LJ2-GA2A-02
CABLearn
Flexible learning
for the
CAB service
Gateway assessor to adviser
Learning journal 2
May 2011
Amended
March 2012
Name
Bureau
Contents
Introduction to learning journal 2
1
Supervision and training plan
3
Log of learning and training activities
5
Learning from working with clients
7
Log of bureau work
9
Interim review
11
Information on training activities
14
Preparation for final review
17
Review questions
19
Using this pack
20
About this learning journal
Welcome to learning journal 2. Just a reminder:
 This journal is for you to use but belongs to the bureau. You must
keep it safe.
 Do not include or attach anything that might identify a client.
 This journal is confidential to you, those involved in your training and
assessment, and those involved in assessment moderation and
bureau membership reviews.
 If you want a copy of this journal, for instance, as evidence towards an
NVQ, the bureau will give you one, however they may charge for this.
Learning journal 2 – gateway assessor to adviser
Introduction to learning journal 2
From now on you will interview clients on your own, write case records and do
follow-up work. The number of clients you see during your interviewing sessions
will increase as you make progress, and you will gradually start dealing with more
complex cases. As with your gateway assessments, you will learn from experience,
but you will also have active support to make sure that you are giving good advice.
The level of support and supervision from the bureau will change as you gain
experience. There is an interim review in this learning journal to plan your on-going
interviewing, support and supervision arrangements.
Your development of knowledge and skills as an adviser needs to be structured, so
that at the end of the process you can show you have reached competence. You
may be interviewing in a limited number of enquiry areas, or you may be expanding
your knowledge of enquiry areas in order to become a generalist adviser. As well
as working directly with clients, you will be doing more formal learning activities
(like training courses and packs), and completing an interview log.
There will be formal assessment of your competence when you are ready, using
feedback from:
 the advice session supervisor (from the case checking matrix that is
completed when checking your case records)
 your own self-assessment (a separate document that will be given to
you to complete when your trainee supervisor thinks you are ready –
the ‘Gateway to adviser self-assessment record’)
 observed interviews and case record checks (recorded by your training
supervisor in a separate record – the ‘Gateway to adviser advice work
assessments’).
This process will be triggered when the advice session supervisor thinks you have
reached competence.
This learning journal is designed to help you record your own progress towards
achieving competence as an adviser, as you build up your knowledge and skills
from working with clients. It also helps your training supervisor to assess your
progress.
When you have completed the learning journal and had a successful final
assessment, you will be recognised as a trained CAB adviser, in a limited number
of enquiry areas, or as a trained CAB generalist adviser.
May 2011
-1-
Learning journal 2 – gateway assessor to adviser
The learning journal includes:
 space to plan your supervision and on-going learning
 suggestions for courses and learning activities
 logs of your training and interviewing work.
You should have regular review meetings during this period with your training
supervisor. They will:
 check you are getting on OK in your work with clients
 discuss your supervision needs and the types of interview you are
ready for
 plan and monitor your progress towards becoming competent as an
adviser.
Quality assurance
All bureaux have to meet the quality assurance standards in the CAB Membership
Scheme. You might find it helpful to have a look at these (found on BMIS - Quality
assurance). The standards cover all aspects of the bureau’s work, including quality
of advice, research and campaigns and training.
Bureaux are regularly audited to check that they are working to these standards.
Your advice work will continue to be monitored to check that you are meeting the
quality assurance standards even when you have achieved competence.
The Membership Scheme says that:
 all new advisers must meet the required competences relevant to their
role, and
 all new ...[advisers]... must undergo relevant training in order to
achieve their competence level.
As well as reviewing your own development as a bureau adviser, all your learning
journals form part of the bureau system for checking the quality of advice. They
provide evidence for quality audits, as part of the Citizens Advice membership
scheme, or for external bodies such as Community Legal Services. They may also
provide evidence for you to gain advice work qualifications, if you wish to do so.
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May 2011
Learning journal 2 – gateway assessor to adviser
Supervision and training plan
Date for starting interviewing:
Enquiry areas covered:
1.
2.
