Counsellor

Location: Wickford

Salary: £22,500 per annum

Vacancy Type: Permanent, Full time

We are recruiting for a Counsellor in our Community Rehabilitation & Psychosocial Intervention Service in Essex.

At The Forward Trust (formerly RAPt and Blue Sky), we are a social enterprise with charitable status, dedicated to empowering individuals to break the interconnected cycles of crime and addiction. For over 25 years, we’ve been working with people to help them rebuild their lives and move forward, regardless of their past. We believe that everyone is capable of lasting change. Our services have supported thousands in making positive changes and building productive lives with a job, family, friends, and a sense of community.

We are currently seeking individuals to join our dedicated counselling team to deliver the SHARP Programme (Self Help Addiction Recovery Programme). This programme focuses on providing intensive community rehabilitation through a structured, abstinence-based recovery model.

Key Responsibilities:

• Case management: Supporting clients through their recovery journey by providing structured interventions and tailored support.
• SHARP Programme Delivery: The programme is a 8 week cohort model based on 12-step principles and includes assessment, psychosocial group sessions, one-to-one counselling, group therapy, step work assignments, and peer support.

Programme Elements:

1. Motivation and Engagement: Helping clients engage in the recovery process and maintain motivation.
2. Psychosocial Elements of Change: Addressing the mental and emotional aspects of recovery.
3. Building Recovery Capital: Assisting clients in developing resources and support networks for long-term recovery.
4. Reintegration and Recovery: Supporting clients as they reintegrate into society and sustain their recovery.

The SHARP Programme uses a structured timetable, with different topics and activities each week, alongside one-to-one sessions to meet individual needs and recovery goals.

The Ideal Candidate

Please see below a list of skills and experience needed for this role

• Previous experience of working within a community or residential substance misuse treatment service.
• Experience of carrying out needs and risk assessments.
• Experience of facilitating groups and psycho-educational workshops
• A working knowledge of motivation enhancement and cognitive-behavioural interventions
• Ability to be empathetic to clients whilst at the same time maintaining clear professional boundaries
• Good organisation of records and data in line with data protection legislation
• Working knowledge of child/adult safeguarding and incident reporting protocols and procedures
• Ability to maintain the principles of confidentiality in all areas of work
• Ability to assess the needs of clients and signpost them to other services as appropriate

About Us

We are The Forward Trust, the social enterprise with charitable status that empowers people to break the often interlinked cycles of crime and addiction to move forward with their lives. For more than 25 years we have been working with people to build positive and productive lives, whatever their past. We believe that anyone is capable of lasting change. Our services have supported thousands of people to make positive changes and build productive lives with a job, family, friends and a sense of community.

We are committed to our cause and the work we carry out as a charity. Equally the wellbeing and the employees who work for us are also important. Joining us an employee, we will offer you the following benefits - 

• Flexible working
• Training and development opportunities
• Simply Health Cashback Scheme (optional)
• Season Ticket Loan Scheme 
• Cycle to work scheme
• Crisis Loan Scheme
• Electric Car Scheme
• 3 x Wellbeing Days (pro rata'd for part time employees)
• Access to Blue Light Card
• 25 days (rising to 30 with length of service) Annual Leave plus Bank Holidays 
• Contributory Pension Scheme – Employer matched contributions of up to 6% in the first two years’ service and up to 9% thereafter 
• Death in Service Payment (2x annual salary) 
• Critical Illness Insurance (subject to qualifying criteria)

To Apply

If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for the Forward Trust, please proceed through the following link to be redirected to their website to complete your application.

https://careers.forwardtrust.org.uk/vacancies/59/counsellor.html

Contact information

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