Specialist counsellors jobs

Location: Camden (Head Office) / Hybrid

Salary: £36,436 -£38,075 per annum 

(Please note that applicants are usually appointed at the bottom of the relevant band)

Hours: 37.5 hours per week 

Contract: Fixed Term Contract (Until 31st March 2027)

Closing Date: Tuesday 3rd March 2026

Closing Time: 00:00am

Are you looking for a rewarding role working for an intersectional feminist organisation? If so, we have an incredible opportunity for you to join our team as an Clinical Lead at Solace Women's Aid.  

You will be joining a team of committed and inspiring individuals whose dedication has saved the lives of thousands of women, men and children in the capital. We are looking for friendly and diligent individuals to join our services and help us make a difference.

Our core values reflect our history and were developed in consultation with staff and service users. Feminism and intersectionality are key to our work and we are committed to the principles of being survivor-led, trauma-informed, empowering, diverse, anti-racist and anti-discriminatory.

About the Service

Our counselling service provides one-to-one counselling to survivors of domestic abuse, providing an assessment and 15-20 counselling sessions. The Counselling Service provides support to survivors across London and witin the community, as well as through refuge-based CYP and adult counselling services.

The core service is open 9.00am to 5.00pm. However, appointments can be arranged outside of these hours if required, and may offer flexibility around working hours.

About the role

We are looking for a Clinical Lead to join our counselling service, which provides one-to-one counselling to survivors of domestic abuse. The Clinical Lead delivers line management support to a team of Counsellors and Therapists, supporting with clinical decision making across the counselling service. The Clinical Lead will also work from a trauma-informed perspective, and use multi-modal interventions considering the needs of a diverse group of survivors of domestic abuse.

About you

The ideal candidate will offer a trauma-informed perspective to therapeutic intervention and clinical decision making. They will also have great organisational skills, good communication skills (both written and verbal), and an ability to manage their own workload. You will be able to balance competing priorities and support the wider counselling team to deliver a high-quality service to the survivors accessing support. 

It is imperative to us at Solace that the suitable candidate is a warm, empathetic, and diligent individual with a strong work ethic. You would also be a person who is happy to join and contribute to our services, helping us to make a difference to the lives of those that we support.

Previous management experience is desirable, but not essential. If you hold a recognised professional counselling qualification to Diploma level or equivalent with 2 years’ post-qualification experience, and are passionate about ending VAWG, we would love to hear from you.

What we can offer you

We provide a comprehensive benefits package to all our employees, including:

• Flexible working
• Focus on learning and development (internal career progression and training)
• Generous holiday entitlement
• Employer pension contribution
• Family-friendly leave and enhanced maternity pay
• Access to Inclusion Networks
• Daily clinical debriefing
• Employee Assistance Programme providing free 24/7 support and advice
• Employee Benefits Platform offering staff discounts, benefits and savings
• Flow & Restore yoga classes
• Meditation sessions
• Cycle to Work Scheme

How to apply

When applying for this role, kindly highlight in your Supporting Statement how your values, knowledge, transferrable skills, and experience align with each point within the following sections of the Job Profile Document:

• Values, Behaviours & Competencies
• Knowledge, Experience and Skills

Solace Women's Aid values diversity, promotes equity, and challenges discrimination. We encourage and welcome applications from candidates of diverse cultures, abilities, perspectives, and lived experiences. We have policies and processes in place to ensure that all employees are offered an equal opportunity in recruitment and selection, promotion, training, pay, and benefits. Our Inclusion Networks support staff with protected characteristics and offer inclusive spaces to connect.

We are a Disability Confident Employer and committed to an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. We anticipate and provide reasonable adjustments as needed and support employees who acquire a disability or long-term health condition, enabling them to stay in work.

This service is run by women for women and is therefore restricted to female applicants under the Equality Act 2010, Schedule 9, and Part 1. Section 7(2) e of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 apply. The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act.

As part of safer recruitment practices, we carry out pre-employment checks including references, Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and right to work in the UK checks.

No agencies.

You can view the jod advert in Welsh by visting the Work with Us page on our website.

