Accountable to: Counselling Lead

Place of Work: The Southmead Project, Bristol

Interview date: Monday 3^rd July

The Southmead Project: The Southmead Project is an equal opportunities employer providing free counselling and support for survivors of abuse across Bristol and its surrounding areas. We support people who have experienced any type of abuse, including sexual, physical and emotional abuse, domestic abuse and neglect. Our clients are aged 18+ and of all genders. Our recruitment is done in line with safer recruitment practices.

We are looking to diversify our staff team in order to better represent the communities that we serve, so we particularly welcome applications from people who identify as male and people of colour.

We value our team of counsellors very highly and pride ourselves on being a supportive employer. We provide the following benefits to encourage every counsellor to have a supported, well-rounded and enriched practice:

• Paid supervision for 1.5 hours per month, with an external supervisor of that counsellor’s choice
• Paid group supervision / reflective practice with counsellors at the Southmead Project for 1.5 hours each month
• Line management for 1 hour per month
• Training budget of £500 per year to spend on relevant training of that counsellor’s choice
• Optional private counselling for up to 12 sessions per year with an external counsellor of that person’s choice

Job Purpose: To deliver one-to-one counselling for clients in person and online/by phone who have experienced trauma or abuse.

Principle Tasks:

1. To provide one-to-one counselling for survivors of abuse of all genders.
2. To carry out initial assessments with people that have been referred for counselling.
3. To be able to hold counselling sessions both in person and online/by phone while working from the Southmead Project.
4. To help develop the overall service capability of our therapeutic based work.
5. To carry out basic administration tasks, including client input of data and maintenance of client records.
6. To maintain statistical information as required by the charity.  
7. To responsibly manage and act on any safeguarding concerns relating to children or adults at risk of harm.
8. To assist in promoting the charity by attending meetings directly connected with your work.
9. To work within the framework, spirit and ethos of the Southmead Project’s Equal Opportunities Policy, and actively engage in promoting the policy within the charity and in all dealings with clients and other agencies.
10. To attend monthly one-to-one clinical supervision with a supervisor approved by the Southmead Project. (Supervision is a requirement of this charity as members of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy).
11. To attend monthly one-to-one line management meetings and team meetings.
12.  All members of staff, paid and unpaid, are required to undergo the enhanced level of Disclosure and Barring Service check.
13. To undertake any other duties appropriate to the needs of the charity.

Person Specification

ESSENTIAL:

• Diploma in Counselling (British Association of Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP) accredited course or equivalent); and to have BACP accreditation or be working towards BACP accreditation or equivalent.
• Experience of one-to-one counselling with clients that have experienced trauma or abuse and an understanding of the issues affecting this client group.
• Maintain a caseload of 4 clients per day.
• The ability to work with clients both in person and online/by phone.
• Experience of carrying out initial assessments with clients.
• To have a core level of competency to respond, manage and act on safeguarding concerns to protect adults at risk and children.
• Strong IT skills and experience of using Microsoft Word and Excel, with the ability to confidently use an online Case Management System.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
• A commitment to identifying ongoing personal development and training needs and to take appropriate action to ensure these needs are met.
• Ability to keep accurate and confidential records of client work.
• Experience of being a client in a formal counselling relationship.
• To work to the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy ethical guidelines.
• To be a registered member of BACP, UKCP, NCS or equivalent professional body.
• To have the capacity to work flexibly within a small professional team.
• The ability to manage own time and work load effectively.

DESIRABLE:

• Experience of working with clients online or by phone.
• Training in trauma processing approaches, such as EMDR, brainspotting, trauma-focused CBT, and Rewind Technique.
• Experience of working with people who have used drugs or alcohol to cope with trauma.
• Experience of working within a community-based organisation.