About this role
FamilyLine provides telephone, text and email support to adult family members as they go through the trials and tribulations of family life. FamilyLine aims to provide a holistic approach in the support offered to its callers. For callers experiencing challenges with mental health, difficult thoughts & feelings or struggles with their experiences of daily life, FamilyLine's short-term counselling service is available.
What is the time commitment?
This role is for 2 hours per week approximately. Minimum commitment for 6 months.
Who will you be helping?
Adults, Individuals or families living with additional needs, Parents
Family pressures can sometimes be difficult to manage without emotional support and guidance to help. Many people feel confused by what information is available or struggle to access services close to home. People contact FamilyLine for many reasons, including parenting challenges, hardship, isolation, relationship breakdown, domestic abuse, immigration, education, disability and additional needs.
What difference will you make?
Volunteer Counsellors offer clients a safe and non-judgemental space, and a therapeutic relationship where clients can openly work through their issues. Counselling aims to improve the mental health & wellbeing of people who access the service, building self-esteem, confidence and developing resilience.
You will have the opportunity to build a trusting therapeutic relationship, based on honest and open communication. Individuals using the service may never have experienced this before – this can have a huge impact on people’s lives, the lives of people around them and lead to significant positive change.
There is no ‘typical’ person who uses this service. You will be working with individuals from vastly differing backgrounds and who have had an enormous range of experiences. You will be giving people who really need it a safe and confidential space to be listened to and feel heard.
Who are we looking for?
We are dedicated to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion and welcome applications from all sections of the community. We particularly welcome applications from people from ethnically diverse communities and disabled people, as well as those who identify as LGBTQIA+ or men, because we are committed to increasing the representation of these groups in our service. We are happy to talk with any potential candidates about ways we can make this opportunity as accessible as possible.
You will need your own external clinical supervision, as FamilyLine is currently unable to provide this.
In addition to an appropriate Level 4 Qualification in Counselling, volunteers need to have the following skills & attributes:
- Core counselling skills
- Non-judgmental and accepting of differences
- People-focused approach
- Empathy & emotional awareness
- Reliability, and consistency
- Knowledge of appropriate boundaries, and how to maintain these
- Reflective skills
- A desire to help individuals to gain coping skills to better manage stressful situations relating to family life
- Commitment to personal and professional development
- Good computer skills and access to a computer, telephone and the internet
What's in it for you?
Family Action volunteers tell us that volunteering with us can be challenging at times, but it is also very rewarding to know they are making a positive difference in the lives of others.
As a FamilyLine volunteer, you will also benefit from:
- Making a genuine difference to the lives of people who are struggling, often in complex & challenging circumstances
- To become part of a diverse, inclusive and supportive virtual team who are fully committed to helping the people who contact FamilyLine
- The opportunity to obtain telephone counselling experience
- Flexibility – volunteering remotely, from your own home
- Regular team meetings, and the opportunity to connect with peers
- The opportunity to improve future employment prospects, including gaining experience & references
- Dedicated on-call support for you to carry out your role
FamilyLine volunteers complete a package of training before starting their role, which includes Induction to Family Action procedures, policies & processes, Introduction to FamilyLine's approach to support, Safeguarding, Data Protection, Equality Diversity & Inclusion, and other training opportunities.
How can you find out more?
You may like to chat with a member of staff about whether this is the right role for you, or you may be ready to apply right now.
Either way, just click the ‘I’m interested’ button below to leave your contact details, and a member of staff will be in touch to discuss your next steps in becoming a Family Action volunteer.
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