Initial expectations e.g. length of session, limit on number of interviews:
Support and supervision needs and how they will be met:
Name of training supervisor for the next period:
Training supervisor signs:
Date:
During this review meeting you training supervisor will help you draw up a training
plan to complete the required learning activities and develop your skills before the
next review. This will be recorded on the following page.
May 2011
-3-
Learning journal 2 – gateway assessor to adviser
Training plan
Possible activities to complete before the next review. Your training supervisor will
decide what you need to do.
Activity
To be
completed
Date
completed
Advice process skills
Research and campaigns: an introduction (bite
size)
Enquiry area skills
Enquiry area learning journal
(NB you will have already done at least two of the
following as part of LJ1)
Which benefit (self study pack)
Debt (self study pack)
Housing (self study pack):
Employment (self study pack)
Consumer (self study pack)
Homelessness and housing options (self study
pack)
Calculating benefits (self study pack)
Family and personal (self study pack)
Immigration and nationality (elearning)
The Johnson family case study
Other
-4-
May 2011, amended March 2012
Learning journal 2 – gateway assessor to adviser
Log of learning and training activities
You will get more from courses or other learning activities if you spend a short
amount of time thinking about what you learnt and how to apply it. This space is to
record what you learnt and to help you plan further training.
Date
Activity
Key points - what you learnt, was it relevant, how
did you apply the learning, any further training
needs identified?
15/1
NHAS course in
housing and
homelessness.
Clearer about who qualifies as homeless, still not
confident about ringing the council.
May 2011
-5-
Learning journal 2 – gateway assessor to adviser
Date
Activity
Key points - what you learnt, was it relevant, how
did you apply the learning, any further training
needs identified?
Training supervisor notes on training log:
Training supervisor signs:
Date:
-6-
May 2011
Learning journal 2 – gateway assessor to adviser
Learning from working with clients
There are three reasons why we ask you to log some of your work with clients:
 to encourage you to think about your work with clients in a structured
way
 to help you check whether you have reached competence
 to show your training supervisor that you can think constructively about
your work with clients and improve your interviewing as a result.
You are not expected to record every interview. You can use the log to record any
significant interviews, casework or other events. For instance these could be
interviews that went particularly well, or that you found difficult, or where you had
to use your interviewing skills in a different way, or interviews dealing with an
enquiry area in depth.
Your training supervisor may ask you to record specific types of interview to
illustrate new skills or how you have dealt with issues you found difficult.
Remember you need to write at least enough in this record to remind you why the
case was significant and what you learnt from it. You may prefer to write in detail if
it helps you to reflect and remember.
You must remember to maintain client confidentiality by making all
references anonymous in your logs.
When you complete the self assessment record later, you will need to be able to
think about cases that illustrate your work and your learning. This log will give you
a basis for your self-assessment.
We suggest that you record interviews that illustrate your advice skills such as:
 how you dealt with a client you found difficult
 any cases which involved or discrimination issues
 a case where you had to negotiate with an outside agency
 a complex case.
May 2011
-7-
Learning journal 2 – gateway assessor to adviser
Enquiry areas
You should also include at least four interviews which illustrate your competence in
dealing with enquiry areas.
If you are aiming to reach competence in limited enquiry areas these should only
cover your chosen areas. If you are aiming to reach competence as a generalist
adviser you should include interviews which illustrate your competence in dealing
with:
 benefits
 debt advice
 employment
 and another area chosen by your bureau*.
*If your bureau regularly deals with immigration enquiries, your fourth enquiry area
should be immigration. This is part of our agreement with the Office of the
Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC).
You may also want to record any interviews that illustrate your competence in the
other enquiry areas, as this will help to plan your future training.
-8-
May 2011
Learning journal 2 – gateway assessor to adviser
Log of bureau work
Date
Case
ref
21/3
102
May 2011
Key points - any issues or problems in the interview and how you dealt
with them, anything that went well, notes of any feedback from
colleagues or clients, what you learnt. This might be about the skills you
used or about the enquiry area.
I realised that there is a legal difference between wrongful and unfair
dismissal when I looked up information for this client. Until now I
had been using the terms interchangeably but reading through the
information on AdviserNet and discussing it with the ASS and then
the client highlighted this for me.