Stepping Stones North Wales is a specialist charity providing free trauma-informed counselling and therapeutic support services to adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse across the six counties of North Wales. We work from a trauma-informed, survivor-centred approach and are committed to creating safe, inclusive and empowering services. Our work is underpinned by compassion, integrity, and a strong commitment to equality and social justice. All of our services are available in both Welsh and English.

Purpose of the Role

The Volunteer and Stakeholder Engagement Officer will play a key role in strengthening Stepping Stones North Wales’ capacity, reach and financial sustainability by recruiting, supporting and retaining volunteers, and by building positive, effective relationships with key stakeholders across North Wales. This role will help raise awareness of our services, support partnership working, and ensure volunteers feel valued, supported and aligned with our trauma-informed ethos.

Key Responsibilities

Volunteer Engagement

• Develop and implement a volunteer recruitment strategy aligned with organisational needs and values.
• Recruit, onboard and induct volunteers, ensuring safer recruitment practices are followed.
• Act as the main point of contact for volunteers, providing ongoing support, supervision and guidance.
• Coordinate volunteer training, including safeguarding, boundaries and trauma-informed practice.
• Ensure volunteers feel valued and recognised for their contribution.
• Maintain accurate volunteer records in line with GDPR requirements.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Build and maintain effective relationships with external stakeholders, including statutory services, voluntary sector partners, funders, businesses and community groups.
• Support the CEO in representing Stepping Stones North Wales at meetings, forums and events across North Wales.
• Support partnership working to improve referral pathways and joint working opportunities.
• Assist with stakeholder communications, including updates, presentations and reports as required.

Promotion and Awareness

• Support the promotion of Stepping Stones North Wales’ services to professionals and the wider community.
• Work with colleagues to contribute to outreach activities, events and campaigns.
• Gather feedback from volunteers and stakeholders to inform service development and improvement.

Client support

• Support the complimentary client support groups within North Wales.
• Develop partnership working in the community to deliver activities and education to support groups.
• Research and set-up of new support groups within North Wales.
• Support the Clinical Lead and work with counsellors and staff to ensure safe transition and support of clients within support groups and in moving from counselling into support groups.

Governance, Safeguarding and Quality

• Work within Stepping Stones North Wales’ policies and procedures, including safeguarding, confidentiality and data protection.
• Uphold the organisation’s trauma-informed and survivor-centred values at all times.
• Contribute to monitoring and evaluation by collecting relevant data and feedback.

Person Specification

Essential

• Experience of recruiting, coordinating or supporting volunteers.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build trusting relationships.
• Understanding of safeguarding and professional boundaries.
• Commitment to trauma-informed, survivor-centred practice.
• Ability to work independently and manage a varied workload.
• Good organisational and administrative skills.IT skills, including use of email, databases and Microsoft Office or similar.
• A commitment to learning Welsh (both written and spoken) and to championing the Welsh language at every opportunity.

Desirable

• Experience of working within the voluntary or community sector.
• Experience of stakeholder engagement or partnership working.
• Knowledge of issues relating to childhood sexual abuse or trauma informed practice.
• Experience in drafting funding applications.
• Experience of working across North Wales or in rural communities.
• Welsh language skills (spoken and/or written).
• Full driving license and own vehicle (all travel expenses will be reimbursed).

Values and Behaviours

All staff and volunteers at Stepping Stones North Wales are expected to: - Work in a way that is compassionate, respectful and non-judgemental. - Demonstrate a strong commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion. - Maintain professional boundaries and confidentiality. - Act with integrity and accountability. Adhere to our Whole Team Approach to all that we do.

Safeguarding

Stepping Stones North Wales is committed to safeguarding adults and young people. This role is subject to safer recruitment processes, including references and an enhanced DBS check.

How to Apply

Applications are welcome via email. Please send an email, which includes your CV and a cover letter to the email address on listed in the advert on our website by 10pm on Monday 9th March.

The cover letter must be no more than 1000 words and briefly, using bullet points, demonstrate your skills, experience, and suitability for the role.

Your CV must include details of two references. These will only be contacted after we have appointed the successful candidate.

Details for arranging an informal discussion about this role can be found on the advert on our website. 

Job Title: West London Family Support Worker 

Salary: £25,353.06

Team: Family Support Team

Hours: 30

Location: Based at Shooting Star House (Hampton), This role will be working across sites and in the community

About Shooting Star Children’s Hospices

We have an exciting opportunity to join our Family Support Team at Shooting Star Children’s Hospices.

