Job Title: Counsellor

Employer:  The Southmead Project

Accountable to: Head of Counselling

Place of Work: Southmead Project, Southmead, Bristol, BS10 6AS

Interview date: Tuesday 1^st September 2020

Salary:   £26,500 p/a pro rata

The Southmead Project is an equal opportunities employer providing free counselling and support for survivors of abuse across Bristol and surrounding areas.

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 six sessions per year with an external counsellor of that person’s choice

Job Purpose: To deliver one-to-one counselling to people that have experienced trauma or abuse, both face-to-face and online / by phone.

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 online or by phone while working from home, and to work face-to-face either at the Southmead Project or at outreach locations.

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 assist in promoting the charity by attending meetings directly connected with your work.

8. 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.

9. 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).

10. To attend monthly one-to-one line management meetings.

11.  All members of staff, paid and unpaid, are required to undergo the enhanced level of Disclosure and Barring Service check.

12. 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 online or by phone while working from home, and to work face-to-face either at the Southmead Project and other outreach locations.

• A commitment to identifying ongoing personal development and training needs and to take appropriate action to ensure these needs are met.

• Keep accurate and confidential records of client work.

• Experience of being a client in a formal counselling relationship.

• Ability to carry out needs-led assessments with clients.

• To work to the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy ethical guidelines.

• To have the capacity to work flexibly within a small professional team.

• Basic IT skills and experience.

DESIRABLE:

• Experience of working with clients online or by phone.

• Experience of working within a community-based organisation.

• Experience of working with people that have used drugs or alcohol to cope with trauma.