How much counselling experience do I need to volunteer?

We would expect our volunteers as a minimum to be trained to Diploma Level 3, working towards their 100 placement hours and have some relevant experience. However, if you have not yet attained this level but have a desire to volunteer, we also have a Befriending Service – please contact us for further information.

How hours a week many do I need to volunteer?

The amount of time a counsellor commits to The Blue Door is negotiable. We ask that as a minimum you see one client at the same time every week. Days and times are dependent on what room availability we have. Given the open-ended nature of our sessions, we would hope that all counsellors volunteer for a minimum of 12 months.

When are the counselling sessions held?

We are open from 9:00am to 5:30pm Monday to Friday for counselling sessions. We also have evening sessions, up to 7:30pm on three evenings a week. We can also accommodate weekend sessions if required.

Will I be able to complete all of my placement hours at The Blue Door?

Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee to provide all the client sessions you may require for your course. We will, however, be as supportive as possible in assisting you to complete your hours.

How much supervision would I need to have?

All counsellors are required to have regular supervision with a suitably qualified practitioner. All our volunteer counsellors are responsible for finding and engaging their own independent supervisor.

For students, the amount of supervision required is commensurate with the number of hours of client work completed, in accordance with the BACP ethical framework. Students are required to undertake 1 hour of independent clinical supervision for every 8 hours of client work, with no less than an overall minimum of 1.5 hours per month.

Unfortunately, The Blue Door cannot reimburse students for the expenses they incur in receiving clinical supervision. However, we do provide Group Supervision at least every 8 weeks to all of our Counsellors, at no cost.

For qualified Counsellors, we will reimburse clinical supervision costs up to a total of £45 per month, subject to a minimum of two assigned clients during the period.

Will I receive any expenses?

Unfortunately, we are not in a position to pay any form of expenses to Volunteer Counsellors who are undertaking their course placements at The Blue Door.

Qualified Counsellors can claim expenses, subject to being assigned a minimum of two clients, as follows:

Mileage at 25p per mile, to a maximum of 40 miles round trip

Parking, to a maximum of £4 per day (subject to receipts)

What support will I be offered?

In addition to Group Supervision, you will receive a formal Individual Review every three months. This will be undertaken by the Operations Support Manager and the Counselling Co-ordinators.

You will receive line management and mentoring from the Counselling Co-ordinators and Operations Support Manager. As the Co-ordinators are experienced counsellors, you will receive pre and post-appointment support should you require. All members of The Blue Door team are approachable and available should you need any form of support, advice or assistance.

Will my clients be assessed before I meet them?

One of our Counselling Co-ordinators will initially assess the clients. They will ensure that all volunteers will be working at an appropriate level of clinical competence and experience.

What training will I be offered?

We have mandatory training which must be completed prior to the commencement of counselling sessions at The Blue Door, as follows:

Core Training (4^th & 5^th June 2016)

Induction (2 hours)

Safeguarding (online)

Our organisation is contracted to North Lincolnshire LSCB to provide training in Domestic Abuse to professionals. Our volunteers can access this training at no cost. We would encourage our Counsellors to take advantage of as much of the training as possible.

Will I be required to have a DBS check before starting?

All volunteers at The Blue Door require a DBS check before commencing any client work. If you already have a DBS and have subscribed to the Update Service, we can check your DBS status online. If not, a new DBS will be required. We will make arrangements for this to be completed with our nominated suppliers, and we will cover the costs of these.

Will I need insurance?

All Counsellors require their own personal Professional Indemnity policy. We will require proof of this before you can start volunteering. We may request confirmation of renewals of the policy as appropriate.

Do I need to be a member of the BACP?

We do not require our volunteers to be a member of the BACP or any other professional body. However, all are required to work to the ethical framework of the BACP.

How many clients will I initially be assigned?

This will be decided in discussion with the Counselling Co-ordinator and will depend on your experience and competence. Typically, new counsellors start with one or maybe two clients. We do insist on a minimum of 30 minutes between each appointment. We can increase the number of clients over time, depending on the time you can offer.

Can I tape clients for my Case Study or Supervision?

The Blue Door does not permit the taping of counselling sessions.

If you have questions or would just like to chat to one of the team about the role of a Volunteer Counsellor, please give us a call on 0800 197 4787.

We require a completed application form, which you can download from this site. We will then invite you in for an interview. This will normally be at the location in which you wish to undertake your counselling sessions. This will then give you the opportunity to get a feel for the place and meet the team.

After the receipt of references, we will then arrange for the relevant DBS checks, training and inductions.

Many thanks for considering volunteering as a counsellor at The Blue Door

If you have chosen not to apply, then we would like to wish you every success in your counselling career.