Advice workers provide free, neutral and confidential advice to people experiencing a wide range of problems.  Advice workers can offer general guidance on issues such as education, finance and employment amongst other areas, whereas some will specialise in a certain field such as gambling addictions, drug dependency or homelessness.  Specialists must have an in-depth knowledge of their chosen field in which they provide a service to a particular group of clients.

An advice worker’s role will include many duties in which they will inform clients, refer them if necessary and even represent them.  Depending on the nature of the issue, the actions will differ, but advice workers will nonetheless have to carry out similar procedures in each case.  If you want to be an advice worker, you will have to demonstrate that you can relate to clients.  You must be able to assess individual problems and carry out research in order to fully service your clients’ needs.

Your commitments may see you representing a client in court or tribunals.  You may set up support groups for people with similar issues but either way your work will always be varied and each day will be different from the last.

To be an advice worker, you have to be fully committed to your work, because your clients will need constant guidance and attention to overcome their problems.

So who is this course for?

The Advice Worker Foundation Degree is primarily designed to enable those already working in the field to gain a professional qualification.  However, it is also suitable for those starting out in Advice Work.  There are a limited number of these programmes available across the country and they are highly flexible in that you can usually fit the course around your other work commitments.

But what exactly will I be learning?

Like other programmes, Advice Work will see you studying core modules in addition to optional studies that most appeal to you.  Students will typically study Law, Housing Advice, Family and Employment Advice in their first year as necessary modules, which will be advanced with progression.  The optional modules are wide-ranging, and popular choices include Contract Law, Criminal Law, and Immigration Studies.  Having the choice to study some modules gives you the opportunity to start thinking about specialising in a certain field and will give you a greater insight into which line of Advice Work you are most suited to.

Your Career

The Advice Worker Foundation Degree fully prepares students for further education and work.  You will have the opportunity to progress to an Honours Degree with a further year of study.  Likely careers are in the National Government Organisation sector, Advice Centres and mainly local or central government.  Advice work is both a challenging and rewarding career and more people with professional qualifications are needed to meet the demands of this sector.