Family centre manager volunteer roles

Will you share your counselling or psychotherapy skills as a counsellor or therapist to join an online counselling service for patients and families affected by a chronic pain condition (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome)?

We're looking for 3 qualified counsellors, psychotherapists or psychologists volunteers ideally with some experience of working with chronic pain patients or lived experience of chronic illness, who may want to volunteer their skills supporting our adult service users (aged 18 & over) and help us to continue developing a mental health support service. 

As a Volunteer Counsellor/Therapist you’ll be providing remote counselling/therapy support services to adults aged 18 and over many of whom are isolated and in need of mental health services. You’ll be providing one-to-one counselling/therapy sessions online via Zoom or by phone. With your recognised counselling qualifications and experience you will be an asset to our small charity and to our services users.  

Depending on your qualifications, skills and experience, our volunteer counsellors / therapists provide person centred counselling (general talking counselling) or integrative counselling, or specialist services such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), ACT, CFT and EMDR for CRPS patients, or their families & close relatives.

People will be referred both by health or legal professionals as well as having patients and carers themselves referring into to the service.

In this role you’ll be able to develop your counselling and therapy skills, organisation, communication and team working skills.

Most importantly you’ll be providing essential services that help make sure no one has to face CRPS alone. Be the hope for CRPS.

What the role involves

This role may vary depending on needs, but is likely to include:

• Undertake client assessments following triage by Clinical Lead, followed by counselling / therapy (via Zoom or phone) to our clients, offering up to 20 sessions for each client plus a check in and 4 psychometric assessments

• Providing one-to-one counselling sessions to clients aged 18 & over

• Update our database with the client’s information, sessional notes and session attendance

• Maintain succinct, relevant session notes and store these confidentially and securely in acccordahce with GDPR

• Attending and participating in monthly group supervision support of 1.5 hours a month

• Attend CPD training to ensure your knowledge stays current

• Participating in volunteer meetings
• Maintaining client confidentiality, upholding data protection and equal opportunities principles

We can support you to develop the skills you need for this role, including a full induction. You will have a chance to discuss your role and any additional needs with us. We can offer you a supervisor as well as expenses for annual insurance and an external supervisor if required.

What you need for this role

Essential

• Be a member (including student membership) of one of the recognised membership organisations (see below)
• Level 4 Diploma level qualifications as a minimum (unfortunately no students at this time), Degree or Masters in Counselling, Counselling/Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy, Art Therapy, EMDR 
• Minimum of 100 hours supervised
• Proof of professional indemnity insurance annually - we may consider paying this as an expense but commitment to the charity is required
• A valid DBS certificate (enhanced version), which is less than three years old and renewed every three years (the charity can provide where necessary)
• Able to keep people’s personal data safe

• Willing and able to provide counselling via Zoom from a private location with a stable WiFi connection

• Able to support a minimum of 3 clients a week, being three hours of your time for therapy sessions plus time for administration and attending group supervision for 1.5 hours a month. We ideally hope you to offer the charity a minimum commitment of six months.

Desirable

• Knowledge of chronic pain or Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
• Previous experience as a chronic pain or CRPS counsellor or psychologist 
• Committed to our values
• Willing to develop skills and experience
• Enjoy working as part of a team
• Effective administration skills, planning and organisation skills
• Approachable, presentable, enthusiastic

Once we’ve assessed your application, you may be invited for interview. If you are successful, we will arrange for you to have an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service DBS or Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) check.

Recognised Organisations You Must Be A Member of:

• British Association for Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP)
• British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapists (BABCP)
• EMDR Association UK
• Complimentary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC)
• British Psychological Society
• General Hypnotherapy Register (GHR)
• British Society for Clinical Hypnotherapists (BSCH)
• National Council for Hypnotherapists (NCH)
• United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)
• The National Hypnotherapy Society (HS)
• National Counselling Society (NCS)
• Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC)
• The Association for Professional Hypnosis and Psychotherapy (APHP)
• National Register of Hypnotherapists & Psychotherapists (NRHP)

Making a difference

What impact will the opportunity have?

