Volunteer Counsellors

Could you be a Volunteer School Counsellor and add real value to the work we do?

Our mission is to help children and young people have a fair chance to be who they want to be. We do this by providing a safe home, increasing life skills and self-confidence, and improving emotional wellbeing and mental health.

YMCA Dialogue is a BACP Accredited service, providing counselling services in schools since 1994. Dialogue has built an excellent reputation with schools, professionals and commissioners and the service has developed and expanded over the years, now operating across Brighton & Hove, East and West Sussex and Surrey. We require all our counsellors to abide by the BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions. All counsellors are expected to be a member of the BACP (or student member if training), or other appropriate professional body (e.g. UKCP).

We are looking for two qualified counsellors, one for each of the below schools: 

College of Richard Collyer Horsham, West Sussex

Steyning Grammar School Steyning, West Sussex

As a Volunteer Counsellor you will provide a high standard of clinical counselling provision to children and young people within a school or community setting.

In this role you will see up to three clients a week in their designated school setting (that is, three clients a week as allocated by the Dialogue Counsellor in the school).

Top Responsibilities

• Work within all YMCA DLG policies and procedures at all times and to abide by the Code of Conduct.
• Follow YMCA Dialogue Safeguarding Procedures
• Attend regular clinical supervision with a Dialogue designated supervisor.
• Always read the assessment before meeting a client for the first time.
• Keep suitable case records according to Dialogue policy and using the designated Dialogue systems, comply with legal and other requirements, ensuring that all project case records and files are maintained and securely held.
• Carry out administrative tasks associated with the counselling service; including monitoring and evaluation tools.
• Bring any concerns to the Dialogue School Counsellor and the School Project Manager, or Therapeutic Services Manager.

Top Criteria

• Counselling or Psychotherapy qualification, minimum Level 4.
• BACP Membership; Student, Registered or Accredited. Or other professional body e.g. UKCP
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• Sound understanding of Child Protection & Vulnerable Adult Safeguarding issues, policies and procedures.

Commitment and Expectations

• In school/college placements to not take holiday during term time.
• Attend as many team meetings and CPD events as possible.
• Agree to a minimum time commitment of one full academic year in a School or College placement.
• Give a minimum of three months’ notice when wishing to leave the Service and to abide by the policy when leaving as set down in the Dialogue Guidelines.
• Complete all mandatory trainings within the first six months of volunteering. Safeguarding Children e-learnings Level 1 and 2 must be completed before seeing clients.
• Attendance on the Safeguarding Policy into Practice workshop within three months of starting.

If you would like any further information or an informal discussion about theses roles, please contact:

Alice Reid – [email protected] for College of Richard Collyer Horsham, West Sussex role 

Alex Paterson – [email protected] for Steyning Grammar School Steyning, West Sussex role 

How to Apply

Please get in touch with one of the employed chaplains (contact details above) who will be able to talk with you about the roles and the application process.

Download application form HERE 

Download Volunteer Counsellor role profile HERE

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An inclusive workplace – We are committed to policies and practices of equity, diversity, and inclusion and to supporting our people to make sure our culture is consistent with this commitment. We encourage applications from people from all sections of the communities that we serve. We particularly welcome applications from People of Colour and minoritised white communities, people who are LGBTQU+, and people with disabilities and neurodiversities because these groups are currently under-represented in our workforce.

Accessibility – If you require assistance or have questions regarding the application process, please contact us. If you are local to our Head Office in Hove, we can provide you with a paper copy of the job advert and application form. If you are not local, we can post these to your preferred address. If you require these documents in another format, please let us know.

YMCA DLG requires all staff and volunteers to be committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults and to respond proactively to safeguarding concerns. Successful applicants are required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure (including the Children’s barred list and the Adults’ barred list) via the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).