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Title: Active Recovery Practitioner
Place of work: The Southmead Project, BS10 6AS and various locations around Bristol and Somerset
Interview date: Tuesday 9th June
The Southmead Project:
The Southmead Project is an equal opportunities employer providing free specialist trauma counselling and support for adult survivors of abuse across Bristol and surrounding areas. Our recruitment is done in line with safer recruitment practices. We welcome people of any race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, class, ability, language, religion and cultural background. We value the differences between people and affirming each person as an individual.
We value our team very highly and pride ourselves on being a supportive employer. We provide the following benefits to encourage every staff member to have a supported, well-rounded and enriched working experience:
● Paid supervision for 1.5 hours per month, with an external clinical supervisor
● Line management for 1 hour per month
● Training budget of £500 per year to spend on relevant training of that person’s choice
● Employer pension contribution of 5%
● Generous annual leave allowance and paid sick leave
● Cycle to work scheme
● Optional private counselling for up to 12 sessions per year with an external counsellor of that person’s choice
We also support employees with reasonable adjustments through the Access to Work scheme.
The Active Recovery Project gives adult survivors of abuse the opportunity to take part in community-based activities. It provides a safe and supportive space for clients to participate in a variety of group activities with others who share or understand their experience and develop peer relationships, resulting in increasing confidence and reduced isolation.
The activities are based on ideas from our members and include water-based activities (such as rowing, canoeing, sailing and kayaking), surfing, trips to community spaces and creative sessions (such as arts and crafts). Activities take place every week. Each activity will last approximately 2.5 hours each. Members can attend the group sessions for up to 18 months.
The current Practitioner has said:
“The decision to leave this role has been so difficult, the team are so lovely, caring and supportive. In the role I have got to go surfing, walk alpacas and make a bowl on a pottery wheel. Sometimes I honestly can’t believe it’s my job. I have learnt so much and got to work with some of the most wonderful and inspiring people. There are countless moments at groups that I will never ever forget - some of my most amazing moments in life have come at work and that doesn’t happen very often!”
Job Purpose:
The Practitioner role requires working as part of a small team and they will help prepare and deliver two Active Recovery sessions per week, in Bristol and Somerset. The Somerset group runs on a Tuesday and the Bristol group runs on a Wednesday. During the sessions, the Practitioner will be responsible for using a trauma-informed approach to support clients who become dysregulated or need emotional support.
Principal Tasks:
1. Together with the rest of the Active Recovery team, to provide initial trauma-informed assessment phone calls and/or meetings with potential members as part of the registration process for Active Recovery. This includes assessing need, risk and suitability for the service using a trauma-informed approach.
2. To support the Active Recovery Lead in creating safety plans and tailoring activity sessions where appropriate. These will be informed through relationships with members and the initial assessment phone calls.
3. Support the Active Recovery Lead in planning trauma-informed sessions for members.
4. Support the setting up, delivering and debriefing about activity sessions with members and volunteers. Ensuring members are clear on each session's ground rules and safeguarding processes, using the Member’s Agreement.
5. Provide trauma-informed face-to-face support to members at sessions who may become overwhelmed or require help dealing with flashbacks and dissociation.
6. To support volunteers with safeguarding queries and ensure safeguarding procedures are followed, including being the Safeguarding Lead at activity sessions if the Active Recovery Lead is not there and escalating any onward safeguarding referrals and queries to the Southmead Project Designated Safeguarding Lead.
7. Support the Active Recovery Lead with management of volunteers for the project.
8. Develop and maintain an Active Recovery community through email, phone calls, texts and in person.
9. Be the key person in ensuring that members have all the information and resources needed to get to the sessions - building a relationship of trust with members, using Spond, email, texts and calls, creating Canvas, figuring out transport logistics.
10. Support the project’s aim to have the members’ voices at the heart of the project.
11. Contribute to the development of outcome processes in line with the Southmead Project and its funders’ requirements.
12. Maintain positive relationships with partnership organisations for the project.
13. The Practitioner will not have budget responsibility but will ensure that their own personal expenses (mileage/parking) is within the budget for the project, keeping accurate records.
14. Record data accurately and in a timely manner on Oasis.
15. Attend monthly one-to-one line management meetings with the Head of Active Recovery.
16. To attend monthly one-to-one clinical supervision with a Supervisor who is approved by the Southmead Project. Supervision is a requirement of this charity as an organisational member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy.
