Choosing a Career as a Money Adviser

Traditional Routes

The traditional path into working as a Money Adviser is by joining a local legal advice centre typically a Citizens Advice Bureau, initially as a volunteer adviser. Following an interview and induction volunteer advisers undergo generalist adviser training which typically lasts between 6 and 12 months. This training is essential in order to be approved as a generalist adviser. A generalist adviser will be able to give general and legal advice across the whole spectrum of issues and is usually expected to volunteer at least 6 hours per week on an ongoing basis. You may decide that there is a particular area of advice which you would like to specialise in. You should discus this with your supervisor.

Once established as a generalist adviser you may be able to develop into an area of specialist advice for example Money Advice. This will depend on the agencies resources and capacity but may involve you shadowing, giving admin or casework support. If and when the agency feels that it is suitable you can begin to do more specialist training in a specific area. Money Advice training is run by Money Advice Trust under the Wiseradviser label. Although this training is free the agency will still have to authorise your suitability to take the training and according to their own expenses policy whether they are willing to pay for your travel.

You can apply for a paid money advice post as they become available, at any time but usually you would be expected to have completed some training and have had some experience at casework.

To see where your local legal advice agencies are see:

www.communitylegaladvice.org.uk
Citizens Advice website for your local bureau www.citizensadvice.org.uk

New Developments in Professional Qualifications

The legal advice sector is currently at the beginning of developing a stronger workforce structure including clearer career pathways. In order to do this the sector has created a set of National Occupational Standards in Legal Advice - Based on these NOS qualifications are being developed. So far three NVQs have already been approved. It is anticipated that these qualifications will be instrumental in initiating and progressing career pathways as well as to assure quality. It is expected that more qualifications will follow based on NOS in Legal Advice.

The NVQs which have now been approved are:

Level 2 in Supporting Legal Advice - this level is aimed at front line and reception staff.
Levels 3 and 4 in Legal Advice - Level three is aimed at adviser level and level four is caseworker level.

Work is currently going on to identify funding for these qualifications. For more information about NOS and these qualifications see www.skillsforjustice.com

Other Qualifications

In addition to these NOS based qualifications there are currently various educational institutions around the country that have developed or are developing qualifications in legal advice. A summary of these are below but the list is not exhaustive and we will continue to update it as we identify others.

Qualifications in Legal Advice

London Metropolitan University -
www.londonmet.ac.uk
Advice Work Foundation degree (designed to meet NOS in Legal Advice)

Northumbria University
www.northumbria.ac.uk
Hold many courses where Advice, Guidance and Counselling is included as a module

Stafford University
www.staffs.ac.uk

Advice Studies - Distance Learning BA (Hons)
Advice Work BA (Hons)
Advice Work and Law (Diploma) University Diploma
Advice Work LLB

Truro College (Plymouth Uni)
www.trurocollege.ac.uk
Foundation Degree - FdA Information, Advice & Guidance
Possible options

Level 1 - Certificate (year 1)
Level 2 - Diploma (year 2)
Level 3 - Degree (year 3)

Wirral Met
http://wmc.ac.uk
Foundation Degree Information Advice and Guidance

University of Wolverhampton
http://courses.wlv.ac.uk
LLB (Hons) Advice Work

These courses may involve a placement with an advice agency

Keep an eye on the above website and also the IMA website www.i-m-a.org.uk for developments.