You will join the charity during a critical and challenging period where referrals are on the rise and your expert knowledge and experience will be invaluable to our success. You will have a key role in not only developing a counselling service for our clients but also ensure we provide counselling services and mental health support to our CRPS patients & their families who are in need of our support and inclusion on a regular basis. With your help we will expand our support and mental health services to ensure our service users receive mental health support that they may not have been offered.

What's in it for you as the volunteer? 

You would be a part of our small, friendly, forward-thinking charity team, focused on reaching people affected by this rare, painful and debilitating chronic pain condition and to provide them with psychological support whether they are patients, their partner, relatives, friends or carers. As this service is rapidly expanding, you would have a key role in developing our counselling and psychotherapy programme and to complement our support services that we offer. This is a fantastic opportunity for you to make a real difference in our clients' life which is already isolated and painful, who may not have received any psychological support.

Could you spare a little time each week to help older people use smartphones, tablets, laptops, the NHS App, GP online services, email, video calls and more?

Age UK Birmingham is looking for friendly, patient volunteers to support local people with digital skills, online confidence and staying safe from scams.

We have two locations:

�� Oscott Community Centre — Tuesdays, 12:00–13:30
�� Oldbury Library — Wednesdays, 11:00–13:00

For more detailed information, please see below:

About the Service

The Digital Support service offers free, personalised assistance through one-to-one, group, or virtual sessions, tailored to each individual’s needs and pace. It supports people in getting started with smartphones, tablets, and laptops, setting up and using online services such as shopping platforms and health apps, and staying connected with family and friends through messaging, video calls, and social media. The service also helps individuals build confidence online, protect personal information, and recognise and avoid scams, phishing messages, and fake websites.

Support is available for a wide range of devices, including laptops, tablets (such as iPads), smartphones (Android or iPhone), and other everyday digital technology. Whether someone is completely new to digital or looking to develop their skills, the service helps them get online, set up and manage email accounts, use apps and online services, and explore new digital tools in a simple, friendly, and supportive way.

About the Role

As an Age UK Digital support volunteer, you'll receive training to aid older individuals in improving their digital skills and confidence, with particular focus on digital health. This can include access to the NHS app or local GP surgery online portals. Your role includes understanding their online barriers and helping to overcome them.

Specific tasks may include:

· Work with older people in group sessions to develop their digital skills and confidence online.

· Get to know the older people you support to understand the individual barriers they face.

· Some set-up of the room may be required as well as handing out equipment

Personal qualities and skills most suited to this role

· Strong listener and clear, friendly communicator who adapts to different learners

· Comfortable using smartphones, tablets, and laptops

· Confident with common operating systems (Android, iOS, Windows), though not all are required

· Skilled in everyday online tasks like messaging, email, browsing, video calls and Apps, e.g the NHS App,

· Careful and detail-oriented when handling older people’s information, with awareness of data privacy.

What the role can offer you

• As a digital volunteer, you will be part of creating a supportive project to people who will benefit

• The role is an opportunity to connect with and support your local community

• You will meet with new people who care about the same things

• Build skills to enhance your CV

• You will make a real difference to people’s lives

Additional Information

Full training is provided which will consist of a variety of both online and in-person training. You will receive CORE modules in the form of a training booklet during registration, plus additional training via your line manager once you have started to perform your role safely and effectively.

Volunteering for Sense

Our amazing team of volunteers help us run over 100 shops across England and Wales.  Every donated item that you sort, prepare and sell helps to raise vital funds to support us in our mission to make sure no one, no matter how complex their disabilities, is isolated, left out, or unable to fulfil their potential. Our shops are at the heart of local communities – sharing the work of Sense, and helping to secure support for our life changing work.

What your role will involve

There are a variety of tasks that you can get involved with in the shop, including:

• Welcoming and assisting customers, providing great customer service and a fantastic shopping experience
• Receiving donated goods from members of the public
• Sorting, steaming, tagging and preparing donated goods for sale
• Creating eye catching window and in-shop displays
• Keeping the shop floor well stocked, tidy, clean and organised
• Processing sales and serving on the till
• Promoting Gift Aid and other Sense fundraising initiatives
• Acting as an ambassador for Sense; promoting the shop and Sense in your local community
• Supporting with the recruitment and training of new volunteers
• Following new health and safety measures to ensure the safety of everyone

Will the role suit me? Yes, if you are:

• Motivated and hardworking
• Reliable, flexible and willing to do a variety of shop tasks
• A team player
• Friendly and helpful
• Passionate about customer service and enjoy interacting with people
• Respectful of others and their diversity
• Interested in supporting the work of Sense and want to make a difference to people who have complex disabilities and are deafblind.

