Art therapy jobs

About Gaddum

Gaddum is one of Manchester’s oldest charities, having been around for almost 200 years. We are a mental health and carers charity that provides support to individuals and families across Greater Manchester and the North. Our work spans across a range of services, including mental health support and carer assistance, aiming to empower individuals to live healthier, more independent lives.

Our mission is clear... to help every individual in the communities we serve to achieve equitable health, wealth and self. This means not only providing direct support through our services but also championing the rights of those who may otherwise go unheard and campaigning for systemic change across our sector.

As an anchor institution, Gaddum plays a key role in supporting the sustainability and development of the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector. We work alongside other organisations to ensure their impact is recognised and that the sector is equipped to meet the needs of the communities we serve.

Our Values…

…are our foundations – they are what hold us firm in uncertain times, and they are our reference point for all that we do. 

We value:

Being Heard: no matter why or how someone finds their way to us, we will listen

Collaborative Curiosity: harnessing our skills, knowledge, talents and the insights of others, we create new possibilities by exploring with people

Purposeful Work: paying attention to others’ needs and voices, we channel our resources into actions and outcomes that matter to the people we serve

Meaningful Connection: treating every individual as a whole person, developing relationships through empathy and acceptance

Thoughtful Safe Services: providing clear reasons for decisions and efficient, safe and effective practices, we earn confidence and trust by focusing on quality

Job Purpose

To work as a member of Gaddum Therapeutic Services which includes Counsellors, Social Workers, Art Therapists, and Play Therapists.

To provide therapeutic support to CYP who have become stuck in their grieving process following a bereavement of a significant person. This will include one to one work and occasional group work which will usually take place at the child’s school, community venue or remotely via telephone or online video.

To offer advice and guidance to professionals and carers who contact us following a child’s complex bereavement. Effective working relationships with parents, carers and other professionals will be a crucial element of the role.

Main Duties

o To be accountable to the CYP Therapy Coordinator.

o Act as an initial point of contact for family members and professionals considering a referral to the service or requesting advice and guidance.

o Provide support in the grieving process, offering advice, making an initial assessment of need and signposting to other services where appropriate.

o Following assessment, offer therapeutic intervention to CYP, supporting their adjustment to loss and building resilience. Interventions should meet the assessed needs of each individual.

o Ensure all involved with the CYP understand the complexities of a bereavement, including those experienced as a result of trauma.

o Maintain case records, monitor and evaluate your work in line with the organisations processes and protocols.

o Undertake regular reviews with family members and other professionals as appropriate.

o Ensure effective multiagency working with other professionals.

o Work to Gaddum’s policies and procedures.

o Ensure Safeguarding procedures are carried out in line with relevant legislation and Local Authority requirements.

Role Purpose

The Adult Bereavement Counsellor provides therapeutic support to adults- particularly parents and carers- who are experiencing acute or complex grief following the death of a child.

The post holder will provide comprehensive psychosocial assessments and deliver therapeutic interventions working therapeutically using a range of counselling methods, approaches, and techniques, consistent with Level 3 of the NICE psychological intervention framework (2004).

They will also deliver crisis interventions where appropriate to ensure emotional safety and stability. In addition, the role includes designing and implementing a variety of therapeutic interventions across individual, couple, and group contexts, drawing on different models as required.

Main Responsibilities

Communication and Relationships

• Communicate effectively and sensitively within the organisation and with external professionals, including health and mental health services such as CMHTs and GPs.
• Convey complex and emotionally sensitive information to adults with clarity, empathy, and professionalism.
• Manage interactions with individuals or groups who may be distressed or emotionally impacted by information shared.
• Develop and maintain strong, positive working relationships with colleagues and peers to promote effective teamwork and collaboration.
• Model organisational values and behaviours, demonstrating respect, compassion, and integrity in all communication and relationships.

