Sessional counsellor jobs

The successful candidate will be working with adults in a residential setting delivering assessments, group sessions and one-to-one therapy to those admitted to the service. The post-holder will offer an intensive, abstinent-based programme with high levels of group therapy and a strong emphasis on aftercare support. The role will include facilitating specialist psycho-educational groups, 12 step, relapse prevention therapeutic groups and individual counselling sessions.

You will work closely with our Supported Housing team and be required to participate in regular team meetings. You will also be required to liaise with external agencies and work creatively to provide the most appropriate treatment plans for clients with complex needs. You may be required to cover occasional evening Aftercare groups.

Main Responsibilities
•  Undertake assessments of people entering the service through various referral sources.
•  Develop, facilitate, and review a group work programme that meets the needs of our clients. These might include dual diagnosis, trauma, cross-addiction, criminal justice issues and various types of substance use.
•  Provide a holistic package of care to people which meets their needs and includes working with colleagues across other teams to help residents with diversionary activities, employment, training, and education.
•  Work with the Supported Housing team to ensure residents are safe, secure, and maintain their tenancies and are prepared to move onto independent living.
•  Provide a range of one-to-one interventions that might include MI, person-centered care, CBT, DBT and trauma work.
•  Manage a caseload of individuals with a wide spectrum of needs.
•  Assist residents to understand the effects and benefits of any medication prescribed for them and the importance of complying with treatment regimes. This might include liaising with pharmacists, doctors, and psychiatrists for monitoring purposes.
•  Provide psychoeducation to raise awareness and understanding of substances and their effects.
•  Provide onward referral and liaison with wrap-around support within SCT to enable our residents to achieve social integration and personal development.

Client Management
•Coordinate and carry out assessments of new residents and the referral and acceptance process, ensuring that each client has a programme appropriate to their needs.
•  Conduct joint 3 and 6-monthly reviews with Supported Housing team colleagues.
•Provide group and individual counselling as required by the service.
•Support residents from admission until completion of treatment.

Operational Support
•Comply with all monitoring and evaluation requirements.

General Responsibilities
•Engage with and inspire people in recovery.
•Ensure a safe and secure environment for residents, free from alcohol and drugs, and free from abusive behaviour and exploitation.
•Ensure that all SCT activities are carried out with due regard to Health and Safety legislation, SCT policies and procedures, as well as good practice.
•Work within the policies and procedures of SCT.
•Implement SCT’s Equal Opportunities Policy, understanding its implication in the development of services to clients.
•Attend regular supervision sessions, both internal and external.
•Attend meetings within and on behalf of SCT as appropriate.
•Undertake other tasks consistent with the post or as delegated by your line manager.

Strategic Excellence
•Be an effective role model, with the ability to inspire and motivate others.
•Work collaboratively with the Recovery Hub team.
•Ensure you are kept up to date with developments within the sector, thus enhancing your knowledge and practice
•Capture the outcomes of the therapeutic programme with all monitoring and evaluation methods that are required by your line manager, to capture the impact of SCT work, whilst ensuring the voice of SCT clients are heard.
Qualifications and Experience

ESSENTIAL
•   Educated to degree level or Diploma Level 4 in Counselling.
•Two years’ experience of therapeutic work with: people in recovery, people experiencing homelessness or people with significant trauma histories / adverse childhood experiences.
•   One year’s experience of one-to-one counselling.
•A solid working understanding of CBT, MI, Relapse Prevention techniques and/or other interventions applicable to working with people in recovery.
•Experience in delivering therapeutic group work.
•Experience in encouraging individuals to reflect on their behaviour (consequences and risks), recognise the benefits and potential for change and provide support and encouragement to help residents achieve change positively within an abstinent community.
•Using effective support systems and networks to develop own knowledge and practice.
•Adhere to the principles of confidentiality of information.
•The ability to understand and work with others’ points of view, values and beliefs.
•The ability to change working techniques based on new information or evidence.
•Able to encourage others to express their views, feelings and wishes.
•Contributes positively to debate within the staff team.
•Promotes SCT by their own standards of conduct.
•Encourages, values and respects contributions from other team members.
•Possesses good written and oral communication and IT skills.

