Counselling supervisor - Volunteer in Southampton

Our organisation provides mental health support to hard-to-reach communities. As a volunteer counselling supervisor, you'll guide and oversee counsellors, ensuring ethical practice and professional development.

The role of a volunteer counselling supervisor within a Community Interest Company (CIC) dedicated to providing mental health support to hard-to-reach communities is pivotal. This position goes beyond administrative tasks, acting as a cornerstone of the organisation’s success in improving mental health outcomes for vulnerable populations. By overseeing, guiding, and mentoring counsellors, a volunteer counselling supervisor can shape the quality of services provided and impact the overall wellbeing of the community.

The impact of this role on the CIC and the wider community is profound, affecting counsellors, clients, the organisation, and society at large. From improving the quality of services to fostering a supportive team environment and promoting ethical practices, the supervisor’s influence permeates every aspect of the organisation. Their role directly affects the lives of clients, ensuring that they receive compassionate, professional, and ethical care to navigate their challenges.

In a world where mental health services are often inaccessible to those who need them most, the volunteer counselling supervisor is crucial in shaping the future of the organisation and contributing to the empowerment and wellbeing of vulnerable communities. This role supports the CIC in achieving its mission to provide high-quality mental health support to those who need it the most, and its impact is immeasurable.

What are we looking for?

A counselling supervisor needs a strong foundation in clinical experience, ideally with a background in providing therapy across a range of mental health issues. They need to be a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) or equivalent. Experience in supervising or mentoring counsellors is also essential. Supervisors need to be able to assess the competency of others, ensuring that they work within their professional limits while fostering their development.

In addition to technical skills, a counselling supervisor must possess excellent communication and interpersonal abilities. They need to be empathetic and supportive, creating a safe and open environment where counsellors feel comfortable discussing difficult cases and emotional challenges. They need to have qualifications in counselling supervision.

What will you be doing?

As a volunteer counselling supervisor, you will provide fortnightly group supervision sessions for a group of four counsellors. These sessions will align with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) supervision guidelines, ensuring counsellors meet ethical and professional standards.

• Conducting Fortnightly Supervision Sessions: You will facilitate group-based supervision sessions every two weeks, providing guidance and support to the counsellors as they reflect on their practice, challenges, and client outcomes.
• Competency Assessment: The goal is to ensure counsellors work within their professional competencies, promoting their growth while safeguarding client welfare. You will help assess their abilities and identify areas for development.
• Ethical Oversight: You will assist counsellors in navigating ethical dilemmas, particularly when working with vulnerable populations. Ensuring adherence to the highest ethical standards is a key aspect of your role.
• Developing Reflective Practice: You will encourage counsellors to engage in reflective practice, helping them improve therapeutic techniques, better understand their clients' needs, and develop deeper insights into their own practice.
• Adhering to BACP Supervision Standards: Your supervision will consistently meet BACP guidelines and uphold ethical standards, ensuring counsellors' work aligns with best practices and promotes client welfare.
• Providing Constructive Feedback: You will provide constructive feedback on each counsellor’s practice, helping them identify strengths and areas for improvement to enhance their effectiveness.

You will work closely with the Counselling Lead, who oversees the work of all supervisors. You will interact with peer-mentors, admin and support staff, and the crisis team to ensure the smooth running of services and effective support for both counsellors and clients. While the core responsibilities focus on supervision, there are also opportunities to contribute to other areas within the organisation, such as Safeguarding Lead, Peer-Mentor Lead and Fundraising Lead. Your role as a volunteer counselling supervisor will directly impact both the counsellors you supervise and the clients they support, contributing to our mission of providing high-quality mental health care to hard-to-reach communities.