Knowledge, Training and Experience

• Undertake detailed psychosocial assessments and risk evaluations for parents and carers bereaved of a child, determining the most appropriate interventions and levels of support.
• Deliver individual and, where appropriate, couple or group counselling sessions using evidence-based approaches to address complex grief, trauma, and adjustment to loss.
• Ensure all practice meets professional standards and complies with relevant codes of conduct and national guidance.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of current research, evidence-based practice, and developments in bereavement and trauma-informed care.
• Provide crisis interventions when required, ensuring emotional containment, safety and referral to appropriate support.
• Support service users to develop coping skills, resilience, meaning making, and strategies to manage distress and ongoing adjustment.
• Integrate trauma-informed principles, recognising the emotional and physiological impact of bereavement and its intersection with other mental health concerns.
• Engage in continuous professional development and maintain an active professional portfolio in line with professional body requirements.
• Demonstrate knowledge and compliance with organisational policies, procedures, and safeguarding legislation, including Safeguarding Children and Adults and the Mental Capacity Act.
• Provide guidance, supervision, and support to volunteers individually or in groups as required.

Analytical and Judgement Skills

• Apply sound professional judgment and analytical skills to assess needs, plan interventions, and evaluate outcomes in accordance with best-practice frameworks.
• Participate actively in team meetings to plan, review, and evaluate care strategies and approaches.
• Ensure the accurate and timely recording of data and information to support monitoring, evaluation, and service development.
• Contribute to the collection, analysis and reporting of outcome measures to support quality assurance, demonstrate impact, inform practice and interventions, and inform continuous improvement.

All Staff

• Contribute to the vision and mission of Child Bereavement UK; whilst embedding the values into your daily work activities.
• Promote equality of opportunity and diversity in accordance with Child Bereavement UK policy.
• Contribute to the overall success of the charity’s fundraising needs by providing case studies, attending events and adding value to the experience of our supporters as required.
• Contribute to the brand and reach of the charity by working alongside our Marketing & Communications Team when relevant press opportunities arise or when required for social media and online content (including the use of photography).
• Work to objectives, targets and work plans agreed with your line manager.

Person Specification

Education/Professional Qualification

Essential

• MA/MSc or Postgraduate Degree (minimum Level 4 or equivalent) in Counselling, Psychotherapy, Arts Therapy
• Registration with a professional body (ie. HCPC, UKCP, BACP, BAAT, etc)
• Evidence of continuing professional development

Desirable

• Certificate/diploma in supervision
• Dual qualification (social work and counselling/psychotherapy)
• BACP accreditation or eligible for BACP accreditation

Skills and Experience

Essential

• Able to make clear psychosocial assessments and managing complex emotional and mental health needs, risk, and safeguarding
• Awareness of the intersection between loss, mental health, relationships and identity
• Strong assessment, formulation and planning skills within a therapeutic context
• Substantial post qualification experience in counselling or psychotherapy
• Experience of working therapeutically with adults (pre and post bereavement)
• Experience of using outcome measures, feedback tools and data to evaluate effectiveness and impact of interventions

Knowledge and Understanding

• A strong understanding and knowledge of relevant psychological theories, therapeutic interventions, and models of grief work
• In-depth understanding of the impact of bereavement, trauma, and loss especially after the death of a child
• Knowledge of child development, attachment, and resilience frameworks
• Sound awareness of risk assessment, safeguarding legislation and information sharing processes
• Knowledge of evidence-based models of counselling and therapeutic interventions including creative and systemic approaches
• Proven ability to design, deliver and adapt psychosocial assessments and therapeutic counselling interventions effectively through digital platforms, maintaining therapeutic alliance, safety and impact when working remotely with adults.
• Knowledge of safeguarding legislations and impact on practice
• Inclusive in approach, sensitive to diverse experiences of grief and cultural expressions of loss
• Awareness of the importance of service evaluation, outcome measurement, and reflective practice in demonstrating impact and improving quality
• Undertake specific projects and other ad hoc duties agreed with your line manager, fulfilling any deadlines, reviews and reporting procedures required.
• Take an active part in the Quarterly review process and participate in training agreed with your line manager.
• Recognise and champion the lived experience of children and young people with bereavement within your work.
• Ensure the health and safety of all colleagues, volunteers and visitors in accordance with Child Bereavement UK policy.

