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Job description

CareMinds provides time-limited counselling for young people aged 16 to 25 who meet the service’s eligibility and funding criteria. This includes care-experienced young people, care leavers and eligible homeless young people. The Associate Counsellor will provide a safe, respectful and collaborative therapeutic relationship to help each young person explore their concerns and support their emotional wellbeing and coping strategies.

Responsibilities

• Deliver one-to-one counselling following allocation through the CareMinds referral process.
• Complete an initial therapeutic assessment, agree goals with the young person and review progress during the allocated episode.
• Use an evidence-informed, relational, person-centred and trauma-informed approach, adapting therapeutic methods to the young person’s needs and working within professional competence.
• Provide sessions primarily face-to-face in approved MACS venues in Belfast, Lisburn, Downpatrick or Newry.
• Maintain clear therapeutic boundaries. The role does not include general case management or ongoing support outside the agreed counselling episode.
• Assess and monitor relevant clinical risks throughout the counselling episode, including self-harm, suicidal ideation and vulnerability to exploitation.
• Maintain timely, accurate, factual and secure clinical records in Counsel360 in line with MACS information-governance and record-keeping requirements.
• Record sessions, bookings, cancellations, DNAs, reviews and closure information as required.

Skills and Qualifications

Essential Skills

• Diploma in Counselling or Psychotherapy.
• Current BACP, HCPC accreditation or working towards.
• At least 200 post-qualification face-to-face clinical hours and at least one year of relevant counselling experience.
• Trauma-informed training or experience in a psychologically informed service.
• Able to maintain accurate, timely and secure clinical records and completed agreed outcome measures.
• Full UK Driving Licence, with access to a car insured for business use.

Desirable Skills

• Further relevant therapeutic qualification.
• Experience working therapeutically with young people aged 11- 25, including young people experiencing significant vulnerability.

Further Information

Paid Per Session: £40 per completed session; £10 per DNA. Flexible and Sessional - Allocations depend on referrals and associate availability.