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices provides specialist care and support to families who have a baby, child or young person with a life-limiting condition, or whose child has died. Rated ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission, our teams support families across Surrey, north-west London and south-west London from diagnosis to end of life and throughout bereavement with a range of nursing, practical, emotional and medical care.

About the role

Family Support Workers (FSW) are the frontline of our care. Each FSW holds a caseload of end-of-life and bereaved families. They get to know their families, and check-in regularly with phone calls and home visits and can provide enhanced emotional support where required through more regular contact and interventions. Our FSWs tell families about the many services they can access at Shooting Star, assess their needs and make recommendations to our multi-disciplinary team. They  support families of different ethnicities and families living in poverty, helping our service be as accessible as possible.

Our FSWs work closely with our Therapists, Counsellors, Social Workers, Transition Team and our Care Events Team. Weekly MDT meetings bring the team together to think of ways to help families in crisis. The work is varied and creative, taking place at the hospices, in family homes and hospitals, allowing the support to be where the families need it. Our Family Support Workers are hugely appreciated by the families we support.

The ambition of our strategy is to ensure every family affected by a life-limiting condition, or the sudden death of a child, has access to the specialist care that they need. Day to day duties are:

• Being the on-site duty FSW, welcoming families on site, monitoring email inboxes and answering the Family Support Line.
• Helping with support groups and family events
• Providing on the spot emotional support, sometimes in a crisis where a calm and supportive response is required.
• Visiting newly bereaved families in their homes.
• Supporting families staying at our Christopher’s hospice (booked stays and end of life).
• Attending various locations over the course of a week: hospice, hospital, family homes.
• Building connections with families from different backgrounds, delivering culturally sensitive care.
• Helping safeguard families at risk of harm.
• Acting as an ambassador for Shooting Star’s Specialist Bereavement Service, supporting other care team members with their learning and delivery of the bereavement pathway, and continually seeking ways to improve what we offer families.

The post holder will need to have a UK driving license.

The hours are predominantly worked 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

Once a month, the FSW will work a weekend day (with advance notice). This is in place of a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday that week.

About you

This role requires experience of working with children and families who have experienced hardship, or those with complex needs. You should have a calm, positive manner, conveying empathy whilst maintaining professional boundaries. We are looking for someone passionate about supporting children and families.

Please see the attached job description for more information about this opportunity at Shooting Star Children’s Hospices.

What we offer

In return you will receive a competitive salary along with a range of benefits, which include:

Pension scheme

• NHS Pension Scheme (for eligible employees) or our stakeholder pension scheme, with up to 7% employer contributions
  
  Annual leave

• 27 days plus Bank Holidays rising with length of service
• 2 weeks paid sabbatical leave after 5, 10 and 15 years’ service
  
  Contractual benefits

• Generous sick pay scheme
• Enhanced maternity, adoption, and paternity leave pay
• Flexible working arrangements
• Death in service benefits
• Reimbursed professional membership fees
• Eye care
• Employee referral scheme
• Blue Light discount card
  
  Health and wellbeing

• Employee Assistance Programme
• Occupational Health
• Mindfulness sessions
• Cycle to work scheme
• Mental Health First Aiders

Safeguarding

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all our staff to share this commitment. Also, we are committed to equal opportunities and consider all applicants to be in line with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Employment is subject to receipt of satisfactory references and a DBS check.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices is committed to inclusion and diversity in everything we do. We know that getting things right is critical for us to live our organisation’s values: Professionalism, Respect, Integrity, Diversity and Excellence.

We are always trying to improve our way of working to be more inclusive and equal. Our vision is for Shooting Star Children’s Hospices to be a place where people of all backgrounds, groups and communities feel welcomed to work and volunteer.

Anticipated Start Date: 06/04/2026

Help power life-changing support through excellent financial operations

Future Dreams is a pioneering UK charity providing psychological, practical, and emotional support to people diagnosed with breast cancer. We also champion early detection through breast health masterclasses and fund vital research into secondary breast cancer.

Based at Future Dreams House in King’s Cross — our welcoming breast cancer support centre — we deliver a vibrant programme of in-person and online services, community activities, and one-to-one support with specialist nurses, counsellors, and therapists. Everything we do is driven by one clear belief: nobody should face breast cancer alone, or without hope.