Recruitment Timetable

Application deadline: 27th May 2026 at midnight

First Stage Screening Interviews

You may be asked to attend a 10-minute Screening Interview on MS Teams with the Hiring Managers for the vacancy, to assess your suitability for the role. During the interview, you will be asked two skills-based questions.

Second Stage Interviews

If you are progressed to a second stage interview, you will be invited to attend a 1-hour formal interview on MS Teams with the Hiring Managers for the role. It is our policy to share the role-specific interview questions with applicants ahead of the interview, to aid their preparation. You may also be asked to complete an interview task, which will also be shared with you in advance.

Youth Team Forum Discussion

For roles in our Bereavement Services Team, we will invite those applicants selected for interview along to a discussion forum with members of our Youth Team. This session is held remotely and lasts approximately 20 minutes. The discussion topic will be shared with you in advance of the session.

We are recruiting a Sessional Counsellor to join the Children and Young People’s (CYP) Community Counselling service.

Do you want to support children and young people (CYP) with mental health concerns? Are you calm, non-judgemental and able to work effectively with people experiencing distress?

Can you demonstrate our values of Hope, Together, Courage and Responsive and want to be part of our vision to ensure everyone in Hertfordshire will feel supported with their mental health?

If the answer to all of these is yes, we want to hear from you.

Job title: Sessional Counsellor (CYP)  
Reference Number: 329
Reports to: CYP Senior Counsellor
Salary: £30 per clinical hour
Contract: Freelance / Contractor (Dependent on the schedule of services agreed)
Work Pattern: Variable - to be agreed based on the schedule of service being delivered by the Sessional Counsellor. Work will be completed within the service operational hours of: 7:30am-10:30pm (7 Days a Week, excluding bank holidays). 
Based: Counselling will be delivered from varied venues across Herts county (e.g. HMN wellbeing centres, community venues, schools). Some remote work from home is permitted and to be agreed with your line manager.

About the Project

The Children and Young People’s (CYP) Community Counselling service is a new Herts Mind Network service, whose aim is to provide accessible, timely and high quality countywide counselling to local children and young people. Our CYP Community Counselling Service will deliver a blend of face-to-face, online, 1:1 and group counselling to enable young people to obtain impactful therapeutic support for the mental health difficulties they are facing, in a way that suits them.

The objectives of the CYP Community Counselling Service are:

• To support the emotional wellbeing of children and young people experiencing mental health issues in Hertfordshire.
• To provide high quality counselling, both face-to-face and online that is tailored to the child or young person and incorporates all facets of their life.
• To promote early intervention and prevention through an accessible and flexible counselling service that champions the strengths and self-resilience of children and young people.
• To work actively, inclusively and collaboratively with local children, young people and their families.
• To be a key partner of the Hertfordshire CYP MHS system, offering and increasing access to community-based help regarding mental health and emotional wellbeing.

About the Role

The CYP Sessional Counsellor post is integral to the delivery of this new community-based clinical service, delivering needs-led, robust and flexible counselling to local CYPF. The postholder will work clinically within the service, delivering group and/or 1:1 counselling either in-person or online. The CYP Sessional Counsellor will deliver a minimum of one therapeutic group or 3 x 1:1 counselling sessions per week. The clinical work of the postholder may take place in varied formats/locations, meeting the needs, requirements and preferences of CYPF accessing the service. The postholder will keep timely, detailed and accurate records, following organisational processes diligently. They will also ensure any concerns regarding CYPF accessing the service are escalated and managed efficiently, keeping the CYPF at the centre of their decision making.

