Job Type: Part-time
Hours of work: 18 per week
Pay: £15,724 - £17,471 (FTE £32,758 - £36,398)
Role Purpose:
This role is fundamental to the work of our counselling service in providing dedicated therapeutic support to women who have experienced gender-based violence, in a trauma-informed working environment with a feminist ethos of care and support.
The Counselling Services Lead will, lead, develop, coordinate and represent internally and externally West Cornwall Women's Aid (WCWAid) counselling services, working to a trauma-informed model. They will also complete clinical hours with a small client base, including group work They will support trauma-stabilisation of all service users across the organisation.
Accountabilities:
Service Leadership & Management
* Coordinate and lead a safe, professional, sustainable and accessible counselling service consistent with WCWAid's vision, peer ethic, policies and objectives
* Line manage and provide non-clinical supervision to the Counselling Coordinator
* Recruit and train volunteer counsellors
* Devise and deliver relevant volunteer training, alongside the Community Services Manager and Counselling Coordinator
* Support and mentor volunteer counsellors to fulfil their roles and obligations (non-clinical) in line with the Counselling Service policies and processes
* Liaise with and deliver presentations to local colleges to engage trainee counsellors seeking placement
* Updating, maintaining and implementing the Counselling Service policies, processes and training alongside the Counselling Coordinator
* Work within budgets and ensure expenditure is within financial framework
Clinical Governance & Safeguarding
* Undertake service-wide risk monitoring/assessments and safeguarding
* Liaise with clinical supervisor to promote best practice, including ensuring client beneficence, well-being of volunteer counsellors, competence and limitations of volunteer counsellors, safeguarding concerns
* Keep up to date with BACP best practice and guidance, and ensure implementation across the service
* Maintain confidential records in keeping with the policies and procedures of the organisation
* Attend and participate in external and internal supervision
Service Delivery & Client Support
* Continue to develop a therapy group to be delivered in accordance with service user need, including a provision for refuge clients
* To be a critical point of contact for individuals presenting in crisis
* Alongside the Community Services Manager, lead in delivering holistic support, responding flexibly to client need (including crisis presentations)
* Engage women actively in making sense of the issues which affect their lives; setting goals for improvement and taking action through empowerment and participative processes
Monitoring, Evaluation & Reporting
* To ensure that all Counselling Services paperwork is processed effectively and in a timely manner
* Maintain recording systems to evidence service provision; including evaluation and service user and stakeholder feedback
* Produce reports as required for the CEO, Trustees and funders
Representation, Advocacy & External Engagement
* To represent WCWAid by welcoming all clients, volunteers and visitors to the community building
* Presenting and educating local organisations, services and fundraisers with the charity's aims, outcomes and ethos, alongside the Community Services team
* To represent the organisation at community and multi-agency forums
* Attendance at organisational forums as required
* Work collectively to bring about social change and improve quality of life
* Work in transparent partnership with service users, colleagues and other professionals
Professional Development and Compliance
* Keep up to date with domestic abuse and sexual violence related issues and strategic developments in education and training for WCWAid's client-base
* Participate in training as directed by the line manager to maintain best practice standards and support ongoing professional development.
* Read, understand, and adhere to WCWAid policies, staying up to date with any changes as instructed by the line manager and ensuring all work is carried out in line with these policies.
* Practice diversity, equity, and inclusion by delivering support that considers women's intersecting characteristics and lived experiences, ensuring an anti-discriminatory and culturally competent approach.
* Attend and actively engage in managerial and clinical supervision sessions as directed by the line manager to ensure best practice, receive guidance, and prioritise personal well-being.
* Attend and actively engage in team meetings, training and events.
Undertake other duties of a reasonable nature, as may be determined by the CEO or key stakeholders, from time to time, in consultation with the post-holder.
This job description may be reviewed and amended, subject to the needs of clients, the organisation and funders.
WCWAid is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. However, this post is restricted to women due to the nature of the role. The Occupational Requirement under Schedule 9 (part 1) of the Equality Act 2010 applies.