We are now looking for a Finance Assistant to join our growing team and play a key role in strengthening our in-house finance function.

About the role

This is a fantastic opportunity for an organised, detail-driven finance professional who wants to develop their career within a purpose-led charity.

Working closely with the Finance Manager, you will support the smooth day-to-day running of our finance operations, ensuring transactions are processed accurately and on time, records are well maintained, and financial controls are consistently applied. You’ll contribute to reliable reporting, support audit and compliance activity, and help build efficient processes that enable the charity to operate effectively.

You will also work collaboratively with colleagues across the organisation and liaise with suppliers and external stakeholders, becoming a trusted part of a friendly, supportive team that values accuracy, integrity, and continuous improvement.

What we offer

• Salary of £30,000 – £35,000 per annum (depending on experience)
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Additional one-week paid shutdown over Christmas and New Year
• Hybrid working (a mix of office-based and remote working)
• Free weekly yoga sessions
• A warm, inclusive working environment in a mission-driven organisation

As Deputy Clinical Lead, you will be responsible for providing the leadership, operational management, supervision, training and support of the senior HI CBT therapists, LI CBT therapists and counselors in Mind in Bexley IAPT working closely with the Head of Psychological Therapies and Clinical Lead and Service Lead in delivering the objectives of the service.

You are required to work autonomously within professional guidelines and exercise responsibility for the systematic governance of psychological practice within the service/team. In addition, to utilize research skills for audit, policy and service development and to propose and implement policy changes within the area served by the team/service.

We are looking for a highly experienced clinician with exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, who will provide clinical supervision, management and leadership to the senior clinicians and ensures that the service operates in accordance with NICE guidelines.

The post involves being able to work flexibly and to be able to work at least one evening session (i.e. 12am – 8pm one day).

Main responsibilities

• · Oversee clinical caseloads of clinical staff and report findings in management meetings as requested.
• · Support the Step 2 and Step 3 leads within the office and staff working remotely in ensuring the safe and clinically effective case management of cases, including the oversee of duty supervision.
• · Ensure that the fidelity of treatment across the service is upheld and any issues reported
• · Ensure the consistency of supervision decisions across the service and to escalate any reported problems
• · Ensure that staff are regularly informed of any chances to service policies and adhere to protocols.
• · Provide a specialist psychological advice, guidance, and consultation to staff in primary care, contributing directly to client’s formulation and treatment. This will include assessment, individual and group interventions, risk management and referral on to other mental health services as required.
• · Provide specialist advice on psychological aspects of risk assessment and risk management and including liaising with staff across all sectors of care (for example primary care, secondary care and specialist/tertiary services). This will include support for all staff at Mind in Bexley when present in the office.
• · Support the Head of Psychological Therapies IAPT and Clinical Lead and Service Lead with service performance responsibilities and representing the service at the external meetings, e.g. with G.P’s and ICB commissioners and other meetings as needed.
• · Support the Safeguarding Lead with Safeguarding staff queries across the organisation with documentation and management. This includes regular attendance at the local safeguarding meetings as required.
• · Support the Head of Psychological Therapies as a senior clinician, manager and leader for a team of psychologists, psychological therapists and trainees. This will include governance responsibilities, creating and implementing polices, service development, recruitment, performance reviews etc.
• · Working closely with the Head of Psychological Therapies IAPT and the Service Lead to maintain electronic systems for referrals, appointments, activity and outcome monitoring for performance management, including continuous audit and evaluation of service. Ensure appropriate use and administration of such systems by other members of staff within the service and provide support when needed.
• Communicate across language and cultural barriers, including working for sustained periods of time by communicating with patients, carers or groups through professional interpreters or advocates.
• · Be responsible for recording, monitoring and reporting on clinical work and communicating in a skilled and sensitive manner, highly complex, sensitive or contentious information concerning the assessment, formulation, treatment plans and progress of patients in both verbal and written formats.
• · Support the implementation of national standards for competencies in CBT and Counselling practice across primary care teams by ensuring that team members make use of appropriate supervision, training and outcomes monitoring.
• · Work closely with the Head of Psychological Therapies and Clinical Lead in motivating, evaluating and developing high and low intensity services and counselling services.
• · To maintain up to date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies and issues in relation to both the specific client group and mental health.
• · Employ a broad theoretical knowledge of psychology and specialist clinical skills to develop and support the psychological skills of others (including graduate mental health workers, trainee and qualified psychologists, and members of other staff groups) through the development and delivery of teaching, training and supervision programmes.
• · Ensure that all members of multidisciplinary teams have access to a psychologically based framework for the understanding and care of patients and families/carers referred to the service, through the provision of advice and consultation and the dissemination of psychological research and theory.
• · Work closely with The Head of Psychological Therapies on developing service areas, including development of referral pathways, delivery of group and individual interventions and systematic governance of psychological practice within the service.
• · Ensure the development and articulation of best practice in psychology within the service area and contribute across the service by exercising the skills of a reflective and reflective scientist practitioner, taking part in regular clinical and professional supervision and appraisal and maintaining an active engagement with current developments in the field of clinical psychology and related disciplines.
• · Contribute to departmental governance and service management activities such as data collection and reporting of outcomes within community services, commissioners and other stakeholders as appropriate.
• · To contribute to the development and maintenance of the highest professional standards of practice, through active participation in internal and external CPD training and development programmes, in consultation with the post holder’s professional and service managers in the field of IAPT and related disciplines.