DESIRABLE
•Knowledge of local services and geography.
•Knowledge of the addiction, homelessness sector, social housing and the benefits system
•Experience of working with people with complex needs.

Start date:  Mid-August 2025 (subject to Enhanced DBS Check and satisfactory references).

Salary: £36,411 - £38,261 per annum, pro rata.

Hours: 35 hours a week, with some flexibility possible.

Contract: This is a 9 month maternity cover contract, with possibility of extension to 12 months

Place of work: To work flexibly at CARA premises across mid and north Essex, including Braintree, Chelmsford, Clacton, Colchester, Harwich and Dunmow, with some remote home working.

Holiday: 25 days per year pro-rata, plus additional closure days between Christmas and New Year.

To apply: Please complete the application form, which can be downloaded from our website, explaining how your skills and experience relate to the person specification. 

Applications must specifically address each essential and desirable criteria, giving evidence from previous experience or qualifications.

Application deadline:  10am, Monday 2nd June 2025 

Interviews:  Monday 9th June 2025 

Start date: Mid-August, subject to receipt of satisfactory references and enhanced DBS check.

Mandatory Training Dates: To be confirmed.

This post is restricted to women applicants under the Equality Act 2010, Schedule 9, Part 1.

Job Description

The role of CARA’s Child and Young Person’s Practice Manager is to lead CARA’s teams of Young Person’s Practitioners and Child and Family Practitioners and manage the provision of specialist sexual violence counselling for young people, play therapy and support for parents and carers.  The post holder may hold a small caseload of clients and undertake some assessments, but the main emphasis of this role will be on the management, support and coordination of the team.

This is a varied and interesting role, giving the post holder opportunity to lead a talented and committed team of practitioners.   As well as overseeing day-to-day operations of the team, the post holder will be part of CARA’s management team and will have the opportunity to play a key role in CARA’s wider development, working closely with the CEO and Deputy CEO.   The post holder will work with our sister centres, SERICC and SOS Rape Crisis to gain an understanding of Child and Young Person’s services across Essex and coordinate these as appropriate.   

Main Responsibilities

Leadership and Management

• To manage all operational aspects of CARA’s Child and Young Person’s Practice, including overseeing the delivery of our specialist young person’s counselling service, play therapy and support for parents and carers.    This may also include managing any new Child and Young Person’s Practice projects that CARA develops.

• To work in accordance with CARA’s policies and procedures and embed a feminist approach in CARA activities.

• To co-ordinate, review and develop effective processes within the Child and Young Person’s Practice, working closely with the Deputy CEO, the Young Person’s Practitioners and the Child and Family Practitioners.

• To line-manage a team of Young Person’s and Child and Family Practitioners, providing day-to-day support, monitoring performance and identifying training and development needs.   This will include keeping up to date notes of line management meetings and conducting and recording annual staff appraisals.

• Work with our Adult Practice Manager to oversee the work of a wider team of sessional counsellors, including supporting Practitioners in line managing sessional and volunteer counsellors and identifying training needs. This will include helping to co-ordinate a monthly sessional and volunteer counsellor meeting. 

• To support practitioners and sessional counsellors in maintaining up-to-date client records and ensure that gaps in data are proactively addressed, as required.

• To work with CARA’s Deputy CEO to recruit and train new staff and sessional and volunteer counsellors, as required.

• To lead regular Young Person’s Practice and Child and Family Practice meetings, producing notes to share with team members and with senior management.

• To maintain an overview of waiting lists, working closely with practitioners and with the Deputy CEO and CEO to ensure that staff and resources are deployed effectively.

• To keep up to date with relevant legislation, policy and practice issues, including BACP and child safeguarding guidance and ensure the practitioners are aware of changes.

• To liaise with CARA’s other teams and more widely with Synergy Essex teams, resolving problems and ensuring good communication and mutual understanding of respective roles and ways of operating.

