Child & Young Person Counsellor/Therapist - Volunteer

Will you share your young person counselling or psychotherapy skills to support a mental health support service for our young patients with a pain condition or young carers? What difference will you make? You will join the charity during a challenging and growing period and your expert knowledge and experience will be invaluable to our success. You will have a key role in supporting the development of our counselling and psychotherapy service and ensuring we provide counselling services and mental health support to child and/or young CRPS patients and young carers who are in need of our support and inclusion on a regular basis. With your help, we will expand our support and mental health services to ensure our young clients receive mental health support, mentorship and advice that they may not have been previously offered.

What are we looking for?

• Essential

• Be a member of one of the recognised organisations (see below)
• Diploma level qualifications as a minimum, Degree or Masters in Counselling, Counselling/Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy or Art Therapy (especially qualifications for therapy in young people)
• Proof of professional indemnity insurance annually (we can provide a certain amount of expenses for insurance)
• Proof of professional body membership annually
• A valid DBS certificate (enhanced version), which is less than three years old and renewed every three years (we can help with this if necessary)
• Able to keep people’s personal data safe
• Minimum of 100 clinically supervised hours

• Knowledge of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome or chronic pain or willingness to learn
• Previous experience as a chronic pain or CRPS counsellor or psychologist
• Previous experience as a young person’s therapist
• Committed to our values
• Willing to develop skills and experience
• Enjoy working as part of a team
• Effective administration skills, planning and organisation skills
• Approachable, presentable, enthusiastic

Once we’ve assessed your application, you may be invited for an interview which will take place online. If you are successful, we will arrange for you to have an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service DBS or Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) check unless you already have one in the last 3 years.

Recognised Organisations

• British Association for Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP)
• British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapists (BABCP)
• Complimentary and Natural Healthcare Council
• General Hypnotherapy Register
• British Society for Clinical Hypnotherapists
• National Council for Hypnotherapists
• United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy
• The National Hypnotherapy Society
• National Counselling Society
• Health & Care Professions Council
• The Association for Professional Hypnosis and Psychotherapy
• National Register of Hypnotherapists & Psychotherapists

What will you be doing?

We are looking for 2 volunteer Child & Young Person therapists. As a Volunteer Child & Young Person Counsellor/Therapist, you’ll be providing counselling / psychotherapy support services to young people who are vulnerable, isolated and in need of mental health services. We are looking for counsellors / therapists who have experience or qualifications for counselling young people aged 5-18. We understand that you may be a therapist who supports children aged 5-11 or with young people/teens aged 12-18, in which case please apply. You’ll provide one-to-one online counselling sessions either online or by phone. With your recognised counselling or therapy qualifications and experience, you will be an asset to our small charity and to our service users. Depending on your qualifications, skills and experience, volunteer Child & Young Person counsellors provide counselling support or specialist services such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Art Therapy and/or EMDR. In this role, you’ll be able to develop your CYP counselling skills, organisation, communication and team working skills. You’ll use your counselling skills to mentor, provide advice and support to young people who are either living with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) or are a young carer for someone living with CRPS. Most importantly, you’ll be providing essential services that help make sure no-one has to face CRPS alone.

What The Role Involves

This role may vary depending on needs, but is likely to include:

• Providing one-to-one counselling therapy sessions
• Attending group clinical supervision every month
• Working in collaboration with other volunteer counsellors and supervisors to develop our counselling & therapy programme
• Mentoring children and young people who are in need of mental health support
• Participating in bimonthly volunteer meetings and clinical meetings with the Clinical Lead
• Maintaining client confidentiality, upholding data protection (GDPR) and equal opportunities principle

We can support you to develop the skills you need for this role, including an induction into all the areas outlined. You will have a chance to discuss your role and any additional needs with us. Supervision and indemnity insurance: You will receive internal group supervision with up to 4 therapists in each group. We would also be able to cover an amount for insurance costs as expenses for volunteer counsellors.