Adult counselling service jobs in belfast

Job Title: Money & Energy Adviser

Reports to: Money & Energy Advice Service Lead

Location:

Home based – one post

Home based with travel across the South West region as required – one post.

Hours: 35 hpw (full time) Monday to Friday. Hours to be agreed with successful candidate. Must be sufficiently flexible to work irregular hours as demanded by the requirements of the post

Contract: Full fixed term contract, ending 31 March 2026. Extension subject securing future funding.

Salary: 35 hpw £27,600 pa

(plus expenses, pension, and generous annual leave)

To deliver money and energy advice service for kidney patients struggling with their energy and water bills and other costs of living challenges. You will provide subject matter expert support within our Patient Support Services team, and will work closely with our Patient Support & Advocacy Officers to develop and grow this service in your area.

Summary
To raise awareness of the service and build strong relationships with kidney patients, professionals, and other kidney stakeholder groups in your defined geographic region.

Key responsibilities
• With support, establish the Kidney Care UK Money & Energy Advice Service in the region for patients and carers at risk of fuel poverty to access independent support on money and energy matters
• Responsible for the day-to-day delivery of the Money & Energy Advice Service across the region, effectively managing an ongoing caseload
• Provide practical advice to patients, assessing their needs and identifying sources of support to resolve financial, practical and psychosocial challenges.

• Activities will include creating budget plans, completing income maximisation checks and benefit claims, carrying out switching exercises and Home Energy Surveys (this is not an exclusive list of tasks)
• Responsible for identifying cases where FSA approved advice is required, and supporting patients in the referral of their case to our approved partner organisation or other appropriate regional/national services

• Act as a gateway to local information and access to:

• Kidney Care UK Patient Grants service, raising awareness of the service and supporting applications
• Kidney Care UK Patient Support & Advocacy Service, to ensure patients have access to reliable and accurate patient information relating to kidney disease, patient pathways, models of care, and patient choice
• Kidney Care UK Counselling Service and other appropriate services to meet patients’ emotional and physiological needs

• Work closely with local Kidney Care UK Patient Support & Advocacy Officers to ensure that patients receive expert advice in all areas of need, with smooth, effective handovers ensuring that patients feel supported and part of the Kidney Care UK ‘family’ at all times
• Maintain records on the Kidney Care UK database to support service delivery and communications with patients, and facility effective reporting to Kidney Care UK and our funders
• Raise awareness of Kidney Care UK and the benefit of its full range of Patient Support Services amongst kidney patients, their families, carers and professionals across the region
• Provide insight on patients’ concerns and unmet needs to inform Kidney Care UK research, campaigns, and new service development activity
• Work in a way that respects the personal, social, cultural and spiritual needs of the individual and maintains the confidentiality of information they may have shared with you

Trauma Treatment International (TTI) is a registered charity in the UK. Our focus and expertise is in providing evidence-based psychological treatment and support to victims of collective violence around the world. As well as providing treatment for victims directly, we work with organisations and communities to manage, mitigate and prevent trauma. 

This is a highly rewarding role and an exciting opportunity to join and lead our small, yet experienced and impactful team. The role offers the platform to work creatively and flexibly internationally, network with fantastic organisations and help to influence, shape and sustain TTI’s strategy and activities in this pivotal time in the organisation’s development.