Person specification 

Education/Qualifications 

Essential 

• Doctoral level training in Clinical or Counselling Psychology plus further post graduate level diploma qualification training in a psychological therapy which may be CBT or another IAPT appropriate evidence based therapy (i.e. IPT) and/or Qualification from High Intensity IAPT Course or equivalent of BABCP accredited Post Graduate CBT training course.

• Accredited as a cognitive behavioural psychotherapist by the British Association of Cognitive & Behavioural Psychotherapies (BABCP) or nearing completion of accreditation process. 

• Minimum four years post qualification and significant experience working as a fully qualified psychological therapy practitioner and demonstrating the competences as required.

• Significant experience of working within primary care psychology and/ or Talking Therapy service 

• Formal training in supervision and experience of training and supervising qualified and pre -qualification psychologists, and/or high intensity and low intensity CBT therapists and counsellors. 

• Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for patients’ psychological care and treatment, both as a clinician, supervisor and team coordinator.

• Experience of work in a multi -cultural setting, including working with interpreters. 

• Managerial experience and experience in leading a team of therapists and counsellors 

• Evidence of continuing professional development. 

Desirable 

• Managerial qualification 

• Experience of teaching prequalification psychological therapists and other NHS staff. 

• Knowledge of key service development issues including mental health and primary care mental health/ IAPT 

• Counselling, EMDR and top up LTC training 

Skills and Abilities 

Essential 

• Able to lead a team and make decisions and judgements about the best possible way forward in a complex work environment where the evidence base is evolving. 

• Extensive experience of providing CBT to clients with a wide range of mental health problems across the whole life course and presenting with the full range of clinical severity in primary care, including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse. 

• Computer literate, able to use Word and Excel, ability to use of IAPTus 

Respond is seeking an experienced and values-driven Psychotherapy Service Manager to lead our specialist psychotherapy service for autistic people, people with learning disabilities, and their families. 

This is a senior clinical leadership role for an experienced psychotherapist with strong service management skills and a commitment to psychodynamic, systemic and trauma-informed practice. 

About the Role 

You will: 

• Provide clinical leadership and day-to-day management of Respond’s psychotherapy service 

• Ensure high-quality, safe and effective therapeutic provision across London, schools and online 

• Lead on clinical governance, safeguarding, supervision and reflective practice 

• Support and develop the therapy team through coaching and compassionate leadership 

• Contribute to organisational strategy, service planning and partnership development 

You will hold a small caseload alongside management responsibilities and work closely with the Senior Leadership Team. 

About You 

You will be: 

• A qualified psychotherapist, counsellor or arts therapist with postgraduate training 

• Registered with a relevant professional body (e.g. HCPC, BACP, BPS, UKCP) 

• Experienced in psychodynamic and/or systemic practice 

• Experienced in working with autistic people and/or people with learning disabilities 

• Confident in leading teams and managing services 

• Knowledgeable about trauma, abuse and safeguarding 

Experience of clinical supervision, reflective practice or organisational safeguarding leadership is desirable. 

