Marion Doherty Volunteer Advisor with Antrim District Citizens Advice Bureau Having returned to Northern Ireland from America in 2001 Marion Doherty was keen to make good use of her spare time and looking for ideas for a return to employment. I happened to mention to my sister, who was then working for Antrim District Citizens Advice Bureau, that I was interested in voluntary work.  She indicated that CAB had opportunities for volunteer advisors and I decided to find out more.

The Accredited Advisor Training Programme provided by CAB gave me the confidence and knowledge to deliver advice to clients and from this I went on to enrol on the NVQ Level 3 in Advice and Guidance.  A significant part of the NVQ is assessment in a work place setting and I had the advantage of already volunteering in the Antrim Bureau to help me carry out this work.  Additionally, the level of support offered by Antrim District CAB in providing out of pocket expenses for childcare and travel made it possible for me to volunteer.

Without doubt the encouragement and training that I gained in my time with the Bureau gave me the confidence and motivation to apply for the Diploma in Social Work at Jordanstown and I am now employed as a Social Worker. 

Volunteering with Antrim District CAB has been both rewarding and beneficial for me to gain new skills and enhance my employability.  I would highly recommend to anyone to get involved in volunteering.  Until I got involved with CAB, I was not aware of how much the community benefits from the services provided, and I certainly found that every day was different with no two cases ever being the same.