FamilyLine Volunteer Counsellor

Time Commitment: 6 months, 2 hours per week

Role Based Details: Counselling delivered remotely using digital platform

Who does this role help?

Individuals or families living with additional needs, Parents, Adults

FamilyLine provides telephone, text and email support to adult family members as they go through the trials and tribulations of family life. FamilyLine aims to provide a holistic approach in the support offered to its callers. For callers experiencing challenges with mental health, difficult thoughts & feelings or struggles with their experiences of daily life, FamilyLine's short-term counselling service is available. 

Who you will be helping

Family pressures can sometimes be difficult to manage without emotional support and guidance to help. Many people feel confused by what information is available or struggle to access services close to home. People contact FamilyLine for many reasons, including parenting challenges, hardship, isolation, relationship breakdown, domestic abuse, immigration, education, disability and additional needs.

The difference you will make

Volunteer Counsellors offer clients a safe and non-judgemental space, and a therapeutic relationship where clients can openly work through their issues. Counselling aims to improve the mental health & wellbeing of people who access the service, building self-esteem, confidence and developing resilience.

You will have the opportunity to build a trusting therapeutic relationship, based on honest and open communication. Individuals using the service may never have experienced this before – this can have a huge impact on people’s lives, the lives of people around them and lead to significant positive change. 

There is no ‘typical’ person who uses this service. You will be working with individuals from vastly differing backgrounds and who have had an enormous range of experiences. You will be giving people who really need it a safe and confidential space to be listened to and feel heard.

Typical tasks within this role:

As a volunteer, FamilyLine will ask you to:

• Build positive, trusting relationships, based on transparent and supportive communication with clients who are struggling with their mental health & wellbeing
• Reliably arrange & keep to sessions each week, for 6 weeks
• Give clients a safe & non-judgemental space for clients to be open & share their challenges
• Support clients look at different ways they can manage difficult thoughts, feelings or manage complex situations.
• Support clients to build their confidence and self-esteem
• Work collaboratively with clients to help clients meet any goals they have identified
• Suggest strategies & techniques for clients to manage their thoughts, feelings and situation, where appropriate
• Record relevant & appropriate notes about your sessions, keeping within FamilyLine's confidentiality policy

The following is also required for Volunteer Counsellors:

• To arrange external clinical supervision, in place for the entirety of your volunteering journey
• To attend virtual training prior to beginning role
• To commit to regular supervision and checking in with FamilyLine supervisors
• To agree to all Family Action policies & procedures, and ensure that these are respected at all times
• To understand Family Action's core values, and for all client work to be guided by these principles

Who are we looking for?

We are dedicated to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion and welcome applications from all sections of the community. We particularly welcome applications from people from ethnically diverse communities and disabled people, as well as those who identify as LGBTQIA+ or men, because we are committed to increasing the representation of these groups in our service. We are happy to talk with any potential candidates about ways we can make this opportunity as accessible as possible.

You will need your own external clinical supervision, as FamilyLine is currently unable to provide this.

In addition to an appropriate Level 4 Qualification in Counselling, volunteers need to have the following skills & attributes: 

• Core counselling skills
• Non-judgmental and accepting of differences
• People-focused approach
• Empathy & emotional awareness
• Reliability, and consistency 
• Knowledge of appropriate boundaries, and how to maintain these
• Reflective skills
• A desire to help individuals to gain coping skills to better manage stressful situations relating to family life
• Commitment to personal and professional development
• Good computer skills and access to a computer, telephone and the internet.
• You will need your own external clinical supervision, as FamilyLine is currently unable to provide this.

What’s in it for you?

Family Action volunteers tell us that volunteering with us can be challenging at times, but it is also very rewarding to know they are making a positive difference in the lives of others.

As a FamilyLine volunteer, you will also benefit from:

• Making a genuine difference to the lives of people who are struggling, often in complex & challenging circumstances
• To become part of a diverse, inclusive and supportive virtual team who are fully committed to helping the people who contact FamilyLine
• The opportunity to obtain telephone counselling experience
• Flexibility – volunteering remotely, from your own home
• Regular team meetings, and the opportunity to connect with peers
• The opportunity to improve future employment prospects, including gaining experience & references
• Dedicated on-call support for you to carry out your role.

FamilyLine volunteers complete a package of training before starting their role, which includes Induction to Family Action procedures, policies & processes, Introduction to FamilyLine's approach to support, Safeguarding, Data Protection, Equality Diversity & Inclusion, and other training opportunities.