Volunteers

Information for Volunteers

Our annual placement scheme has now closed for 2024. Please do not send in speculative enquiries as the scheme will now not reopen until Spring 2025 when further details will be posted on this page.

Becoming a volunteer counsellor / trainee on placement

As demand for placements is high, a strong level of commitment to the organisation, to individual personal development and to the continued enhancement of counselling skills is necessary for Face to Face counsellors, all of whom are selected on the basis of their personal suitability. It is our belief that autonomy, self awareness, acceptance, respect of difference, empathic ability and an ongoing endeavour to be non-judgemental and congruent are amongst the essential pre-requisites to volunteering effectively as a counsellor within our organisation. Prospective counsellors are short-listed and then asked to for interview. Successful candidates are subject to satisfactory DBS clearance and are asked to agree to operate in accordance with the Face to Face Agreement and the BACP Ethical Framework. They are required to have individual BACP membership and ongoing external caseload supervision.

Face to Face provides the opportunity for students on recognised college/ university courses and qualified counsellors to further their counselling skills however, in order to maintain continuity for clients and the organisation, Face to Face’s expectation is that counsellors will give a voluntary commitment of at least 1 year and endeavour to commit to 2 years plus. Within this time we ask for a weekly commitment of between 2 and 5 client hours per week with additional administration and cleaning duties. To be effective as an organisation, our requirement is that counsellors will take on a responsibility- anything from monitoring of stationery supplies to development of policies/fundraising.

Face to Face is also interested in recruiting qualified voluntary counsellors who wish to extend their experience/ professional development. If, after a probationary period of 6 months or at any subsequent time, Face to Face has irresolvable concerns about a counsellor’s work he/she/they would be asked to leave the organisation. Face to Face adheres to the BACP Ethical Framework but also expects counsellors to comply efficiently with our administrative procedures and the need for good communication. Confidentiality is of the utmost importance and applicants are required to conform to Face to Face procedures. All counselling volunteering is currently covered by Face to Face Group Professional Indemnity Insurance.