Why Join Respond? 

• A respected specialist organisation with a strong trauma-informed ethos 

• A collaborative, reflective and supportive working culture 

• Opportunities to shape and develop a growing service 

• Flexible working arrangements and ongoing CPD 

If you’d like to find out more about this role, please read through the job description and person specification.

When you apply, please send a CV and Supporting statement of no more than 2 sides of A4. In your supporting statement ensure that you address the key competencies in the person specification.  

We’re looking for a skilled and values-driven Training Manager to design and deliver an accredited development programme supporting ex-service users to progress into Refuge Case Worker roles.

You’ll lead a 3-month accredited training programme followed by 6 months of supported, on-the-job development, with two cohorts each year over a three-year funded period. Managing the programme end-to-end. The training programme will be engaging, directly delivered by you alongside specialist partners. You’ll ensure it is trauma-informed, culturally competent, survivor-led and accredited, combining face-to-face and online learning with structured placements in our refuges.

This role is central to strengthening our workforce, creating safe employment pathways for Black and minoritised women survivors, and building a sustainable, skilled refuge workforce.

Due to the nature of work and focus of LBWP, the organisation considers the candidate’s race and gender, to be an occupational requirement in accordance with Parag. 1, Schedule 9, of the Equality Act 2010. Therefore, this post is open only to Black and minoritised i.e. Global Majority, women.

About Shooting Star Children’s Hospices 

We have an exciting opportunity for a qualified Complementary Therapist to join our team at Shooting Star Children’s Hospices as Complementary Therapies Lead. 

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices provides specialist care to families who have a baby, child or young person with a life-limiting condition, or who have been bereaved. Rated ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission, we support families across Surrey, north-west London and south-west London from diagnosis to end of life and throughout bereavement with a range of nursing, practical, psychological and medical care.

At the heart of what we do are our dedicated staff; their exceptional commitment and professionalism means every family has the opportunity to make every moment count.

It’s a great time to join Shooting Star Children’s Hospices as we have a growing therapies team, supporting families through complementary therapies, arts therapies and EMDR therapy. 

About the role 

As Complementary Therapies Lead, you will lead the delivery of high-quality complementary therapies to children, parents and families of Shooting Star Children’s Hospices. This includes families affected by a child’s life-limiting condition, and families who experience the sudden and unexpected death of their child. The Complementary Therapies service includes individual treatments and therapeutic support groups, to help ease physical discomfort, reduce anxiety, and promote emotional wellbeing in a safe and nurturing environment. 

About you 

This role requires a minimum of two years post qualification experience as a Complementary Therapist practicing aromatherapy and holistic massage. You may have additional qualification in reflexology, Indian head massage, or acupuncture. 

We are looking for someone with experience of working with individuals of different ages and those who have experienced trauma or significant mental health struggles You will be passionate about utilising the complementary therapies for easing a wide range of difficulties, including helping children with medical conditions, carers struggling with the emotional and physical difficulties that arise in caring for their life-limited child and families who have experienced the death of their child.

You must be registered with the Complementary and National Healthcare Council or other professional body (or able to apply and confirm membership ahead of appointment).

Please see the attached job description for more information about this opportunity at Shooting Star Children’s Hospices. 

What we offer

In return you will receive a competitive salary along with a range of benefits, which include:

Pension scheme

• NHS Pension Scheme (for eligible employees) or our stakeholder pension scheme, with up to 7% employer contributions
  
  Annual leave

• 27 days plus Bank Holidays rising with length of service
• 2 weeks paid sabbatical leave after 5, 10 and 15 years’ service
  
  Contractual benefits

• Generous sick pay scheme
• Enhanced maternity, adoption, and paternity leave pay
• Flexible working arrangements
• Death in service benefits
• Reimbursed professional membership fees
• Eye care
• Employee referral scheme
• Blue Light discount card
  
  Health and wellbeing

• Employee Assistance Programme
• Occupational Health
• Mindfulness sessions
• Cycle to work scheme
• Mental Health First Aiders

Anticipated Start Date: 04/05/2026

Closing Date: 28/02/2026

Title: Active Recovery Lead 

Employer:  The Southmead Project 

Accountable to: Head of Active Recovery

Place of Work: The Southmead Project, Southmead, Bristol. BS10 6AS

Hours: 4 days per week

Contract: Permanent

Salary: £32,216.00 p/a pro rata 

The Southmead Project:

The Southmead Project is an equal opportunities employer providing free counselling and support for survivors of abuse and addiction across Bristol and surrounding areas. We welcome adults aged 18 and above of any race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, class, ability, language, religion and cultural background. We respect and cherish the differences between people and affirm every person as an individual. Our recruitment is done in line with safer recruitment practices. 