17. To work within the framework, spirit and ethos of the Southmead Project’s Equal Opportunities Policy, and actively engage in promoting the policy within the charity and in all dealings with clients and other agencies.
18. Follow the Southmead Project policies, procedures and professional code of conduct as outlined in the Staff Handbook.
19. All members of staff, paid and unpaid, are required to undergo the enhanced level of Disclosure and Barring Service check
Please see documents for full job description and person specification.
Meaningful therapeutic support accessible for adults impacted by abuse and addiction. A safe space for growth, connection and wellbeing for all.

The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Accountable to: CEO
Place of work: The Southmead Project, BS10 6AS
Hours: 4 days per week (30 hours) between 9.00am and 5.00pm
Interview date: Friday 29th May
Salary: £48,000 p/a pro rata
Contract: 1 year fixed term (covering a maternity leave position)
The Southmead Project is an equal opportunities employer providing free specialist counselling and support for survivors of abuse across Bristol and surrounding areas. Our recruitment is done in line with safer recruitment practices. We welcome people of any race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, class, ability, language, religion and cultural background. We value the differences between people and affirm each person as an individual.
We value our team very highly and pride ourselves on being a supportive employer. We provide the following benefits to encourage a supported, well-rounded and enriched practice:
Paid supervision for 1.5 hours per month, with an external supervisor of that person’s choice
Line management for 1 hour per month
Training budget of £500 per year to spend on relevant training of that person’s choice
Employer pension contribution of 5%
Generous annual leave allowance and paid sick leave
Cycle to work scheme
Optional private counselling for up to 12 sessions per year with an external counsellor of that person’s choice
Therapeutic Management
To manage and support a staff team, including the Head of Active Recovery, a Counselling Lead, Nexus Counselling Manager, a Family Support Group Facilitator, and administrators.
To oversee all of the charity’s therapeutic services and ensure that efficient and high-quality services are delivered.
To be the charity’s Designated Safeguarding Lead to respond effectively and efficiently to safeguarding concerns.
To ensure staff are sufficiently trained in adult and child safeguarding and that training records are kept up-to-date.
To oversee the charity’s pre-trial therapy processes and be a point of contact for the police.
To develop and improve the charity’s therapeutic services, including any expansion of the services.
To manage therapeutic recruitment, inductions and training.
To hold monthly staff meetings and service team meetings when needed.
To oversee the individual and group supervision arrangements and reporting for all staff.
To manage and have overall responsibility for the ongoing use of an online Case Management System, ensuring that data is inputted accurately for reporting purposes.
To support the charity’s quality assurance and development of its services through monitoring and responding to client feedback and outcomes data.
To develop the charity’s survivor voice work and ensure that the charity’s services are informed by survivors and their lived experience.
To manage any complaints raised by clients.
Leadership
To work collaboratively as part of a Leadership Team to make decisions and resolve issues affecting the day-to-day running of the charity and management of its staff team.
To strategically plan and develop the therapeutic services of the charity.
To develop relationships with partner agencies and professionals to raise awareness of our therapeutic services and strengthen our work.
To build and maintain a positive working relationship with the Board of Trustees.
To attend and contribute to trustee meetings and trustee working group meetings, reporting on the therapeutic services and any clinical matters arising.
To assist in promoting the charity by attending all relevant meetings directly connected with your work.
To undertake any other duties appropriate to the needs of the charity.
Client Work
To provide one-to-one counselling for survivors of abuse of all genders, both online / by phone and face-to-face, with a caseload of approximately 4 clients.
To maintain confidential and accurate counselling notes of all sessions.
To attend monthly one-to-one clinical supervision with a supervisor approved by the Southmead Project. (Supervision is a requirement of this charity as members of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy).
To attend monthly one-to-one line management meetings.
To work to the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy ethical guidelines.
To work within the framework, spirit and ethos of the Southmead Project’s Equal Opportunities Policy, and actively engage in promoting the policy within the charity and in all dealings with clients and other agencies.
All members of staff, paid and unpaid, are required to undergo the enhanced level of Disclosure and Barring Service check.
Person Specification
ESSENTIAL:
Diploma in Counselling (British Association of Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP) accredited course or equivalent); and to have BACP accreditation or be working towards BACP accreditation or equivalent.
To be a registered member of BACP, UKCP, NCS or equivalent professional body, with over 5 years of supervised counselling experience.
Significant experience of providing one-to-one counselling for survivors of abuse and carrying out initial assessments and risk assessments.
Significant knowledge and understanding of the issues affecting this client group and the impact of trauma.