• To liaise with external agencies, including children’s mental health and social care, ensuring CARA is represented at meetings as required and developing effective relationships to ensure our services co-ordinate with statutory and voluntary services.

• To be part of the CARA management team and attend regular management team meetings, contributing to CARA’s ongoing development.

Counselling and client support

• To oversee client work within the teams, working closely with all team members to resolve client issues and ensure high quality service provision.

• To undertake client assessments and make appropriate arrangements for support.

• To provide specialist counselling for young people and/or play therapy for children and support for their parents, holding a small caseload of clients.

• To keep client records up to date. 

• To work flexibly at CARA centres across mid and north Essex, providing face-to-face and remote sessions, as required.

General

• To work flexible hours, including some evening work and occasional weekends.

• To participate in CARA team meetings, supervision, training and development.

• To provide specialist advice to other workers and agencies, including participation in delivery of training sessions.

• To raise awareness of sexual violence and its impact in the community and within other agencies.

• To keep appropriate records in accordance with CARA policies and procedures.

• To adhere in full to all CARA’s organisational policies and procedures, including safeguarding procedures.

• To be administratively self-servicing.

• To report to the Deputy CEO, CEO and Trustees as required, including the production of regular written reports and verbal reports.

• To undertake any other related activities as required by the Deputy CEO, CEO or the Chair of the Board of Trustees.

About CARA 

CARA (Centre for Action on Rape and Abuse) works with victims and survivors of sexual violence and child sexual abuse, providing independent, specialist support and promoting and representing their rights and needs.

CARA is a registered charity working with adults of all genders, young people and children from across mid and north Essex.  We have a head office in Colchester and outreach premises in Braintree, Chelmsford, Clacton-on-Sea, Great Dunmow and Harwich. We also provide remote services.

CARA seeks to be an inclusive organisation that actively encourages, supports and values diversity amongst both our service-users and our workers.  We wish to create a culture in which discrimination, in all its forms, is recognised and addressed.

You can read more about CARA’s commitment to diversity and inclusion here.   We encourage and welcome applications from candidates from diverse backgrounds.

About Synergy East

CARA is part of Synergy East and we work closely with South Essex-based SERICC and Southend-on-Sea Rape Crisis (SOS Rape Crisis) to deliver the contract for the Office for the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex for services for victims and survivors of sexual violence and child sexual abuse across Essex.

About us

We’re Breast Cancer Now, the research and support charity. We’re the place to turn to for anything and everything to do with breast cancer. However you’re experiencing breast cancer, we’re here. 

The brightest minds in breast cancer research are here. Making life-saving research happen in labs across the UK and Ireland. Support services, trustworthy breast cancer information and specialist nurses are here. Ready to support you whenever you need it. Dedicated campaigners are here. Fighting for the best possible treatment, services and care for anyone affected by breast cancer.

About the role

You’ll be responsible for the organisation, delivery and development of our in-person and online services for people with breast cancer. This includes coordinating service events in Northern Ireland, supporting the delivery of UK wide online services, recruiting, training and working with sessional staff and volunteers.

A key part of the role involves developing and maintaining relationships with healthcare and allied healthcare professionals and other stakeholders to promote our services and increase reach and uptake in Northern Ireland.

About you

Do you thrive on challenge? Can you demonstrate a passion for supporting people with breast cancer?

You must have experience of organising, developing and delivering information, health or other support services and have knowledge of UK healthcare systems. Your excellent verbal and written communication skills help you manage successful relationships with a range of different stakeholders, often remotely. You are organised and have excellent time management skills. You use your initiative and prioritise your workload.

Working as part of a busy established team across different geographical sites can be challenging, you’ll will need to be a supportive and resilient colleague.

Flexibility to travel (throughout Northern Ireland and occasional travel in the UK) and work outside normal office hours, with occasional overnight stays is essential for this role.

Job description and benefits

Please download the job description and our attractive benefits package.

