Couple Counsellor

Are you a warm, caring counsellor who is passionate about supporting people? If so, we want to hear from you

Avenue are currently seeking part-time Couple Counsellors to join our multi-skilled team, who hold a recognised Diploma in Couple Counselling which has included clinical practice. You must be a registered member of a Professional Governing Body (i.e., BACP / COSCA). The ability to establish and maintain effective relationships, have excellent communication skills and a commitment to supporting positive outcomes for families and individuals is essential.

**Job Description and Person Specification**

**AVENUE**:
Avenue is a charity, based in Aberdeen, that provides support to families and individuals across the North East of Scotland, with a focus on relationships, wellbeing and children. We offer a range of services to encourage personal growth, strengthen relationships, promote family wellbeing, support children, and enable healthy environments for all. We are working towards a world in which happy, healthy people enjoy harmonious and respectful interactions in all aspects of their lives.

**MAIN DUTIES**:

- To provide a therapeutic service to adult couples and individuals using a range of therapeutic interventions.
- Make assessments of the needs of people who use the service and their suitability for counselling, acting on each assessment to provide the necessary support or referral.
- Work directly with people who use the service to increase their personal and social development with a non judgemental and empowering counselling relationship.
- Communicate the core conditions of genuineness, empathy and acceptance within the therapeutic relationship.
- Use a range of techniques to support the people who use the service to engage; working flexibly to meet the needs of those accessing the service.
- To review therapeutic interventions on a regular basis.
- To work as an integral part of the team to support learning and develop provision through the sharing of best practice across the organisation.
- To evidence Professional Body membership (i.e. BACP/COSCA and/or other relevant therapeutic bodies) Standards and Ethical Frameworks, supervision and continuing professional development to meet all required standards, including those required by Relationships Scotland, of which, Avenue is a member.
- To ensure robust record keeping, and proactively contribute toward quality assurance, impact monitoring and continuous service development processes.
- To proactively manage caseload as agreed with line manager, including delivering services to other client groups (eg generic counselling for adults) as may from time to time be required.
- Positively and proactively represent Avenue whilst liaising with external agencies and organisations as required.
- To ensure compliance with Avenue’s processes, policies and procedures, in particular Data Protection, Confidentiality, Safeguarding and Child Protection, Equality and Diversity, and Professional Boundaries.
- To undertake any other reasonable duties, as requested by your line manager.

**PERSON SPECIFICATION**:
**REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS**

**Essential**:

- Hold a recognised Diploma in Relationship Counselling, which has included clinical practice or Hold a recognised Diploma in Counselling, which included clinical practice and hold an additional qualification in Relationship Counselling E BACP / COSCA registered member (or member of appropriate professional body).
- Minimum 2 years’ experience of counselling.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective relationships both internally and externally.
- Strong communication skills, both written and verbal E Supportive and non-judgemental E Proactive, motivated and open to change.
- Demonstrate the ability to use practice supervision appropriately E High standard of IT literacy, including ability to use Office 365.
- Evidence of continuing professional development.
- Experience of ability to manage a varied caseload, and meeting deadlines whilst working under pressure.
- Have experience of working within a framework of risk assessment, and personal responsibility to ensure all people who use the service safety.

**Desirable**:

- Have understanding of the third sector and a desire to make a difference.

**Location**: Based in Aberdeen but providing service delivery across Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray.

**Hours**: Part-time, hours to be agreed (evening working may be required).

**Salary**: £33,294 per annum, pro rata.

**How to apply**:
Interviews will be held w/c 20th and 27th May 2024.

**Job Types**: Part-time, Permanent

Pay: £33,294.00 per year

**Benefits**:

- Company pension
- On-site parking

Schedule:

- Monday to Friday

Work Location: In person

Application deadline: 20/05/2024