Attorney General Kelly A. Ayotte announced today that her office is accepting applications for volunteers to work as Consumer Affairs Specialists with the Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau. Training for new volunteers is scheduled for the weeks of September 26 and October 3, 2005.

The Consumer Mediation Program was begun by the Attorney General’s Office in 1992 in an effort to help resolve the thousands of complaints received annually by the Consumer Protection Bureau concerning business practices affecting New Hampshire consumers, and consumers of New Hampshire products and services.

The mediation program volunteers handle issues ranging from small disputes concerning undelivered mail order merchandise to disputes involving thousands of dollars over home improvement problems.

Adults of all ages are encouraged to apply. Volunteers will be asked to commit six hours per week for one year, and will receive approximately twenty hours of training. Volunteers will learn how to provide basic information about consumer rights and responsibilities in response to telephone inquiries and letter contacts, and will actively mediate, by telephone and letter contact, complaints and disputes between businesses and customers.

Anyone interested in learning more about this opportunity may write to the Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau, Office of the Attorney General, 33 Capitol Street, Concord, New Hampshire 03301-6397, call the Bureau at (603) 271-3641, or visit the website at and click on the Consumer Protection link to receive a description of the program and an application form.

Applications will be accepted until September 6, 2005.