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 

• Optional private counselling for up to twelve sessions per year with an external counsellor of that person’s choice

• Employer pension contribution of 5%

The Active Recovery Project gives adult survivors of abuse the opportunity to take part in community-based activities. Members of Active Recovery can 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. 

Job Purpose: 

We are looking for a warm and passionate leader to come and join the Active Recovery Service.

As an Active Recovery Lead, their job will be to develop and deliver the Active Recovery Project in Bristol and in Somerset. Using a trauma-informed approach, the Active Recovery Lead will create and provide a safe and supportive space for clients from The Sexual Violence Alliance organisations (The Southmead Project, SARSAS, Womankind and the Bridge Sarc) 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. 

Principal Tasks:

1. Run two Active Recovery groups a week, with , with the help of the Practitioner.

2. 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. 

3. Create safety plans and tailor activity sessions where appropriate after building relationships with members following the initial phone calls.

4. Plan trauma-informed sessions for members, including producing risk assessments for each activity, visiting activity locations and delivering relevant trauma training to activity providers. 

5. Oversee and lead on setting up, delivering and debriefing about activity sessions with members, volunteers and staff. Ensuring members are clear on each session's ground rules and safeguarding processes, using the Member’s Agreement.

6. Provide trauma-informed face-to-face support to members at sessions who may become overwhelmed or require help dealing with flashbacks and dissociation.

7. To support volunteers and staff with safeguarding queries and ensure safeguarding procedures are followed. To be the safeguarding lead at activity sessions, escalating any onward safeguarding referrals and queries to the Southmead Project Designated Safeguarding Lead.

8. Participate in and support the recruitment and induction training of volunteers.

9. Support and line manage a team of volunteers.

10. Develop and maintain an Active Recovery community through email, phone calls, texts and in person.

11. Develop and drive forward the project’s aim to have the members’ voices at the heart of the project.

12. Collaborate with developing outcome processes in line with the Southmead Project and its funders’ requirements.

13. Analyse data and feedback collected through outcomes processes to adapt and constantly improve the planning and delivery of the project sessions.

14. Contribute content for reports as required. 

15. Build and maintain positive relationships with partnership organisations for the project.

16. Manage the day to day budget for the project sessions, keeping accurate records to report to the Head of Active Recovery and planning how the budget will be spent across sessions, within guidelines provided by the Head of Active Recovery.

17. Record data accurately and in a timely manner on Oasis.

18. Produce social media and website posts about the project, including producing and editing videos.

19. Attend monthly one-to-one line management meetings with the Head of Active Recovery. 

20. 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. 

21. 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.

22. Follow the Southmead Project policies, procedures and professional code of conduct as outlined in the Staff Handbook.

23. All members of staff, paid and unpaid, are required to undergo the   enhanced level of Disclosure and Barring Service check.

Person Specification

ESSENTIAL

• Full drivers licence and access to own transport.

• Professional qualification, such as a Diploma or degree in Counselling or in other relevant fields of work, such as; social work, psychology, mental health, education, support work or similar: or extensive experience in any of these fields.

• A sound understanding of the issues affecting members who have experienced trauma and abuse.

• Experience in managing projects. 

• Excellent administration and organisational skills, including experience of managing sensitive personal information.

• Experience of and confidence in using multiple computer and case management systems. 

• At least 2 years’ experience of delivering groups in the community, preferably activity based.

• At least 1 year’s experience of providing face-to-face support for survivors of abuse. 

• The ability to arrange group activities and liaise with other local organisations to help plan them. 

• The ability to plan sessions in detail to ensure that they are trauma-informed and having the experience and confidence to ‘hold’ groups when things do not go to plan.

• The ability to work flexibly within a team and support those within it. 

