Application Pack for Volunteer Counsellor Placement

Application pack for volunteer counsellor placement

Dear Volunteer Counsellor Applicant,

Thank you for your interest in a clinical placement with Oxfordshire Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Centre (OSARCC). We are a feminist organisation comprised of women of all ages and backgrounds who are committed to offering free and confidential support to women survivors of all kinds of sexual violence.

We recruit person-centred/ integrative humanistic volunteer counsellors who are qualified or currently in training on counselling & psychotherapy courses.

Our clinical placements are voluntary. We ask for an 18-month commitment.

OSARCC requires all counsellors to be flexible and creative in their approach to best meet the needs of the individual service user, and be willing to work non-directively and from a person-centred stance within the values and approach of the organisation.

We ask that you see 3 clients per week. We offer between 12- 48 counselling sessions to each woman, with regular reviews.

Please take time to complete your application, as this alone will be used to assess your suitability. CVs or forms with missing information will not be considered.

Each application will be considered on an individual basis, and OSARCC reserves the right to decline any application.

All volunteers who work in OSARCC Counselling Service are DBSchecked.

We will endeavour to respond to all applicants, but if you are concerned your application may not have been received please contact us to discuss. If you would like to discuss any aspects of the application please contact me.

I look forward to receiving your application form.

Best Wishes,

Claire Thomas

Counselling Coordinator

The Volunteer Trainee Counsellor Interview Process

Trainee volunteer counsellors will be asked to complete the application form. CVs are not accepted.
If shortlisted, to attend a selection day that includes a group interview assessment. This will consist of a brief introduction to the OSARCC Counselling service, information about the training process, and group interview style activities. Following this, some participants will be selected to continue onto the training, or be invited for a further individual discussion, or feedback offered as to why they will not be offered a place on the training at this time.
If selected, to attend 8 sessions of training to learn about the administration of the Counselling Service, and specific training regarding working with survivors of sexual violence. Dates will be set by OSARCC.
To join a supervision group.
To be allocated service users to caseload. The speed at which this happens can vary depending on your availability / the current referral stream / your experience and expertise.

Volunteer Counsellor Agreement / Volunteer Information

RoleTitle: VOLUNTEER COUNSELLOR

Organisation: Oxfordshire Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Centre

Start Date:

Finish Date:

What you can ask of us / what we will offer:

Comprehensive training in working with survivors of sexual violence
A clinical placement for 18 months in total subject to successful 6 month probationary period, providing the opportunity to see up to 3 clients per week. Extensions of placement are possible subject to appraisal and discretion of the Counselling Coordinator.
Monthly clinical group supervision offering support and guidance to achieve safe clinical practice with clients, enabling the counsellor to explore difficulties and develop their abilities.
A supportive environment in which to develop new and transferable skills, and a supportive process in the event of concerns with quality of counsellors’ work clinically or otherwise. This may involve review with your supervisor and the Counselling Coordinator / service manager, contact with your training organisation or whatever else is necessary.
For counselling service staff to be available for telephone and e-mail contact during the week in event of queries.
Give references after 6 months of volunteering
Review of your general progress after six months with the Counselling Coordinator, and then ongoing annual review meetings in order to support your continued development. End of agreement review at least 3 months prior to end of your agreement.
Reimbursement of travel expenses.
Professional indemnity insurance cover for your clinical work at OSARCC.
Support for your professional development as a counsellor through review and mentoring opportunities.
To provide you with an accessible volunteer grievance and disciplinary policy and whistleblowing policy in the event that you have any complaints to bring to our attention, or a concern you feel you need to report.

What we ask of you:

To the best of your ability to make a commitment of at least 18 months with the Counselling Service to provide weekly counselling over 44 weeks per year for three hours weekly.
Provide a named contact person in your training organisation for the purposes of counsellor development and appraisal (trainees only).
To be aware of your own limitations, and use supervision to openly and honestly address clinical issues including: risk in the counselling relationship, risk to yourself as a trainee and risk to or from the client and any further concerns about breakdown in the relationship.
To work intelligently with the counselling service and ensure clear ending processes for service users.
To understand, agree to and be able to implement procedures in the OSARCC Counselling Policy and Procedures Handbook including dealing with risk.
Not to disclose personal information to clients (e.g. telephone numbers, etc.) or enter into any private arrangements with clients including additional / external / unpaid/ paid counselling.
To provide an email address which is looked at regularly and to respond to email communication from the counselling service.
OSARCC takes the welfare of its volunteers very seriously. To that end, you are expected to attend and participate in monthly group supervision of 3 hrs. If your attendance over a year falls below 80% of planned supervisions in each year, your volunteer role with OSARCC will be reviewed and possibly terminated.
In addition to this we expect volunteers to attend the twice yearly general meetings in which policy issues are discussed and aims set for the forthcoming year
Due to the nature of the clinical work, we would request that any breaks of longer than 3 weeks are agreed in advance with the Counselling Coordinator. Please note: Counsellors are asked to give adequate notice to end their placement and complete clinical contracts. Any unavoidable exception to this will be taken very seriously by the organisation.
To attend and participate in OSARCC’s training opportunities and other meetings, which may be arranged.
To complete administrative functions in accordance with current practices which include:
a) Recording appointments on Counselling Log Sheets

b) Completion of brief session summaries, completion of closing client summaries and interim review summaries as required

c) Completion of clinical and evaluation measures as directed.

Other than issuing standard and approved communications and correspondence, not to communicate / correspond with clients or any third parties without firstly seeking agreement from the Counselling Coordinator.
In any instance, which results in your inability to see clients or attend supervision, you are expectedto notify the service.
To inform your supervisor and the Counselling Coordinator of any changes to your studies,academic status, training contacts, personal therapy, or client work, including any additional counselling placements.
To inform the counselling service of any changes in personal details e.g. address, telephone numbers, etc.

