! I may contact them and just ask. Unfortunately it’s not possible to volunteer as I work full time 9-5 so hours don’t fit