-9-
Learning journal 2 – gateway assessor to adviser
Date
Case
ref
Key points - any issues or problems in the interview and how you dealt
with them, anything that went well, notes of any feedback from
colleagues or clients, what you learnt. This might be about the skills you
used or about the enquiry area.
Training supervisor notes on interview log:
Training supervisor signs:
Date:
- 10 -
May 2011
Learning journal 2 – gateway assessor to adviser
Interim review
The purpose of this review is for your training supervisor to plan your interviewing
and supervision levels over the next stage, and agree a training plan with you. The
reviewer will liaise with your advice session supervisor and use the case -checking
matrix to discuss your progress, agree further training activities and plan what
needs doing before your final review.
You should continue to complete your training and interview logs.
Note here any issues you want to discuss at this review. This could
include any concerns you have about interviewing or particular clients or
enquiry areas.
How are the trainee adviser’s interviews going to be managed over the
next stage e.g. how many interviews per session, how they are going to
move on to more complex cases?
Level of supervision needed for the next stage:
May 2011
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Learning journal 2 – gateway assessor to adviser
If the adviser is working towards becoming a generalist adviser, record in
the learning activities box that follows, the plan for completing their
‘enquiry area learning journal’ (including the Johnson family) and any
other training activities that they need (see training activities pages that
follow). NB their interviewing arrangements will need to be reviewed as
they complete their learning in more enquiry areas.
OR
If the adviser is continuing to interview in only two enquiry areas, record
in the box that follows the plan for them to increase their skills and
knowledge in those enquiry areas (see training activities pages that
follow).
Date for interim review:
Training supervisor signs:
Date:
Training supervisor’s notes of issues discussed at interim review:
Training supervisor signs:
Date:
- 12 -
May 2011
Learning journal 2 – gateway assessor to adviser
Learning activities to be carried out before next review
Target date
Completed
AdviserNet research exercise
May 2011
- 13 -
Learning journal 2 – gateway assessor to adviser
Information on training activities
AdviserNet research exercise
You need to complete a research exercise using AdviserNet (this is the pre-course
work for day 3 of the Adviser skills course which you do not need to do).
Your supervisor will show you where to find it on CABlink and will discuss the
answers with you.
Other training
The following list covers the main training activities for new advisers(you may have
done some of them already). Your training supervisor will tell you which to do and
when.
The training activities include:
 courses run by Citizens Advice (listed on CABlink)
 elearning programmes and bite size sessions (found on CABlink)
 self study packs (found on CABlink, or paper copies in the bureau).
Make sure you find out:
 Who is responsible for your training during this period?
 Where can you find information about training activities, and what is
the booking procedure?
Learning more about the advice process
 Courses: Dealing with aggression in the bureau, Mental health
communication skills, Negotiation skills (if not already done).
 Bite size: Conflict of interest, Negotiation: the key concepts, Letter
writing, Mind your language, Working with your advice session
supervisor.
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May 2011
Learning journal 2 – gateway assessor to adviser
 Learning more about enquiry areas
Benefits
 Elearning: Advising on benefits.
 Bite size: National insurance contributions: who pays what
Debt
 Course: An introduction to debt (yellow route).
 Elearning: Exploring priority debts, Checking liability and minimising
debts, Using the CASE Money Advice module.
 Bite size: Budgets, Financial statements and the Common Financial
Statement, Using the AdviserNet debt advice documents, Identifying
and dealing with debt emergencies, Making offers to priority creditors,
Options for dealing with non priority creditors, Systematic approach to
debt advice.
Housing
 Course: Housing foundation course in housing and homelessness /
Foundation course in housing and homelessness for Wales
 Bite size: Allocations, How to use the AdviserNet housing status
flowchart
Employment
 Course: Introduction to dealing with employment enquiries
 Elearning: Employment case studies
 Self study packs: Identifying discrimination, Income tax and how to
work out take home pay
Consumer
 Elearning: Consumer case studies
 Bite size: Discrimination: goods and service
Family and personal
 Bite size: An introduction to civil partnerships
Immigration and nationality
 Course: Good practice in immigration advice
 Self study packs: EEA nationals, Asylum seekers and refugees
May 2011
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Learning journal 2 – gateway assessor to adviser
Moving on to telephone advice
 Self study pack: Telephone skills
Other useful learning
 Computer skills
The Essential IT skills page on the CABlink training site has information on a range
of learning activities to upgrade your IT skills.