• Experience in managing volunteers. 

• Knowledge and awareness of how particular activities and social situations could improve people’s self-esteem, self-confidence, build friendships and reduce their isolation. 

• A sound understanding of safeguarding and experience of supporting others to act in accordance with safeguarding policies and within the best interests of the Active Recovery member or those at risk.

• Experience in managing a long-term budget.

• Knowledge of survivors’ voice work.

• To be able to attend monthly one-to-one line management meetings and monthly clinical supervision.

• 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.

DESIRABLE:

• Experience of building and maintaining positive partnerships in the community.

• Experience of running a community based project. 

• Experience of setting up processes for survivors’ voice work.

• Knowledge of making content for social media, including video recording and editing skills.

• Experience managing recruitment and training.

• Experience in chairing meetings and the ability to plan and review activities with a team.

• Experience designing outcomes processes and collecting outcomes data.

• Experience in writing reports, preferably funding reports in the charity sector.

 Please note that there must be at least 12 months between receiving support from the Southmead Project as a client/member and starting this role.

The Videographer and Photographer role sits within the Brand team. This role captures and edits high-quality video and photography to produce marketing, fundraising and brand assets for the organisation - working independently or collaboratively across multi-team projects.

Overall objectives:

• Create visual assets for our brand portfolio and for marketing materials, working closely with the Creative Manager.
• Support departments with video and photography needs, including Income Generation. This includes assisting partners and external creative agencies and production companies with on-site shoots and coordinating with Operations teams as needed.
• Work collaboratively with the Brand team on large or multi-team projects leading on technical video and photography production.

What we can offer you:

In return for your commitment to our cause and to recognise the value of our employees, Battersea offers a range of benefits to support the wellbeing of our employees. These include:

• 28 days of annual leave (plus 8 days paid public holidays) per year.
• Discounted gym membership and cycle to work schemes.
• Employee Assistance Programme and access to Wellbeing Resources.
• Generous pension contributions - up to 10% employer contribution.
• Free healthcare cash plan, where you can claim for a range of treatment including dental, optical, physiotherapy, chiropody and acupuncture every year.
• Annual interest-free season ticket loans.

We are also committed to providing learning and development to our employees. During your time with us, we provide support for your professional and career development, including access to digital and in-person training programmes, leadership and management training, mentoring and much more.

Our hybrid working model:

We operate a 50% onsite hybrid working model, with our office-based staff splitting their time between site based and home working. This enables our office-based staff to balance the benefits of home working with onsite collaboration and maintaining a connection to our cause.

Diversity and inclusion:

We are committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive experience for all staff, volunteers and trustees and those hoping to join us. We operate an anonymised shortlisting process and actively seek to ensure our process is fair and equitable for all.

We understand the value of diverse voices, perspectives, and experiences to help us deliver even more for our dogs and cats, and we welcome applicants from all sections of the community.

As a Disability Confident Committed Employer we will ask about any adjustments you may need at application and/or interview stage, and if you are offered a role with us, we’ll talk to you about any workplace adjustments you may need to help you perform at your best. If you would like to talk more about this, please contact us. Greyscale copies of the recruitment pack are also available on request.

More about us:

At Battersea, we aim to never turn away a dog or cat in need of help. We give each one lots of love, expert care and get to know their characters and quirks so we can find them a new home that’s just right for them. Join us and help us be here for every dog and cat, wherever they are, for as long as they need us.

Acceptable use of AI:

At Battersea, we value expertise. We recognise each candidate that applies to us will have a range of expertise they can offer us, so we want to hear about this in your own words. We understand the support that generative artificial intelligence (AI) software can offer but it can also lead to numerous applications presenting as generic and impersonal. This makes it difficult to gain understanding of your unique experience.

To best showcase yourself, we encourage you to write your responses without the assistance of AI. If you require the use of AI software to aid in completing your application, we ask you use the generative responses as a prompt for writing your answers and avoid copying and pasting. You must also ensure the information presented in your application accurately reflects your experience.

Closing date: 1st March 2026

All applications must be submitted before the closing date advertised. We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if a high volume of applications is received.

Interview Date(s):

First round (online) - 11th March 2026

Second round (in person) - 18th March 2026

For full details on the role, please download the recruitment pack from our Careers website.