Primary location of role

This role is home based, although postholder would need to reside in Northern Ireland as it involves regular travel in the locality, and occasional travel outside of Northern Ireland.

When applying

We hope you choose to apply for this role. Please refer to the essential criteria on the person specification and clearly provide as much information as you can with examples, to demonstrate how and where you meet the criteria.

Our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion

We’re committed to promoting equity, valuing diversity and creating an inclusive environment – for everyone who works for us, works with us, supports us and who we support.

Closing date Tuesday 27 May 2025 at 9:00am

Interview date

1st stage interview: Monday 9 June 2025 (online)

2nd stage interview: Friday 20 June 2025 (online)

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT LEAD (OASIS ASHBURTON PARK)

FULL-TIME, 40 HOURS PER WEEK

SALARY:  £33,422 per annum

LOCATION:  CROYDON

PROJECT: 100 YEARS OF ASHBURTON PARK   

Want to make your community and local park a better place?

Will you support young people to recognise and reach their potential?

Are you passionate about how education and youth work can work alongside each other to make a positive impact on young people’s lives?

Want to be part of a supportive, dynamic, fun & quality team?

Oasis Ashburton Park are now in a position to employ an experienced Youth Development Lead to work alongside wider team in Croydon. The role will be focussed on the Ashburton Park area (surrounding Oasis Academies; Arena, Shirley Park and Ryeland’s) working closely with the academies as part of Oasis Ashburton Park and the ‘100 Years of Ashburton Park’ Project funded by The Heritage Lottery Fund.

As a Youth Development Lead you will;

• Develop and oversee a Youth Advisory Panel to ensure that youth voice is central to the design of our Youth Engagement Programme and the 360 Youth Centre.
• Develop and oversee the Youth Engagement Programme as part of the ‘100 years of Ashburton Park Project’ including a range of activities in and nearby to Ashburton Park, including after school drop-in’s, evening sessions, group work and one-one mentoring.
• Support the development and engagement of young people in a Food Growing Enterprise based at Ashburton Lodge.
• Work closely with Croydon Council and other partners to support young people to engage with a wide range of programmes and activities that are part of the ‘100 years of Ashburton Park Project’.
• Deliver open access sessions, group and one to one interventions with young people including; half term, afterschool, evenings and residentials, using a planned youth work curriculum.
• Line manage youth workers, sessional youth workers and youth volunteers to plan, deliver and evaluate youth work termly.
• Contribute to the development of youth work across the area and lead on specific areas of work on behalf of the team.

Amongst other requirements, the successful post holder must have:

· Relevant experience OR qualification in Youth & Community (JNC), Social Work (QSW) or SEND.

· Proven experience working with young people ‘at risk’.

· Reliability, with a flexible approach to changes and able to work unsociable hours.

· Experience of project and/or people management

As part of the package, Oasis offers:

• A pension scheme, currently offering 7% employer contribution.
• A generous holiday allowance and training opportunities.
• A supportive, friendly work environment, with flexible working arrangements.

If you are interested in this position, please email a CV and covering letter detailing why you feel you are suitable for this role. Please visit the Oasis Chartiy Jobs website for further information.

Completed applications should be returned by 5pm 23rd May

Round one Interviews will take place on W/C 2nd June

Round two interviews will take place on W/C 9th June

We actively encourage applications from people of all ethnic backgrounds and minority and underrepresented groups. If you require any assistance to overcome potential barriers to application, please let us know. 

Oasis is a multi-national charity supporting young people and their families in 10 countries worldwide. Our vision is for building healthy communities: places where everyone is included, making a contribution and reaching their full potential.

Oasis is committed to making a difference to the lives of the communities it works in, and as such you must show a willingness to demonstrate commitment to the values and behaviours which flow from the Oasis ethos.  We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We expect all staff to share this commitment and to undergo appropriate checks, including enhanced DBS checks. 

The successful candidates must have the right to work in the UK.  Oasis cannot assist with sponsorship or visas.

Oasis supports Equal Opportunities.  Registered Charity No. 1163889