Childline volunteer counsellor volunteer roles
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Childline Volunteer Counsellor- Someone who wants to make a difference to children’s lives by being there to listen when they feel they have no one else to turn to. As a Childline counsellor, you’ll be there for young people and listen to them as they open up about whatever is worrying them, whether it’s bullying, abuse, self-harm or family relationships – you’ll be there to support them.
What you’ll do
You’ll volunteer in our Leeds Childline base, offering counselling support to children and young people over the phone or through our 1-2-1 online chat. Your supervisor will help you develop and evaluate your counselling skills. After your initial training, you will be able to help young people as well as identify when a child or young person may be at risk, but don’t worry a supervisor will be on hand to give you plenty of support.
What you’ll get
You’ll receive training sessions over 12 weeks to prepare you for the role. When you start your regular shifts, a supervisor will be around all times to support you. Every shift includes a briefing and debriefing alongside other volunteers. Supervisors will also give you regular one-to-one support and group supervisions.
What we’ll need from you
Signing up to be a Childline counsellor is a big commitment and requires lots of training so, we do ask people to stay in the role for a minimum of one year.
We’ll also need to do some routine safeguarding checks, including an enhanced criminal record check and at least two satisfactory references with at least one covering a period of five years or more with no gaps. It’s nothing to worry about, and we can answer any questions you have about this.
Who’s right for the role?
While we think this role is suitable for a whole range of people, we are particularly looking for those with the following qualities and experience.
- Passionate about helping young people and children
- Great communication skills
- Empathetic and perceptive
- able to think on your feet
- works well within a team
- emotional resilience
Why volunteer with us?
Not only will you gain valuable experience throughout your volunteering journey, you’ll also have access to useful resources including a catalogue of online training, discount portal and NSPCC inMind – an online mindfulness resource.
You’ll be fully supported throughout your volunteer journey with us and will have a dedicated key contact should you have any questions along the way.
Childline counsellors are there for young people and listen to them as they open up about whatever is worrying them- you'll be there to support them.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Are you looking for a fresh challenge that makes a positive difference to the lives of Young People throughout the UK?
At Childline we are actively recruiting new Volunteers.
What will I be doing?
- Your shift will consist of 3hrs30mns counselling, sandwiched between a 15mns brief before your shift and a 30mns debrief post shift. This is to ensure that you can start and finish your shift with any support you require from your Practitioners.
- On shift you will take contacts from Young People who rely on the service that Childline offers. Childline is not there to solve problems, we are a listening service for Young People and in each contact your role is to engage the Young Person, explore their situation and to support them in deciding their next steps.
- The contacts you would take from Young People can come in 3 ways. Traditional phone call contacts, live chats via instant response typed messaging or less commonly via 'PIBS' which are essentially emails sent by Young People in the knowledge the response will not be 'live' and instant.
What impact will this have?
- Childline is a unique service, valued greatly by the Young People who contact us.
- It provides a safe place for Young People to talk confidentially to our Volunteer Counsellors, an option that many of them do not have elsewhere.
- Young People rely on us being there for them 24/7. In an average month, Childline London takes approx. 1,500 live chats, 900 voice calls and 300 PIBs.
- However, the demand for the service often outstrips the supply as Young People who desperately need our service cannot always get through.
- That is why we are actively recruiting new Volunteers to be able to meet the need of all Young People who are in distress and need the support that Childline provides.
Training
- Childline offers a full 12 week online training programme to new Volunteers. This consists of one 4 hour session per week.
- During the training, you will meet other Volunteers in your cohort and have access to your 2 dedicated Childline Trainers.
- As part of the training, you will also go in person to the London Base for observation and mentored shifts which give you a face to face insight into how the Counselling Room works.
- You will also have access to a dedicated Volunteer Engagement Lead to give you a London Base tour (optional) and generally be on hand to answer any questions or queries you may have - big or small, if they matter to you they matter because you are giving your time to volunteer and Childline wants to offer you every level of support.
- Once you pass through training and become a qualified Childline Volunteer Counsellor, the development opportunities do not stop there. You will have access to a multitude of mandatory and optional training courses that are accredited and 100% free to all Volunteers.
Childline provides a safe place for Young People to talk confidentially to Volunteer Counsellors, an option that many of them do not have elsewhere.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.