The successful candidate will have a Level 4 qualification diploma or above in counselling, psychotherapy or arts/play therapy AND current registered/accredited/full/qualified membership of one of the following relevant professional bodies (BACP, UKCP, HCPC, BAAT etc.), competency in working within a recognized theoretical framework or therapeutic modality and a minimum of 1-2 years experience working in a therapeutic or counselling capacity with children, young people and/or families.

Closing date: Ongoing. Please complete and submit your application at your earliest convenience to avoid disappointment
Interviews will take place on a rolling basis, on a first come first served basis.
N.B. Please quote reference number 329 when completing your application for this role. 

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position

We welcome applications from all suitably-qualified candidates, irrespective of gender, disability, marital or parental status, racial, ethnic or social origin, colour, religion, belief, or sexual orientation. In addition, during the various stages of recruitment, specific measures can be taken to ensure equal opportunities for candidates with disabilities or special needs.

Hertfordshire Mind Network is committed to the Disability Confident and Mindful Employer charters. We actively recruit staff who have a lived experience of mental ill health. Our inclusive approach recognises the unique skills, knowledge, and perspectives that lived experience brings to our team.

No agencies please.

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.

Would you like to make a lasting difference in the lives of children affected by domestic abuse? Join an award-winning trauma recovery service provider that is passionate about making a positive difference to the lives of children and families.

Bounce Back for Kids (BB4K) is a lifeline for children healing from the trauma of domestic abuse. We’re looking for a new Assistant Support Worker to join our team – helping guide children and families on their recovery journey.

Position: Bounce Back for Kids (BB4K) Assistant Support Worker

Location: The role is based in our Reading office with hybrid flexible working arrangements to provide for working at home and in the office. The role requires frequent travel across Reading, West Berkshire, Wokingham, South Oxfordshire and Vale of the White Horse to support our service users.

Contract: Permanent part time – 22 hours per week, weekdays. We’re open to discussing working patterns that match both your needs and our service delivery.

Salary range: £15,387 - £16,447 pro-rata per annum (full time equivalent range £25,878 - £27,661 per annum) 

About the role:

The Assistant Support Worker will work across the BB4K service. Following training they will support the service through groupwork, assessments and, subject to development, hold a small case load providing one to one support work.

The objective of the role is to develop the necessary skills and knowledge to enable service users make positive changes in theirs and their children’s lives and reduce the likelihood of further trauma.

About you:

A successful Assistant Support Worker will need personal, professional or academic experience of support work for people experiencing domestic abuse, and an interest in / experience in supporting vulnerable children and families.

If this sounds like you please visit our website and apply today to join a collaborative and dedicated team who are part of something truly meaningful.

We welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds, including those with personal lived experience of domestic abuse or from underrepresented communities, who meet the essential role requirements.

Closing date: Tuesday, 09 June 2026 at 9am

Interviews are likely to be held on: Friday, 05 June and Friday, 19 June 2026

Early applications are encouraged as we may review and appoint on an earlier basis if a successful candidate is secured.

Other roles you may have experience of could include: Trainee Support Worker, Assistant Family Support Worker, Children’s Assistant Support Worker, Assistant Domestic Abuse Worker, Assistant Recovery Worker, Assistant Support Worker, Teaching Assistant, Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA), etc.

Safeguarding is at the heart of everything we do at PACT. We have robust measures and best practices in place to safeguard and protect the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and we take pride in maintaining outstanding safeguarding standards.

Anyone joining our team is subject to PACT’s safer recruitment pre-appointment enquiries, including a Disclosure Barring Service (DBS). The role description provides information on what our safer recruitment enquiries include and the level of DBS required to work in the role.

All opportunities with PACT are based in the UK.

We are seeking a strong and motivated leader, who is passionate about seeing lives transformed, to become our Head of Services (Programmes). In this strategic senior role, you will work closely with the Chief Executive Officer to provide stable leadership to staff and residents in the delivery of the day-to-day leadership of the organisation and residential addiction recovery / resettlement programmes. As a key member of the senior leadership team, you will help lead and motivate the organisation through transformational change to more effectively and sustainably deliver our mission – to help those affected by addiction to heal, transform, and thrive.

