Job Introduction

Turning Point is a leading social enterprise, providing health and social care services in over 300 locations across England.

We work with people who need our support with their drug and alcohol use, mental health, offending behaviour, unemployment issues and people with a learning disability. We aim to inspire and empower them to discover new possibilities in their lives.

Everything we do is aimed at providing good quality, person-centred services in the right location at the right time, making a real difference for the people and communities we support.

This opportunity is based in our Croydon Recovery Network service.

The counselling provision is part of a set of psycho-social interventions which we offer to drug and alcohol clients, as part of a stepped care approach. This means that some clients will receive briefer interventions, such as regular key working sessions, self-help packages and MET. Other clients, who show readiness to change or have higher needs, will receive high-intensity interventions like group work, CBT, and counselling.

This post is subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check at an enhanced level. (Disclosures do not automatically bar someone from this opportunity.  Please contact us if you like to discuss any concerns you may have.

Please note: Due to COVID all counselling volunteers are working from home with devices that are provided by Turning Point until lockdown eases. All counselling and supervision is virtual until further notice.

Role Responsibility

• To deliver brief counselling (12 sessions) to clients with both drug and alcohol issues and to deliver Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET) sessions to similar clients.
• To deliver minimum of 3 sessions of counselling per week, undertaking flexible contracts with clients with drug and alcohol issues from 1-12 sessions.
• To attend group supervision with the Turning Point counselling co-ordinator monthly.
• To update client records on Turning Point electronic database or hand written notes with assigned forms and to keep process notes for supervision.
• To communicate information about your clients with other Turning Point team members, specifically the client’s key worker, as part of a multi-disciplinary team on a strictly “need to know” basis around issues of risk.
• To attend training sessions on MET work and other training as necessary.
• To abide by the arrangements as set out in our Volunteer Agreement.

The Ideal Candidate

This is an ideal opportunity for someone who may have an understanding of counselling within substance misuse to contribute to helping clients recover.  Ideally you will be studying on a counselling diploma or above and have previous experience of offering counselling contracts to clients within an organisation; this may have been paid or voluntary.  You will also be a student or full member of BACP or equivalent and will abide by their ethical framework for good practice in counselling and psychotherapy.

About us

Why Turning Point?

As a leading health and social care provider with more than 300 locations across England, we take real pride in the services we offer.

Across the varied regions, sectors and settings we operate within, our organisation is held together by a shared vision – and our people are connected by the same values. These include belief in potential, confidence in communication, embracing positive change and always treating each other as individuals.

We run all of our services on a not-for-profit basis; instead, we invest every penny back into our services and people. We never stop believing in change for the better, and we work constantly to improve the lives of the people we support.

Turning Point