Description

 Key Areas of  Responsibility

Clinical strategy and plans for growth

• Have responsibility for the strategic development of TTI’s clinical team, clinical delivery and clinical outcomes, to meet TTI’s ambitious and transformational Strategy 2025-2030.
• Provide clinical leadership to the development of TTI’s strategic vision and annual delivery planning, models of service delivery, standards and clinical governance.
• Support and enable partners, service users and especially those with lived experience to inform TTI’s clinical service design, delivery and evaluation and to engage in communications and research activities in a way that is psychologically safe and follows principles of trauma-informed practice.
• Manage TTI’s clinical capacity and skills, and oversee the growth and development of the team, including recruiting, supervising and managing workload/ assignment of internal staff, associates and external multi-disciplinary team to ensure the organisation’s ability to meet service demand.
• Develop and implement strategies to actively promote diversity in the clinical team and champion culturally sensitive approaches to trauma treatment through research, partnerships and new projects.
• Liaise directly and regularly with TTI’s Trustee with responsibility for clinical oversight, and provide regular reports to the Board of Trustees to support strategic decision-making and risk oversight.
• Oversee the smooth running and effectiveness of specialist clinical advisory groups (clinical advisory groups, research advisory groups and project advisory groups) for TTI that meet the strategic requirements of the organisation and build the evidence base, engage experts and build the reputation and scope of TTI’s work with professionals, networks and sectors in the UK and internationally.
• Take a lead in developing clinical research opportunities, identify opportunities to develop Quality Improvement Projects and disseminate learning internally and externally in collaboration with the communications team.
• Build relationships with Clinical Leads in organisations with shared aims, to build TTI’s relationships and opportunities for partnership and project working.
• Lead the design of internal wellbeing policies and activities and embed trauma-informed knowledge and skills across the organisation, including with clinical and non-clinical staff and trustees.

Delivery of Clinical Services

• Drive TTI’s clinical delivery, in line with TTI’s overarching strategic objectives, including setting long-term and annual objectives and KPIs, within the context of clinical evidence- based best practice, trauma informed principles, participation of those with lived experience and budgetary, donor and risk-management requirements.
• Oversee the development and implementation of TTI’s clinical treatment pathways for survivors of torture, trafficking, slavery and violent conflict or those affected by vicarious trauma or burnout through their work in human rights, including:
  • up to date and evidence based clinical pathways for the main clinical presentations we see at TTI
  • robust assessment, formulation, treatment and ending processes
  •  robust partnership agreements with organisations referring people to TTI for clinical treatment.
• Develop and refine TTI’s clinical services in response to community needs and local/global events, in line with TTI’s strategy, including for working in international communities affected by violent conflict.
• Maintain an appropriate clinical caseload.
• Deliver services to TTI’s organisational clients, (including organisational reviews, trauma training, 1:1 professional consultations, critical incident support), especially to pilot, test and quality control these aspects of TTI’s delivery.
• Support gaps in clinical team capacity as required to ensure smooth running of delivery and excellence of service to our individual and organisational clients.
• Support internal processes led by the fundraising team to design new projects and develop grant applications in order to grow the reach and impact of TTI’s work.
• Support the development of international projects and partnerships and oversee the safe delivery of international work, whether in person or online, in collaboration with the Projects and Partnerships Lead.
• Attend conferences and networks of psychologists in order to learn and embed TTI’s clinical reputation and access to learning and dissemination.

Quality Assurance and Evaluation

• Deliver an evidence-based and continuous evaluation culture and promote internal reflection and learning.
• Maintain and further develop a robust framework for quality assurance and evaluation of TTI’s clinical activities, including engagement of clients, service users and those with lived experience.
• Oversee the consistent use of evidence based clinical measures and ensure robust processes to monitor, evaluate, learn and report on the quality and impact of TTI’s clinical activities and outcomes.
• Support the transition of TTI’s clinical team and associates onto client management software,  with a focus on good data, confidentiality and consistency of adoption.
• Ensure that all systems and processes for storing, managing and reporting on clinical/client data provide robust confidentiality, security and meet TTI’s policies and legal frameworks including Data Protection Act 1998, Caldicott principles.
• Provide regular, timely and accurate data on TTI’s clinical activities and outcomes, to contribute to reports for donors, communications campaigns and annual impact reports and as required throughout the calendar year.
• Provide quarterly performance reports to the CEO and Clinical Trustee on clinical performance, based on clinical data and input from the clinical team and attend Board meetings as requested to report on clinical delivery.
• Oversee TTI’s processes for gathering and responding to feedback from clients and service users, and manage formal and informal complaints relating to the delivery of clinical delivery with the CEO.