General and Professional Responsibilities:

To act in accordance with OSARCC’s values, policies, procedures, guidelines and relevant codes of practice including that of the National Counselling Society which OSARCC is an organisational member of.
To develop and maintain appropriate boundaries of confidentiality with colleagues and clients, working within OSARCC’s policies and procedures.
To maintain client records and information securely and in strict confidence.
To contribute to the collation of information as necessary.
To maintain high standards of professional integrity and respect for others in all dealings with service users, colleagues and other professionals.
To avoid any action or behaviour which may bring the organisation into disrepute

OSARCC operates a policy of equal opportunities and welcomes applications from people who self-define as women due to the sensitive nature of our work and the fact that the overwhelming majority of our helpline callers are women who only want to speak to other women. We require volunteers to be aged over 18. We are particularly keen to hear from women who belong to under-represented groups, for example women from Black, Asian, and other ethnic minority backgrounds; lesbian, bisexual and trans* women; and women who are disabled.

I______have read and understood the roles and responsibilities of OSARCC.
Signature: Date:
Counselling Coordinator’s signature: Date:

Volunteer counsellor application form

Personal details:

Full name:

Address:

Telephone number:

Email address:

1) How did you hear about Oxfordshire Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Centre (OSARCC)?

2) What interests you in volunteering for OSARCC and what do you hope to gain?

3) What skills and qualities do you believe you can offer to OSARCC?

4) What difficulties do you anticipate counselling volunteers might face at OSARCC?

5) We work from feminist principles – why do you think this might be important to us?

6) We are asking for counselling volunteers to either be in a counselling training programme leading to a professional qualification in counselling or psychotherapy or be post-qualified. Please provide details of your training and professional membership :

Title of qualification / Place of study / Year completed / Length of course / Membership organisation (e.g. BACP, UKCP, NCS, BPS) / Membership number and level of membership

7) Please tell us a little about your main counselling training – what aspects of its therapeutic approach particularly attracted you?

8) We ask that applicants have completed at least 30 hours of 1:1 supervised client work. How many counselling hours do you have and how have you gained them?

9) How many hours (approximately) of personal therapy have you had and how do you think this will inform your work with survivors of sexual violence?

10) We ask for 18 months’ commitment to ensure a stable service for our service users. Do you anticipate having any problems meeting this commitment?

11) We ask OSARCC counselling volunteers to commit to working with at least 3 service users per week plus attendance at monthly supervision and management supervision/team meetings. In addition to this we expect volunteers to attend the twice yearly general meetings in which policy issues are discussed and aims set for the forthcoming year. Is this likely to cause you any difficulties?

12) Do you have any unspent convictions within the terms of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act?

13) Have you used any of OSARCC's support services in the last two years?

15) Which of the following times would you be able to attend training and/or volunteer as a counsellor for OSARCC? – please indicate any time(s) you would be able to offer.

SUNDAY / MONDAY / TUESDAY / WEDNESDAY / THURSDAY / FRIDAY / SATURDAY
AM / AM / AM / AM / AM / AM / AM
PM / PM / PM / PM / PM / PM / PM
EVE / EVE / EVE / EVE / EVE / EVE / EVE

16) Do you need a work permit to work in the UK? Y / N

IMPORTANT: please supply the name and email address of two referees who could comment on your suitability to undertake counselling work. One referee should be someone familiar with counselling work, e.g a counsellor, clinical supervisor or course tutor. For qualified applicants we will contact the referee ONLY AFTER interview; for trainees looking for a placement as part of training, we may ask for references BEFORE interview.

Referee 1:

Name / Relationship / Role / Profession / Email Address / Phone numbers

Referee 2:

Name / Relationship / Role / Profession / Email Address / Phone numbers

Declaration: The information I have provided is genuine and I declare that the information provided on this form, and on any accompanying documents, is true to the best of my knowledge and belief. I understand that the provision of false information may lead to termination of my status as a volunteer.

Signature:

Date:

Please return this form to along with a separate copy of the Equal Opportunities Monitoring form.

Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form / Confidential
This information will be treated as confidential, and used solely for monitoring purposes. The form will be separated from the application form before short-listing of candidates takes place. The form will not be considered as part of the selection process. If you prefer not to disclose any of this information, please leave the section(s) blank
Post applied for:
How did you find out about this vacancy? (Please tick one box only)
Daily Info / Via email
Local Press / Website
Other (please describe)
I would describe my ethnic origin as (please tick one box only):
Please tick this box if you would prefer not to answer this question:
White / Asian or Asian British
British / Indian
Irish / Pakistani
Any other white background / Bangladeshi
(please describe) / Any other Asian background
Mixed / (please describe)
White & Black Caribbean / Black or Black British
White & Black African / Caribbean
White & Asian / African
Any other mixed background / Any other Black background
(please describe) / (please describe)
Chinese or other ethnic group
Chinese
Any other background (please describe)
Please describe your religious group:
Please tick this box if you would prefer not to answer this question:
Please describe your gender:
Please tick this box if you would prefer not to answer this question:
Female
Androgynous
Trans*
Other (please describe)
How would you describe your sexual orientation?
Please tick this box if you would prefer not to answer this question:
Heterosexual / Lesbian
Gay / Bisexual
Other (please describe)
Please indicate your age
Age / Date of Birth
Disability
Do you have a disability as defined by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995?
YesNo
If ‘yes’, please give brief details of the effects of your disability on your day-to-day activities, and any other information that you feel would help us to accommodate your needs and thus meet our obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. A disability in no way precludes you from consideration for a position and OSARCC wishes to assist and support applicants with a disability through the recruitment process. Please continue overleaf as required…