Room to Rant Counsellor

Room to Rant is a collaboration between AudioActive and YMCA DownsLink Group. The project provides young men with a creative and informal outlet to 'get stuff off their chests'. Five groups run weekly across Sussex, facilitated by professional artist/practitioners where young men will come together to express themselves through rap and spoken word.

The Room to Rant Counsellor will be responsible for supporting the young men with their emotional health within the weekly rap workshops, as well as encouraging these young people to access counselling on a 1:1 basis outside of the groups if they feel this would benefit them. This is an exciting opportunity for a qualified counsellor to work creatively in a youth based setting.

We are offering two part-time roles working 20 hours per week OR one full-time role working 37.5 hours per week. Please indicate whether you are applying for the full-time or part-time role in your application.

Top Responsibilities

• Encourage supportive conversations, with the potential for break out one-to-one's if participants express the need to talk in private.
• Support the lead facilitators (employed by Audio Active) by creatively utilising counselling and other therapeutic skills to lead wellbeing check ins with the group.
• Leading on any safeguarding concerns that arise in the project.

Top Criteria:

• A 2 years post-qualified counsellor/therapist who is BACP Registered or Accredited, or registered with another recognised professional body (e.g. HPC, UKCP).
• A skilled and experienced practitioner that can provide direct wellbeing support, advice, guidance and signposting to young men who attend Room to Rant.
• Experience of working therapeutically with children and young people, ideally in more informal settings working with vulnerable young men.
• A practitioner who values working creatively, is committed to team working, believes in making a difference to lives of the children and young people they work with, and who can bring passion and professionalism to this post.

Expected working pattern: The ideal working pattern will be: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday - 12.30-9pm and Saturdays - 12-6pm. There will be some flexibility in work pattern given the demands of the role.

A key requirement is that you are available for all groups and have availability for 1:1 counselling prior to these sessions:

• Mondays - Eastbourne 6-9pm
• Tuesdays - Worthing 6-9pm
• Wednesdays - Brighton 6-9pm
• Fridays - Crawley 3-6pm
• Saturdays - Online 1.30-4pm

The working pattern will vary depending on whether a full-time or two part-time roles are offered. If this is a part-time role, it would be split equally with one worker covering West Sussex (Crawley and Worthing) and the other worker covering East Sussex (Brighton and Eastbourne). These workers would then alternate covering the Saturday sessions fortnightly.

The position comes with excellent benefits, including 27 days holiday per annum pro rata (plus bank holidays), company Sick Pay scheme, Life Assurance policy (2x your annual salary), Health & Wellbeing cash plan, Employee Assistance programme and Cycle to Work scheme. Please download a job pack for more information about other benefits offered.

Further Information

YMCA DownsLink Group welcomes applications from all sections of the community. We value diversity and promote inclusion, which we demonstrate through our activities, as well as in our policies and working practices. Reinforced by our culture and values, we seek to create an inspiring and inclusive place to work.

YMCA DLG requires all staff and volunteers to be committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and to respond proactively to safeguarding concerns. Successful applicants are required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure via the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).