RNIB Volunteer Counsellor
RNIB's Emotional Support Service is a team of telephone counsellors with experience in support, information and counselling. We offer our clients:
· time to talk about their situation and how they are feeling
· telephone counselling and Seeing It Through telephone support groups so that they can talk things over in more depth with the same person.
We are looking to recruit a small team of volunteer counsellors who can help us support more blind and partially-sighted people and at the same time gain valuable experience of counselling and issues facing people who are blind or partially-sighted.
What will I be doing?
q Offer a minimum of 3 individual telephone counselling sessions per week.
q Keep case notes of counselling sessions and supervision notes in accordance with RNIB's record keeping requirements.
q Attend supervision sessions provided by RNIB. Supervision sessions are held on a fortnightly basis.
q Attend the Induction Training sessions provided by RNIB.
q Attend in-house training.
q Adhere to RNIB's polices and procedures, including Confidentiality, Equal Opportunities, Health and Safety, User Feedback and Complaints.
q Carry out a small amount of administration related to your counselling sessions and RNIB's procedures, and liaise with the administrative staff regarding the advice and information needs of your clients.
Optional Activities
q Attend external training particularly relevant to our client group.
q Participate in events and activities to promote the service.
q Attend relevant free external training events accessible to RNIB offered by other organisations.
What skills and qualities can I bring to this role?
To be selected for interview you'll need to demonstrate in your application that you meet the following criteria:
q Training:
- To be currently undertaking a diploma level counselling course, which is accredited by the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) or a course which meets the training criteria of BACP individual accreditation.
Or
- To have completed a BACP recognised diploma or a training which compromises less than above, but in addition have a substantial supervised individual work experience.
q A counselling approach which integrates Humanistic principles.
q An interest in the well-being of blind and partially-sighted people and an understanding of the issues they face in their lives.
q Ability to demonstrate self-awareness of personal strengths, needs and motivations
q An awareness of difference and an ability to practise in a non-discriminatory way.
q A commitment to practising in accordance with the BACP Ethical Framework
When will I be needed?
Training
A training programme with dates and times is being finalised at the moment. Most of the training will take place at RNIB offices in Judd Street, London at the beginning of the new academic year.
Counselling
A minimum of 3 counselling appointments of 50 minutes each at a regular time and day each week. Volunteer counsellors are usually allocated 1 time slot for their appointments although 2 time slots may be negotiated.
RNIB
Counselling sessions take place between 9.30am and 4.30pm. A volunteer counsellor's block of sessions will be scheduled within this time, with one block available in the morning and one in the afternoon. An interval is arranged between each session to enable counsellors to write notes and deal with any necessary administrative tasks. There will be access to computers to help with this process.
Supervision
Supervision is provided in-house by RNIB's Counselling Supervisors. All volunteer counsellors are required to attend fortnightly group supervision of two hours on Tuesdays between 3.30pm and 5.30pm, with a maximum of three supervisees. Additionally there will be one individual supervision session of one hour per term.
Length and Commitment
Due to the considerable resource costs involved in training, support and supervision of each volunteer counsellor, RNIB expects volunteer counsellors to commit themselves to a minimum of a year’s client sessions with us.
Appraisal System
All volunteer counsellors are subject to a three-month induction period, which will include appraisal within that period.
Location
Counselling sessions are currently provided from RNIB's head office, 105 Judd Street, London (Mon-Fri)
What will I gain from the role?
Experience
An opportunity to gain experience of practising as a counsellor within a professional organisation.
Volunteer counsellors are also offered the opportunity to take part in other activities including workshops and events to promote RNIB's work for blind and partially-sighted people.
Counselling
An opportunity to gain experience of counselling blind and partially-sighted people.
Training
We offer induction and further in-house training, which will enable you to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills to counsel our blind and partially-sighted clients.
Training will also cover RNIB’s policies and procedures regarding Confidentiality, Equal Opportunities, User Feedback, Complaints and Health Safety.
Opportunities to attend free or low cost external training days offered locally on working with disabled people.
Supervision
Individual and group supervision are provided free by the organisation, in line with BACP recommended guidelines.
Resources
You will have access to counselling books, journals and articles.
What support will I be given?
· Induction
· Understanding Sight Loss
· Expenses – Up to the equivalent of an all-zone off-peak Travelcard (£7.50) to all counselling, supervision and in-house training sessions and, where appropriate, to local external training events.
· In addition to clinical supervision you will receive non-clinical supervision and support from your volunteer manager / coordinator
Contact Details
Kalle Hogh, Volunteer coordinator
Telephone: 020 7874 1396
Email:
Our vision is of a world in which blind and partially-sighted people enjoy the same rights, freedom, responsibilities and quality of life as people who are fully sighted.