Clinical Risk and Safeguarding

• Hold delegated authority from the Board for TTI’s clinical risk management, including engagement in TTI’s Risk-Management Sub-Committee, driving implementation of risk-management and mitigation actions relating to clinical delivery and leading TTI’s monthly internal QSP meetings.
• Feed into internal annual policy review processes, as they relate to clinical delivery, risk management and compliance with clinical duties and trauma-informed practice.
• Be the Safeguarding Lead for TTI, escalating to the Senior Safeguarding Leads as required and ensure processes are in place to meet TTI’s Safeguarding Policy and procedures within the clinical team and associates.

People Management

• Line manage and supervise senior clinical staff and provide support in their duties to manage and supervise their direct reports.
• Notice and respond appropriately to any performance management issues.
• Organise CPD opportunities for internal staff and associates. Oversee the Head of Treatment Services in delivering peer support for internal staff and associates. Update staff of any relevant changes in professional guidance.  
• Support the wellbeing of the clinical team and embed a culture of self-care, trauma-informed practice and delivery excellence.
• Take up monthly external supervision provided by TTI.
• Identify skills gaps and strategies to fill these across the clinical function, within budgetary constraints and maximising access to and sharing of internal knowledge and expertise.
• Maintain up to date knowledge of requirements, guidelines and best practice from clinical governing bodies.

General

• Provide clinical input into communications materials and content in line with TTI’s Communications Strategy as required by the communications and marketing teams.
• Compliance with organisational policies and practices, and attendance at mandatory training.
• Any other appropriate duties as required by the organisation.

Personal Specification

 Essential Criteria

• HCPC registered psychologist who has completed Post Graduate doctoral level training in counselling or clinical psychology.
• Minimum 5 years post registration experience working within mental health services.
• Managerial and leadership experience
• Clinical experience across the life span of individuals
• Up to date knowledge and experience of working with clients with PTSD, complex PTSD, survivors of human rights abuses, such as torture, and/or war related trauma and/or asylum seekers.
• Training in at least two UK NICE guidelines evidence based treatment for PTSD.
• Significant experience of psychological assessment and treatment of clients across a range of settings (could include one or more of NHS, voluntary sector, international humanitarian, community-based, inpatient, field hospital, disaster response etc).
• Experience of developing and delivering training online and in person.
• Knowledge of risk management, safeguarding
• An understanding of the complexities of experience of those surviving torture, trafficking and slavery, persecution and violent conflict
• Understanding of workforce exposure to trauma or traumatic material and experience in staff support
• Evidence of post qualification development
• Training and supervisory experience
• Project management experience
• Ability to manage, motivate, support, develop and lead an online team and promote safe remote working
• A degree of financial awareness with an appreciation of the need to balance the provision of quality care against a budget
• Knowledge of appropriate standards and external regulatory bodies, such as the Care Quality Commission.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience of crisis response work
• Knowledge of languages or cultures of those we seek to support
• Lived experience of the issues reflected in TTI’s mission and aims
• Working knowledge of relevant Mental Health, Asylum, Employment and Health & Safety Legislation (e.g. Human Rights Act 1998, Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, Mental Health Act 1983 and Mental Incapacity Act 2005) 
• Experience of working in the charity sector or international development sector in the UK or internationally
• Experience in facilitating critical incident response sessions and reflective practice

Qualifications

• Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (DClinPsy)
• Doctorate in Counselling Psychology (DPsyc)

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU:

• 33 days annual leave, pro rata to reflect contractual hours (including bank holidays and 3 mandatory days over the Christmas period)
• 3% Employer Pension contribution
• Commitment to staff wellbeing as a trauma informed organisation
• Commitment to personal and professional development
• Flexible working to fit your personal circumstances
• Opportunity to lead the organisation’s clinical development and make your mark as the organisation grows

Every day, the TSA’s small support and information team make a real difference to people affected by the rare genetic condition Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) and their loved ones. In this vital role, you will help to maintain our high support standards at the TSA, including through operating on the TSA Support Line, developing content for a wide range of platforms and needs, and occasionally attending virtual and in-person TSA events.