 Study skills
The ‘Core training for all roles’ section on the CABlink training site has a number of
study guides to help you get the most out of different ways of learning. You may
have done some of these already, but you can use them anytime as a refre sher.
Other activities
 Observation: your training supervisor may arrange for you to observe
specialist advisers or other bureau workers.
 Coaching programmes may be organised on an individual basis for
areas of work where you need more practice. You could be given case
studies to work through and discuss.
Have a look at the Training section of CABlink to find out what else
might be available. You will also find lots of further bite size learning
sessions on CABlink which you might find interesting and useful.
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May 2011
Learning journal 2 – gateway assessor to adviser
Preparation for final review
Preparation for the final review will start when your advice session supervisor
thinks that you are reaching the competence standards for advisers.
You will be asked to complete a self assessment record to assess how you a re
meeting the competence standards.
Your training supervisor will:
 observe and assess one or more of your interviews
 carry out quality checks on some of your case sheets
 look at your latest case-checking matrix (completed by the person
checking your case-sheets).
You will have a chance to comment on these assessments before the review.
The training supervisor will use all of these assessments, together with a review of
your self-assessments, to decide whether you are ready to be recommended for
acceptance as an adviser either in two enquiry areas or as a generalist adviser.
If you are accepted as a generalist adviser, the Trustee Board of the bureau will be
asked to confirm this, and you can get your certificate.
Please comment on the following pages on general aspects of your work in the
bureau – this will then form part of the discussion at the final review meeting.
Working in the bureau
This is your chance to give the bureau some feedback and to think about
whether you could get more satisfaction or enjoyment from your work.
What do you like or dislike about your bureau work? How could your
time in the bureau be improved?
Is the amount of time you spend in the bureau too much? Too little?
About right?
May 2011
- 17 -
Learning journal 2 – gateway assessor to adviser
How would you like your bureau work to develop over the next year?
Can you suggest anything that would improve the practical
arrangements or procedures in the bureau?
In general, do you feel you get the right amount and type of support and
supervision?
Do you have any difficulties working with your bureau colleagues? If so,
please explain:
Any other comments / difficulties / bright ideas / issues to raise?
Training and learning materials
Have you had any problems in using any learning activities e.g.
attending courses, completing packs at the right time? What was the
difficulty?
- 18 -
May 2011
Learning journal 2 – gateway assessor to adviser
Review questions
By now you should have completed your self assessment record and
been shown the Advice work assessments record by your training
supervisor. Have a look at all of these and review this learning journal,
then answer these questions:
Have you identified any further learning or development needs?
Any problem areas in your advice work that you need to work on?
What do you feel are your 3 main achievements since you started advice
interviews?
Anything else you would like to discuss at the final review meeting?
When you have completed this preparation, please pass this learning journal to the
training supervisor who will arrange your final review.
Best wishes for your future in the CAB service!
May 2011
- 19 -
Using this pack
Who this pack is for
Main user groups: gateway assessors training to be advisers.
Other user groups: anyone else new to the service.
Acknowledgments
Thanks to all who contributed to the development of this pack.
Availability
Copies of this learning journal are available to download from CABlink >
Training > Index > Learning journals and forms or by ordering from the Self
study pack and learning journal order form on CABlink > Training > index >
Learning journals and forms.
Updates
For the latest updates to learning journals check the issued and amended
dates at CABlink > Training > Index > Learning journals and forms.
Feedback
We’d be happy to get your feedback on this learning journal. You can
email the Learning and development team publishers:
training.publishsers@citizensadvice.org.uk
Copyright
Published by Citizens Advice Learning and Development Team, © 2011
Citizens Advice. Licensed for copying and use within the Citizens Advice
Service. Citizens Advice is the operating name of the National Association
of Citizens Advice Bureaux.
www.cablink.org.uk