More than 90% of the workforce of Scotland's Citizens Advice are volunteers and in an average year they put in 700,000 man hours - 224 hours a week for each bureau - involved in advice, administration, social policy and management.
They receive continuing training, starting with the National Basic Training Programme and leading to specific training in areas such as court representation for clients. The bureaux also have a good record of converting volunteers into full-time employees.
Two of them are now working at Citizens Advice Scotland's head office in Edinburgh: Jennifer Fleuckiger, the social policy officer, and Tania Peters, social policy assistant.
peters, a graduate, worked as an advice worker in Portobello. After six months' experience, and taking advantage of several additional training opportunities, she felt confident enough to apply for an internal vacancy for a temporary post as a field services and training assistant.
She took up the job at head office in February last year and then went on to apply for the recently created post of social policy assistant.
She started this job last September but she continues to volunteer once a fortnight to keep in touch with grass roots advice work.
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