You'll be part of a flexible, passionate, welcoming and wholly home-based team, who know they improve the world every single day. The role includes (pro-rata) 25 days annual leave plus 8 bank holidays and the working days that fall between Christmas Day and New Year.

On the TSA Support Line, you will provide support and information regarding TSC via telephone, email and webchat. You will offer an informed, non-judgemental and empathetic listening ear to individuals and families at every step of their journey. The type of enquiries we receive are wide ranging, covering matters such as health, social care and education. You will also engage with professionals supporting people with the condition.

You will have a key role in researching, developing, and updating information across our various platforms including (but not limited to) content for our website, social media, support line materials, leaflets, e-newsletter and our community magazine. The primary audience of the materials will be the TSC community. Materials used by NHS clinics and clinicians are also developed by us, which you will have a central part in developing.

You will help to ensure that our internal processes are effective, and the information that we provide to the TSC community is timely, up-to-date, and relevant.

You will attend TSA events (virtually and in-person) to market the TSA Support Line services, participate in sessions and assist in support-related issues.

We are a small but very impactful charity, where roles are wide-reaching. Although this role is focused on support and information services, the successful candidate should also expect to get involved with projects from other TSA teams including communications, research and fundraising.

Responsibilities

1. TSA Support Line

1.1 Through the TSA Support Line, you will provide information and support to individuals living with TSC, their families and professionals by telephone, email and webchat, ensuring that:

• All enquiries received through the TSA Support Line receive a response based on high quality, up-to-date and evidence-based information.
• You log, triage and respond to enquiries received by telephone, email, post and webchat in line with agreed timelines, policies and procedures.
• You direct non-support related enquiries to appropriate TSA staff, taking messages where necessary.
• You are sensitive and responsive to the needs of the individuals living with TSC, family members and health, social care and education professionals using the TSA Support Line.
• You provide time-limited, structured support through formal case management processes for a small number of individuals and families who are most vulnerable and who need regular help and support. This includes individuals with learning disabilities, autism and complex needs, and families who face a wide range of challenges accessing health, social care and education services for their loved ones.
• You collect and accurately record data enabling the TSA to monitor and evaluate the performance of the TSA Support Line, including usage data (such as number and length of calls), qualitative information (feedback from service users) and data collected in conversation (such as logging broad categories of issues that service users are facing).
• You support individuals and families who wish to apply for financial support from the TSA Support Fund, helping them to complete the relevant application forms, ensuring that they supply documentary evidence, and logging their application appropriately for audit and compliance.
• Your support demonstrates best practice and complies with the law on safeguarding (making sure we are working appropriately with vulnerable adults and children) and data protection (making sure that we are handling all sensitive data appropriately).
• You proactively engage with regular reflective practice and supervision to safeguard your own health and wellbeing and support individual and team learning. This will include individual supervision through regular 1-2-1s with your line manager and team supervision through weekly calls for all those working on the support line.
• You will contribute your expert insight into the challenges and issues that the TSC community are facing to help colleagues across the organisation develop information materials, online resources and event agendas for communications channels including the TSA’s community magazine ('Scan'), our website, social media and events.
• You will ensure that internal processes for recording TSA Support Line enquiries, and signposting information on the support line, are maintained to a high standard and kept up to date.

1.2 You will play a key role in the TSA’s safeguarding as part of your work on the TSA Support Line and in supporting other members of staff with any questions that they have.

1.3 You will ensure confidentiality in the provision of the TSA Support Line, managing conversations and relationships tactfully and diplomatically with members of our small community who may also interact regularly with the charity at face-to-face and virtual events and through our social media channels. 

1.4 You will work closely with colleagues from across the TSA to ensure that our support and information services are joined-up with and informed by other services offered by the TSA more broadly across our website, social media channels, Scan and face-to-face and virtual events.

