Counsellor - Part Time - Temporary

Information

CrossReach is looking for Counsellors to work as part of a team delivering a specialist and professional counselling service to people affected by drug/substance use.

 

The demand for professional mental health support in Scotland for those affected by substance use has never been higher.  Many are struggling and few can afford to pay for professional help.  Evidence indicates substance use patterns have been significantly and adversely affected by the pandemic and sadly drug-related deaths in 2021 are anticipated to increase year-on-year.

At Simpson House, Counselling and Recovery, we recognise every client is different.  We work with people experiencing significant trauma, who are affected by drug use; both in the community and in prison.  Our multi-disciplinary team of staff and volunteers offers a range of interventions including group work, therapeutic support in managing thoughts, feelings and behaviours and individual counselling and therapy.

This role offers you a fantastic opportunity to become a counsellor in a well-known and highly regarded specialist service working with people affected by substance use. 

• Do you want to be a part of a close-knit, professional therapeutic team of staff and volunteers to proactively and ethically respond to clients’ needs?
• Do you want to work in a supportive environment with like-minded peers?
• Are you keen to develop your excellent therapeutic skills in trauma and specialist practice, providing counselling to an agreed caseload of clients?
• Do you want to be part of one of Scotland’s largest voluntary social work organisations working closely alongside four other CrossReach Counselling Services based in the East of Scotland?
• Do you want access to an extensive programme of both in house training and specialist therapeutic training, including Adult Generic, Perinatal Mental Health, Substance Use, Children & Young People, Safeguarding and Workplace Counselling?

You must be prepared to work from home and at our Edinburgh city centre premises on Queen Street and Palmerston Place. At the current time, we are working towards a blended model offering services both face-to-face and remotely.

This is a temporary post for 18 months.  Please state how many hours you are interested in working on your application form under Relevant Information so that this can be discussed at interview.

Salary is pro rata of 38.5 hours per week.

Main Function

1. To work as part of a team delivering a specialist and professional counselling service to people affected by drug/substance use.
2. To provide counselling under clinical supervision for an agreed caseload of clients.
3. To work with colleagues to constantly increase the effectiveness/quality of the service delivered.

Main Duties

1. Respond to referrals and enquiries received from potential clients, agencies and the general public.
2. Undertake initial assessments and offer open-ended counselling with regular reviews to an agreed caseload of clients in the community and, possibly, in HMP Edinburgh
3. Undertake administrative tasks relating to client work including making up client files, case note recording, telephone and written correspondence with clients, filing of current and closed case files and completion of relevant forms e.g. monthly workload sheets, closure forms, SMR.
4. Work to legislative, ethical, policy and procedural requirements including:

• CrossReach policies and procedures (HR, Health and Safety and Operational)
• Service specific policies and procedures
• BACP Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy
• Other relevant policies and procedures to uphold best practice including child protection and vulnerable adults.

5. Undertake relevant Continuing Professional Development including maintaining interest in the latest literature regarding drug use and related topics and providing training/talks to others as required.

6. Liaise with other voluntary, statutory workers and stakeholders as required.  Build and maintain knowledge of related services for clients.

7. Embrace monitoring and evaluation systems including client evaluation questionnaires.

8. Undertake other tasks as agreed through Performance Management System and/or requested by the Clinical Manager or Senior Counsellor.

SUPPORT AND SUPERVISION

1. Actively participate in line management supervision and Performance Management.

2. Make good use of individual clinical supervision (min 1½ hours/month in line with BACP requirements) and group supervision where provided.

3. Attend and be involved in staff meetings.

4. Seek additional support and information from Manager, Simpson House Counselling/Manager, Simpson House as required.

GENERAL

• Have respect for all aspects of Christian worship
• Facilitate Service Users to attend Christian worship (or worship of choice as required by the role).

Qualifications

Essential:

• A recognised counselling qualification at Diploma level (sufficient for the candidate to be eligible for individual accreditation with BACP or COSCA)

Desirable:

• Further qualifications in Social Work, Health, Education, Art Therapy or similar.
• ACTO approved online counselling qualification or evidence that you meet the BACP online competencies.

Personal

Ability to manage own workload whilst demonstrating a supportive, cooperative, creative and effective approach to team working.

Personal resilience and an ability to know when your own issues are triggered by therapeutic work/work situations and take necessary action to resolve/work constructively with such issues.

To be able to work with empathy, genuineness and acceptance.

As we do our work in Christ’s name you must be respectful of our Christian Ethos and be able to work within it.

This post requires you to either complete a Disclosure or be a member of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme and undertake the necessary vetting checks.

Skills and Abilities

Essential:

• A strong ability to engage and form therapeutic relationships with people affected by drug/substance misuse.
• Knowledge and understanding of issues relating to the client group inc:
  • Drugs/substance use
  • Offending behavior
  • Blood borne viruses
  • Mental health/dual diagnosis
  • Other generic and specialist counselling themes
• Ability to use supervision and supports effectively.
• IT skills – including email, internet, Microsoft word.
• Commitment to continuing professional development.

Desirable:

• 200 hours post qualifying counselling experience under clinical supervision.
• Previous experience of working in the Social Work, Health, Education or Voluntary Sector.
• Knowledge of related services for clients.
• Individual accreditation with BACP or COSCA.