What can Sense offer me as a volunteer?

• A full induction and ongoing support and guidance from your Shop Manager to make sure you feel confident in your role
• Support to develop new skills, knowledge and experience, in particular of a retail environment, but also skills such as teamwork, customer service, communication and using your initiative
• A reference for other paid or voluntary work (available on request)
• The opportunity to share your existing skills and experience to benefit others
• The chance to meet new people from a wide range of backgrounds and to join a passionate and committed team
• The opportunity to make an invaluable contribution to Sense by raising vital income and raising the profile of Sense in your local community; changing the lives of those who have complex disabilities and are deafblind

About Sense

For everyone living with complex disabilities. For everyone who is deafblind. Sense is here to offer personalised support to help people communicate and experience the world. We believe that no one, no matter how complex their disabilities, should be isolated, left out, or unable to fulfil their potential. Our experts offer support that’s tailored to the individual needs of each person, whether that’s at our centres, through our holidays and short breaks, or in people’s own homes. In addition to practical support, we also provide information to families, and campaign for the rights of people with complex disabilities to take part in life.

Volunteers add real value to Sense, bringing their passion, enthusiasm and fresh perspectives to the work that we do. We believe that volunteers enable us to bring people together, and provide opportunities for people with complex disabilities to communicate and experience the world.

We include. We collaborate. We find a way. We challenge. We celebrate.

Our values

Our values shape the way we behave and work alongside disabled people with complex needs to break down barriers. 

• We're creating change
• We're always learning
• We're better together

Could you spare a little time each week to help older people use smartphones, tablets, laptops, the NHS App, GP online services, email, video calls and more?

Age UK Birmingham is looking for friendly, patient volunteers to support local people with digital skills, online confidence and staying safe from scams.

We have two locations:

�� Oscott Community Centre — Tuesdays, 12:00–13:30
�� Oldbury Library — Wednesdays, 11:00–13:00

For more detailed information, please see below:

About the Service

The Digital Support service offers free, personalised assistance through one-to-one, group, or virtual sessions, tailored to each individual’s needs and pace. It supports people in getting started with smartphones, tablets, and laptops, setting up and using online services such as shopping platforms and health apps, and staying connected with family and friends through messaging, video calls, and social media. The service also helps individuals build confidence online, protect personal information, and recognise and avoid scams, phishing messages, and fake websites.

Support is available for a wide range of devices, including laptops, tablets (such as iPads), smartphones (Android or iPhone), and other everyday digital technology. Whether someone is completely new to digital or looking to develop their skills, the service helps them get online, set up and manage email accounts, use apps and online services, and explore new digital tools in a simple, friendly, and supportive way.

About the Role

As an Age UK Digital support volunteer, you'll receive training to aid older individuals in improving their digital skills and confidence, with particular focus on digital health. This can include access to the NHS app or local GP surgery online portals. Your role includes understanding their online barriers and helping to overcome them.

Specific tasks may include:

· Work with older people in group sessions to develop their digital skills and confidence online.

· Get to know the older people you support to understand the individual barriers they face.

· Some set-up of the room may be required as well as handing out equipment

Personal qualities and skills most suited to this role

· Strong listener and clear, friendly communicator who adapts to different learners

· Comfortable using smartphones, tablets, and laptops

· Confident with common operating systems (Android, iOS, Windows), though not all are required

· Skilled in everyday online tasks like messaging, email, browsing, video calls and Apps, e.g the NHS App,

· Careful and detail-oriented when handling older people’s information, with awareness of data privacy.

What the role can offer you

• As a digital volunteer, you will be part of creating a supportive project to people who will benefit

• The role is an opportunity to connect with and support your local community

• You will meet with new people who care about the same things

• Build skills to enhance your CV

•You will make a real difference to people’s lives

Additional Information

Full training is provided which will consist of a variety of both online and in-person training. You will receive CORE modules in the form of a training booklet during registration, plus additional training via your line manager once you have started to perform your role safely and effectively.