Act for Change offers Counselling Placements in South East London. Every year, 6 counsellors and psychotherapists take up one of our Counselling Placements, providing one-to-one support to vulnerable children and young people at risk of exclusion, exploitation or violent offending.
We offer you the opportunity to apply for a Counsellor Placement with us and develop your theoretical knowledge and practical counselling skills in a real-world setting – providing you a work experience with the most complex of cases of young people at risk of exclusion, exploitation or violent offending.
About our counselling placements
Our Counselling Placements are an excellent opportunity to work with children and young people in a safe, therapeutic setting. Through talking, creative play, Counsellors on Placement listened to over 149 young people in 2023.
The work that is undertaken between the counsellor and client has immediate and measurable benefits. Such as:
- Building a relationship between an adult and young person. This helps the young person learn how to engage with adults and builds their capacity.
- The young person is given the space to reflect and communicate within a supportive framework which the counsellor or mentor provides.
- Most young people who commence counselling complete their allotted planned sessions.
How will your time be structured?
Spend one half day per week in sessions with young people. You will be able to select your start time with us to fit alongside your studies or your schedule. Induction, onboarding and ongoing support provides explicit instructions and expectations regarding the Counsellor on Placement role and tasks. You will be supported by our established administrative and organisational systems, policies, and support structures for counselling staff and trainee counsellors.
You will be expected to complete a minimum number of 120 client work hours under appropriate supervision. You will be covered by our indemnity insurance for direct work with clients. Act for Change holds clinical responsibility for your client work.
What happens on half terms and holidays? – Flexible working, afternoons or evenings.
Benefits
- A structured placement for 6 months, 9 months or more.
- Experience with clearly contracted, formal, and face-to-face client work.
- Clinical hours counting towards accreditation (check with your tutor before applying as some courses do not accept child counselling hours)
- We carefully match appropriate clients for each student, based on their level of experience and competence.
- Supervision – both group and individual, fortnightly.
- Monthly training in the DATIS Method, plus clinical workshops on many topics.
- Trainees have opportunities to participate in the life of Act for Change as an organisation and gain experience beyond just client work.
- Career opportunities at a growing organisation.
Interested? To check your eligibility for an Act for Change Counselling Placement
CLICK HERE