Outstanding communication, interpersonal, and relationship-building skills are essential. As a Christian charity, we bring our faith to the work we do and the men we work with, so you will be someone with a deep-rooted Christian faith, able to lead and inspire others in their own faith journeys, seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit in all key decisions. Schedule 9, Part 1:3(a) of the Equality Act 2010 applies.

Your role, in this committed team of 40+ staff, requires balancing management responsibilities alongside a more hands-on approach, including significant contact with our residents. Seeing them undergo the process of transformation, with all the joys and challenges that entails, is what makes our work worthwhile – a tremendous encouragement.

To apply: Please view the full job description and person specification. When you’re ready to apply, click the ‘Apply now’ button to begin your online application, submitting a covering letter, CV and screening question.

For an informal conversation about the role, please contact CEO, Maarten Fontein or Administration Manager, Sue Hedger - contact details on our website, which is currently under development.

Closing date: 23.30 Sunday 14th June 2026

Main Purpose of Role:

· Devise and implement a mixed programme of community fundraising activities, to generate a sustainable source of unrestricted income to meet agreed targets.

Specific Responsibilities:

• Launch, implement and run innovative income generating projects to maximise donations to SWA, to look after relationships with existing donors and build on relationships created to ensure fundraising potential is optimised.
• Set up and manage a volunteer community fundraising team
• Organise and manage community fundraising activities (including digital) and events to maximise all fundraising opportunities and work to raise the profile of the SWA.
• Keep abreast of developments in the third sector relating to fundraising and have an awareness of the local competition for donations.

General Responsibilities:

Responsible for the Health, Safety and welfare of yourself and your colleagues, ensuring the duties and responsibilities are clearly understood and that legislative requirements are adhered to.

• Respect the confidentiality of all information obtained in the course of duties, perform and refrain from disclosing such information without written consent from management, except where disclosure is required by order of a Court of law.

• Maintain professional competence by complying, at all times, with the training and competence procedures set down by the Organisation. Generally, keep abreast of developments affecting your duties and responsibilities.
• Be aware of the Organisation’s Equal Opportunities Policy regarding both employees and service users to assist in eliminating all areas of inequality and discrimination.
• Become familiar with the aims, ethics and aspirations of the Organisation and to sustain and promote them. Participate enthusiastically in the growth and prosperity of the Organisation.
• Undertake any other business development/funding duties, as directed that can reasonably be accommodated within the salary range for the job and your expertise.

Job Description and Review

The job description reflects the present requirements of the post.  The description will be reviewed in consultation of the job holder as and when the duties and responsibilities change.  Such review will normally also take place at the Annual Appraisal Meeting.

Desirable

• Charity fundraising qualification
• Membership of Institute of Fundraising or other relevant professional body.
• Ability to speak Welsh

Essential

Experience 

• Minimum of two years’ experience in community fundraising with a proven track record of achieving funding target
• Experience in planning, organising and delivering fundraising campaigns, events and activities
• Developing and evaluating new opportunities for partnerships and community fundraising
• Raising funds via social media activities/digital marketing
• Experience of managing or working with volunteers to support fundraising activities

Knowledge

• Charity community fundraising
• Donations
• Proven knowledge of online fundraising tools, digital marketing and social media
• Regulatory knowledge to include Gift Aid, general data protection regulations and fundraising best practices.

Skills/Personal Qualities

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, and experience with Customer Relationship Management software systems.
• Numerate and attentive to detail, with the ability to maintain accurate records
• Good networking skills
• A proactive self -starter who is able to work on their own initiative, managing and prioritising their work to meet agreed deadlines and targets
• An excellent communicator, with persuasive, engaging and creative writing skills
• Understanding of, and enthusiasm for, SWA’s work, mission and values
• A passion to raise funds for SWA

Other

• Full UK driving licence and access to a suitable vehicle
• Able to lift and transport equipment
• Willingness to travel locally and to work occasional evenings and weekends