Significant line management and appraisal experience with the ability to effectively co-ordinate a team.
The ability to support staff to foster a positive working environment and deliver a high quality of service.
Experience of recruiting staff, including inductions and training.
Experience of managing safeguarding concerns and supporting others to act in accordance with safeguarding policies and in the best interests of the client or those at risk.
The ability to work with clients online or by phone.
Experience of working collaboratively as part of a leadership team and ability to contribute to an organisation’s future development.
Experience of developing and maintaining working relationships with partner agencies and professionals.
Excellent organisational and planning skills.
Excellent IT skills and experience of using Microsoft Word and Excel, with the ability to confidently use and support others with an online Case Management System.
Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
A commitment to identifying ongoing personal development and training needs and to take appropriate action to ensure these needs are met.
The ability to keep accurate and confidential records of client work.
Experience of being a client in a formal counselling relationship.
Experience of and commitment to working with diversity.
To have the capacity to work flexibly within a small professional team.
The ability to manage own time and work load effectively.
The ability to chair meetings
DESIRABLE:
Training in trauma processing approaches, such as EMDR, Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET), brainspotting, trauma-focused CBT, and Rewind Technique.
Experience of working within a community-based organisation.
Experience of working with people that have used drugs or alcohol to cope with trauma.
Experience of running therapeutic groups.
Experience of delivering training.
Meaningful therapeutic support accessible for adults impacted by abuse and addiction. A safe space for growth, connection and wellbeing for all.

This is an exciting opportunity to join GamCare as we continue to expand and develop our Online Support Services. To support this expansion, we are seeking an Online Support Team Leader to oversee and lead a growing remote team delivering vital digital support to individuals affected by gambling harm.
The role
You will be responsible for overseeing the delivery and development of GamCare’s Online Support Services, which currently include online appointments, email support, chatrooms and forums, and a self-guided online support programme.
You will lead a remote team of Online Support Practitioners within the wider Helpline service, ensuring consistent, safe and effective support is delivered across all digital channels.
Key responsibilities
·Managing the daily operational delivery of Online Support Services, ensuring high-quality support and adherence to agreed KPIs
·Providing line management for Online Support Practitioners, including supervision, team meetings, rota planning, and managing leave and cover
·Advocating for and promoting Online Support Services internally and externally to improve accessibility and awareness
·Supporting the ongoing reporting and evaluation of GamCare’s Online Services
·Identifying opportunities for service development and contributing to the design and implementation of improvements
About you
This is a key leadership role for someone with experience delivering support services to vulnerable or complex individuals, alongside experience of supervising, coaching, mentoring or managing staff or volunteers. You will also bring a strong commitment to person-centred, non-judgemental practice.
You will be a confident communicator, comfortable working collaboratively across the Helpline service, and able to balance operational leadership with empathy, support and clear decision‑making – particularly when managing complex or high‑risk contacts.
Strong IT skills are essential, including experience working with digital platforms, CRM systems or call-handling tools.
About Us
Founded in 1997, GamCare is the leading provider of information, advice and support for anyone affected by gambling harms. We operate the National Gambling Helpline, provide treatment for anyone who is harmed by gambling, create awareness about safer gambling and treatment, and encourage an effective approach to safer gambling within the gambling industry.
Benefits You Can Enjoy
·33 days basic annual leave entitlement per annum (pro-rated for part-time colleagues) including bank holidays which increases with service
·A generous Pension Scheme - we contribute 6% and you contribute 2%
·Discretionary company sick pay from day one of service
·Employee Assistance Programme – 24-hour support
For further details and to apply please click the apply button.
Closing date for applications: 10th May 2026.
This post requires a DBS check.
GamCare are committed to offering the best support to people affected by gambling harms, as such we welcome applications from candidates with lived experience.
GamCare is an equal opportunities employer and doesn’t discriminate based on race, religion, gender, age, sexuality, gender identification, or physical ability. We are only able to facilitate visa sponsorship in very limited circumstances, so candidates outside of the UK or who don’t have the right to work in the UK need not apply.
Chief Executive Officer – Resolve West
Resolve West is recruiting a Chief Executive Officer to lead our respected charity supporting people and communities to resolve conflict and repair harm.
This part‑time role offers strategic leadership at a pivotal moment, following the retirement of our long‑standing CEO. Working with a committed Board, staff team and volunteers, the CEO will strengthen financial sustainability, partnerships and organisational culture.
Key details
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.