1.5 You will help to ensure that the TSA Support Line demonstrates best practice in the provision of support and information. You will work with the Joint Chief Executive and Support and Information Manager to develop proposals to develop and market the service that are joined-up with the support provided across our website, social media channels, Scan and face-to-face and virtual events.

2 Support, information and signposting

2.1 Ensure that high quality, up-to-date and evidence-based information is available to individuals and families living with TSC, and the professionals that support them. Regularly review, draft and develop new materials to support people affected by the condition.

2.2 Work with the Joint Chief Executive and Support and Information Manager to develop appropriate and consistent information to signpost TSA Support Line service users to external partner organisations that can provide specialist support for specific aspects of TSC (such as autism or mental health issues) and living with TSC (such as finding a job or facing bereavement).

2.3 Initiate and maintain regular contact with NHS TSC clinics across the UK to encourage greater communication and support between the TSA and TSC clinics. This could include encouraging clinics to join the NHS TSC Rare Disease Collaborative Network (RDCN), liaising with TSA Medical Advisers about medical support line enquiries, or working with clinics to better understand how the TSA can best help them.

2.4 Work closely with the rest of the TSA including communications, research and fundraising, to demonstrate current knowledge of the work of the organisation and developments in TSC.

2.5 Keep up to date with external events and news and draft relevant content for social media, physical media, e-news and the community magazine, Scan, to support and inform the TSC community.

2 TSA events

2.1 Attend TSA face-to-face and virtual events each year to market the TSA Support Line to people living with TSC, their families and professionals (up to approximately seven face-to-face events per year). General events assistance for the event on the day of face-to-face events will also be expected (for example, this could include time on the reception desk or directing attendees between sessions). Face-to-face events could include Outlook (for adults living with TSC), Big Day (our annual meeting for everyone in the TSC community), Family Fun Days (for younger families), TSA Togethers (regional events) and events for NHS TSC clinicians. Time off in lieu will be given for evening and weekend events, or events outside of your usual working days.

2.2 Help to generate ideas for sessions at TSA events by identifying any trends in information and support needs through the TSA Support Line.

4 Supporting health, social care and education professionals

4.1 Develop and maintain training and education materials to help health, social care and education professionals to better understand the impact of TSC.

4.2 Act as a point of contact for professionals who contact the TSA, working with colleagues to build credibility and strong working relationships with them.

Other requirements of the post

The post holder must be prepared to work flexibly to meet the needs of the organisation. This will entail occasional evening and weekend work. Regular travel within the UK will be needed for team meetings, TSA events and training provision. This would normally require access to a car (mileage will be paid) or travel by public transport (tickets will be paid).

The post holder will be expected to have adequate homeworking facilities to allow them to fulfil the role to the best of their abilities.

A DBS disclosure will be required prior to taking up post.

Training on helplines from the Helplines Partnership and on the Virtual Call Centre and database, Beacon, by the in-house team can be provided.

The Cleft Lip and Palate Association (CLAPA) is the national charity for people affected by cleft lip and palate in the United Kingdom. 

We are looking for a Digital Communications Coordinator to cover maternity leave and to support our busy Communications team.

The Digital Communications Coordinator is a key role within CLAPA, responsible for implementing our digital communications strategy to engage and inspire the UK cleft community. This role moves beyond content creation to take ownership of CLAPA’s digital communications across social and email platforms, ensuring online communications are strategic and data-driven. Working closely with colleagues across the organisation, this role supports the planning, delivery, and monitoring of campaigns that inform, support, and connect the cleft community in the UK. 

This is a hands-on role suited to someone with a good understanding of digital communications and a passion for community engagement. The Coordinator will manage day-to-day digital content, respond to online enquiries, and support internal teams with their communications needs. They will also play an important part in maintaining CLAPA’s brand and voice across all channels, ensuring our communications are accessible, on-brand, and effective. 

NB - We reserve the right to close applications early if we receive a high volume of strong candidates.