Are you a qualified experienced counsellor? Could you donate some of your professional time each week to work with our clients while benefitting from our training programme and development opportunities?
For a limited time, we have openings at Sue Lambert Trust for counselling professionals to join us as volunteers.
Apply now, before the closing date of 20th September.
Successful applicants will be invited to an induction session on 26th September at the Trust’s office in Norwich.
This will offer a chance for new volunteer counsellors to meet our team, learn more about our charity, what the role of a volunteer counsellor entails and how you can help us shape the future of therapeutic counselling for our clients, here in Norfolk.
Interested? Please read on …
Why volunteer with Sue Lambert Trust?
For more than 40 years, Sue Lambert Trust has been available to people in Norfolk who wish to access kind, safe and supportive therapeutic services after experiencing sexual violence or abuse, including domestic abuse. Anyone aged 11 or over can self-refer to us.
Whether the abuse happened recently or decades ago, we are here for people when they feel ready to talk.
Our aim is to help our clients to heal, rebuild resilience, take back control and make positive steps towards leading a happy, healthy, fulfilling life.
Every week, we see more than 300 people who have experienced the trauma of sexual abuse, violence and domestic abuse. Each of our clients can access expert, specialist counselling and support services. All delivered for free.
But for every 300 people we see, there are another 300 on our waiting list. Demand continues to grow.
So that we can be there for everyone who needs us, we are searching for professional, experienced, and qualified counsellors to bolster our volunteer team.
Will you join us?
What does a volunteer counsellor do?
The role of Sue Lambert Trust in Norfolk and our volunteer counsellors have never been more important. Clients tell us, that before accessing our services, they felt hopeless. And for many, they couldn’t see a future. Our volunteers work with our clients to turn this around. To help people see that there is hope, and that after the trauma of abuse, it is possible to go on to live and feel well.
We’re searching for qualified, experienced counsellors to volunteer with us, and help even more survivors.
As a Sue Lambert Trust volunteer counsellor, you would cover three client sessions a week (a minimum of three hours per week, split over three 50 minutes per session with 10 minutes preparation and decompress time). There is a fee for any services delivered over and above this.
Counsellors see our clients in person, in Norwich or Great Yarmouth, or deliver sessions via Zoom or by telephone. Our person-centered approach means our support is always tailored to the individual needs and preferences of our clients.
How does Sue Lambert Trust support its volunteers?
We provide a safe, supportive environment for volunteer counsellors in which they can thrive and grow. Our work can be emotionally challenging and difficult. That’s why we offer a supportive community where our counsellors and their wellbeing are taken care of.
Benefits include:
- An annual, personalised training programme and individual development opportunities
- All clinical supervision paid for (for the counselling and client work you will deliver at Sue Lambert Trust)
- The full backing of our service support function to co-ordinate, arrange and liaise between counsellors and our clients
- A member of our clinical team is appointed as your dedicated contact
- Opportunities to have a say and be involved in shaping the future evolution of Sue Lambert Trust, and ensuring we best meet the need of our clients
- A fee for any counselling sessions provided over and above the three voluntary sessions per week
- The chance to become part of a supportive team and forward-thinking organisation, delivering life-changing work
A word from our CEO
Clive Evans is our chief executive and says the Trust could not function without volunteer counsellors – the absolute lifeblood of our charity.
“Sue Lambert Trust has always benefitted from a passionate and hard-working team of paid staff and volunteer trained counsellors, and we would not be here today without their incredible commitment. We support people who are highly vulnerable and who trust us to help them recover and rebuild their lives. With increasing demand for our services, we are now looking to add new people to our team of professional qualified volunteer counsellors. If you are interested, we urge you to please apply.”
Sue Lambert Trust volunteer stories
Bev Wiltshire-Payne has been a volunteer counsellor since 2019.
“My advice to counsellors considering working with Sue Lambert Trust would be to jump in and take advantage of all the ongoing training and support. Don’t take on too many clients at once and you will soon see the rewards of working with the trust and the clients.”
“Unlike when you work on your own in private practice, there is always someone to talk to you if you need to de-brief at the end of a session in confidence.”
Because the trust is so supportive, and the work feels so important Bev has found it very heartwarming to be part of Sue Lambert Trust and feels it would be impossible not to experience that.
“If anyone wants the chance to belong to something bigger than their own practice then it’s a great place to join.”
Read interviews with more of our volunteer counsellors here.
Counsellor story – Bev | Sue Lambert Trust
Counsellor story – Bob | Sue Lambert Trust
Asha’s Story | Sue Lambert Trust
Apply
Ready to apply? Please fill in this form and we will get back in touch.
Volunteer Counsellor Application (Qualified and Experienced)Form – Formstack
Any questions about these roles, please do not hesitate to contact us.
01603 622406 info@suelambertrust.org