Witness Service volunteering FAQs
These are questions we're commonly asked, and should help to give you a fuller picture of our volunteer opportunities. If you have a question which isn't answered you can contact us at ws-volunteering@citizensadvice.org.uk.
Who will I be helping by volunteering?
You’d be supporting a wide range of people - anyone could be a victim or witness of a crime. They might have anxiety about giving evidence. Courts are unfamiliar environments. Speaking about and reliving an unpleasant experience can be intimidating and distressing. If you volunteer with our outreach service you’ll be supporting people who are vulnerable or at risk of intimidation.
By giving your time to help witnesses you’ll give them the information and reassurance they need to give their best evidence.
What should I think about when filling in an application form or attending an interview?
Try to give clear honest examples of how you meet the requirements of the role. Think broadly, examples could be from a range of things you might have done and don't need to be related to employment experience. Relating the questions to concrete examples of what you've done in the past or how you might approach something in the future is much better than simply saying you can do something.
You don't need previous qualifications or specific experience. Youll get training and support to help you be able to carry out the role.
Remember the application and interview is a two-way process. It enables us to find out more about you and for you to find out more about the role and the Witness Service. It enables us to ensure you’re suitable for the role. It also enables you to make sure the volunteering opportunity meets your needs and interests.
Do you provide training?
We provide training for our volunteers. We’ve introduced a comprehensive online training package, alongside shadowing and an accreditation process that makes sure you have the knowledge and confidence to support witnesses.
We also run ‘local delivery sessions’ on topics like hate crime, sentencing and restorative justice, so there are opportunities to continue to learn.
Are there certain skills or qualifications I need to be a Witness Service volunteer?
For our core roles we aren’t looking for specific qualifications. In terms of skills, we’re looking for people who are friendly, caring, supportive, and empathetic towards others. You’d also need good communication skills - you need to be a good listener, as well as being able to explain subjects like court processes in understandable everyday language. You will also need to be comfortable with and willing to use basic IT systems -for example, email, online training and online forms. You can read more about what we're looking for in our role profiles.
We might occasionally recruit roles for projects that need specific skills or experience.
What will I get out of volunteering with Citizens Advice?
All our volunteers get something different from their volunteering experience. Some of the most common benefits reported are improved wellbeing and keeping mentally active. Reasons current volunteers give for volunteering with us include:
making a difference to the lives of witnesses
giving something back to society
doing something constructive with your spare time
finding volunteering enjoyable
having an interest in the legal system
meeting new people
gaining new skills
Will volunteering help me get a job?
We can’t promise this, but volunteering can give you experience, new skills and confidence. It’s a good way of showing future employers you’ve used your time constructively.
What support will I get as a volunteer?
You’ll have a team leader who’ll be responsible for supporting you, informally and through regular 1-2-1 meetings. Our training is very thorough and you’ll go through a period of shadowing before being accredited, so you won’t be thrown in at the deep end.
Some of our experienced volunteers take on the role of mentor, to give additional support to new volunteers - this is subject to availability.
How much time do I need to give?
We ask for volunteers to expect to be able to stay with us for at least 1 year after accreditation. This is because we put a lot of resourcing into training.
When can I volunteer?
For our court volunteer role in general, we need volunteers to be with us during court opening hours (9-5), although we might be able to accommodate half days within Magistrates courts. You would generally be expected to volunteer 1 day a week, although this might be negotiated if local conditions allow.
Outreach volunteers need to be a bit more flexible, as meetings with witnesses could be at any time of the day until 5pm. You’d be expected to support at least 1 witness per month.
What volunteering opportunities are there for students?
We're happy to welcome students as volunteers. There are some things to consider. We:
offer work placements - only our court, outreach, and project roles
ask volunteers expect to remain with us for at least 1 year after accreditation
might be able to arrange for you to volunteer in or near your home town during holidays - you can discuss this with us at the recruitment stage
Will I get my expenses reimbursed?
We reimburse travel and lunch expenses, subject to some restrictions within our expenses policy.
What age restrictions are there on volunteering with the Witness Service?
The minimum age for our volunteers is 18.
There’s no upper age limit for our volunteers.
Can I volunteer if I have a criminal record?
Having a criminal record isn’t a barrier to volunteering. We consider each offence individually, based on a risk assessment considering issues like if the nature of the offence is relevant to the role.
We won’t accept anyone with a caution or conviction for a sexual offence against a child or vulnerable adult.
Does the Witness Service always need volunteers?
This will depend on specific courts or outreach services. Sometimes these can be at full capacity so won’t be recruiting.
If we're not recruiting at your preferred court, we will let you know and add you to a waiting list.
Will volunteering affect my benefits?
If you’re getting benefits, including means-tested benefits, you’re fully entitled to volunteer for as many hours as you wish, as long as you continue to keep to the rules or conditions for getting that benefit.
For example, if you get Jobseekers' Allowance, you are entitled to volunteer as long as you meet the conditions of your claim - for example, you remain available for and actively seeking a full-time paid job. If you get Carers' Allowance, you need to continue to provide at least 35 hours a week of care to the person who’s getting the disability benefit. For Jobseekers' Allowance, Carers' Allowance and Income Support, you should tell the Jobcentre Plus office you’re volunteering.
For Employment Support Allowance (ESA), Incapacity Benefit (IB) and Universal Credit claims, you’re entitled to volunteer and similarly should inform the Jobcentre Plus office of any volunteering you do.
If you get disability benefits like ESA, IB or Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Personal Independence Payment (PIP) you should make sure your volunteering activity doesn’t conflict with your condition.
You don't need to inform Jobcentre Plus if you’re volunteering if you get DLA or PIP, unless your care or mobility needs have changed.
There’s no need to tell HMRC of any volunteering if you get Working Tax Credit or Child Tax Credit.
If you get Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction you should tell your local authority you’re volunteering.
You should only get actual out-of-pocket expenses. These are expenses you might incur to volunteer - for example, travel to where you volunteer.
For more information about things to consider when volunteering while on benefits see this helpful NCVO guidance.
The outreach or court-based role - what is best for me?
Both involve supporting witnesses to feel confident and supported when they give evidence.
The court-based role requires being at court from 9-5 once a week.
The outreach role is a little more flexible and although you’ll need to be available for a full day at court when the witness gives evidence, video-call or phone support can be carried out at other times.