Senior Counsellor - Part Time - Temporary

Information

CrossReach is searching for a part-time Senior Counsellor (24 Hours) for its Sunflower Garden Service based in Edinburgh.

 

The demand for professional mental health support in Scotland for Children & Young People has never been higher.  Many are struggling and few can afford to pay for professional help.

At Sunflower Garden we recognise that every child and young person is different and our multi-disciplinary team offers a range of interventions including a family outreach service providing therapeutic support in schools alongside individual (and occasionally group), in-house counselling and art therapy.

This role offers you a fantastic opportunity to carry a small client caseload yourself  (three clients at most), be responsible for overseeing a team of counsellors carrying their own caseloads and, depending on your skillset, also, ideally, be involved in training delivery and clinical supervision.  Knowledge and experience of the substance use field and working with families and children is desirable although not essential.  

• Do you want to lead a close-knit, professional therapeutic team of volunteers to proactively and ethically respond to clients’ needs?
• Do you want to work in a supportive environment with like-minded peers and managers?
• Are you keen to develop your excellent therapeutic and management skills?
• 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 management 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 operating a blended model offering services both face-to-face and remotely.

This is a temporary post for one year maternity cover.

Salary is pro rata of 38.5 hours per week.

#crossreach 

Main Function

Working within CrossReach Counselling Services, you will work as part of a holistic team to deliver a service that ensures that the needs of our young clients are fully met. You will be expected to assist in the development of a high quality counselling, therapy and support service for families affected by parental substance use, working to the highest professional standards of COSCA, BACP or BAA.

You will promote a Therapeutic Environment and ensure that our services reflect CrossReach's Christian ethos and mission statement.

Main Duties

1. Hold specific responsibilities for the day-to-day operation of the service and to hold clinical responsibility in relation to referral assessment and allocation of clients.
2. Manage the clinical aspects of the client waiting list and referrals to the service. To take a lead role in assessing new referrals into the service, conducting initial assessments and allocating clients to counselling staff and volunteers, and to hold a small client caseload.
3. Contribute to developing policies and procedures and work within the policies procedures and guidelines set down by CrossReach including human resources policies, health and safety guidelines, and child protection guidelines.
4. Participate in recruitment, selection, induction and training of a multi-disciplinary team including volunteer counsellors, supervisors, therapists, and fundraising volunteers. Co-ordinate PVG Disclosure applications and act as counter-signatory.
5. Provide clinical and management supervision for staff and volunteers as appropriate and liaise with other professionals around safeguarding issues for adults and children.
6. Contribute to the development & delivery of training and personal growth opportunities for volunteers within the service.

7. Assist the service manager to raise awareness, promote training and service provision of our therapy provision for adults and children & young people.
8. Together with the service manager, monitor standards required to maintain COSCA Service Recognition and work within the ethical framework laid down by COSCA and BACP/BAAT.
9. Liaise with relevant professional, statutory and voluntary organisations as required.
10. Any other duties as requested by the Counselling Manager.
11. To demonstrate and share Christian love and support including sharing with others the leading of worship in accordance with CrossReach policy and by ensuring all staff meetings are opened with prayer and Bible reading.

Qualifications

Essential: Diploma in Counselling/Art Therapy/Play Therapy

Desirable: Qualification in Training and Clinical Supervision, Qualification in Counselling Children and Young People

Personal

The post holder must have the ability to be a strong self motivator and be able to work to a broad remit, where changing priorities can be a daily occurrence.

As we do our work in Christ’s name the job you have applied for requires you to have a Christian faith and be able to work within and uphold our Christian Ethos.  This is an Occupational Requirement under Part 1 of Schedule 9 to the Equality Act 2010.

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

Skills and Abilities

Essential:

• Significant post qualifying practice hours.
• Experience in counselling children and young people.
• Experience in clinical supervision.
• Good communication and team working skills.
• Basic computer literacy skills including use of Microsoft Office and the internet.

Desirable:

• Experience in delivering training, and managing staff and volunteers.
• Experience of working with families affected by substance use and being able to work across a multi disciplinary team.