Staff Needed For C.A.B.

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32283, 29 April 1970, Page 2

Staff Needed For C.A.B.

The Citizens’ Advice Bureau, for which an organising committee was set up late last year, is calling for a few more applicants to train as voluntary interviewers.

The bureau will be opened in the Chamber of Commerce building as soon as possible. It will be a referral centre, where trained staff will advise citizens on the most appropriate of about 120 Christchurch organisations to consult on any particular family, personal or other kind of problem. The Christchurch bureau will be the first of its kind in New Zealand. Advice will be free, but no counselling or financial relief will be given to clients. “We want this new service tr be run by the people for the people of Christchurch,’’ a spokeswoman for the com mittee said yesterday ‘We are looking for a limited number of men and women to be voluntary interviewers who understand other persons’ needs” Confidential

The selection committee is seeding interviewers able to respect and keep confidences.

(All C.A.B. records are strictly confidential. The bureau requires men and women who have had experience of working with people, able to put clients at their ease when they come in diffidently to discuss a personal problem. They must be able to understand human behaviour, particularly in times of stress. Interviewers will be selected from applicants with a good educational standard, a wide experience of life and its everyday problems. Successful applicants will need to know the function and range of work undertaken by voluntary and statutory social service agencies available to help inquirers with their difficulties.

The committee expects its interviewing staff will be drawn from men and women who have retired from professions or trades, as well as housewives.

The training programme will include such topics as legal aid and advice, the work of the Courts, children’s services, probation, housing, marriage guidance, social security, health services, interviewing, administration and general community services.

The bureau will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. from; Mondays to Thursdays and until 4.30 p.m. on Fridays. Applications for the voluntary interviewing staff should be sent to Mr Angus McKenzie, Public Relations Office, P.O. Box 2600, Christchurch.