Volunteer Counsellor

Support your local Open Road centre as follows:

• Working as part of the Open Road team
• Establish and manage a boundaried and professional counselling relationship to enable service users to explore their issues around substance misuse
• Provide weekly counselling sessions over a time specific period
• Liaise with the Open Road Recovery Worker in relation to the client’s treatment ensuring that sessions are delivered in line with the client’s recovery plans and Open Road treatment programmes
• Maintain the focus on the client’s substance misuse problems to enable a successful recovery
• Work within the BACP code of Ethics and Open Road’s policies and procedures
• Maintain accurate client records, including inputting of activities undertaken on to a confidential computer data system
• Provide regular reviews on client progress
• Attend external clinical supervision and regular case supervision with Open Road
• Attend relevant Open Road meetings, including team meetings and case reviews
• Attend volunteer meetings and training

What skills are we looking for in a volunteer?

• Relate to the issues and challenges faced by service users
• Respect and understand the need for confidentiality
• Be an effective communicator & demonstrate good interpersonal and listening skills
• Identify and understand risk situations
• Be willing to undertake training and continuing development
• Be committed to the agreed hours allocated for the volunteer role

Where can I be a Volunteer Counsellor?

Essex: Braintree, Brentwood, Chelmsford, Clacton, Colchester, Harlow, Vange (and other outreach locations across the county)

Suffolk: Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds, Lowestoft

How much time do Volunteer Counsellors need to give?

A minimum of ½ day (or evening); up to a maximum of 3 days per week.