Drug & Alcohol (DASH) and Young People’s Counsellor

Nolimitshelp; Southampton; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

Nolimitshelp is seeking a Counsellor for their Therapeutic Services team in Southampton. This role focuses on offering counselling to young people aged 11-25 with substance support needs or Tier 2 Mental Health issues. Candidates should hold a Level 5 counselling qualification and have relevant experience in trauma work and therapeutic interventions. The position offers flexible working, a supportive team environment, and competitive benefits including a pension scheme and employee assistance programmes.

Benefits

36 days annual leave

Two additional wellbeing days per year

Pension scheme

Life assurance scheme

Hybrid and flexible working

Comprehensive induction and training opportunities

Employee Assistance Programme

Qualifications

• Minimum 1 year post qualification experience.
• Basic knowledge and understanding of drugs and alcohol.
• Membership in a nationally recognized professional body (e.g. BACP, NCP).

Responsibilities

• Provide face-to-face, phone, and virtual counselling to young people.
• Deliver counselling assessments and therapeutic interventions.
• Maintain relationships with other professionals for referrals.

Skills

Counselling

Trauma work

Building relationships

IT proficiency

Education

Counselling Diploma/Degree - Level 5 qualification minimum

Job description

Role Terms

Salary:	Band E £30,173.90 to £34,625.25 per annum, full-time equivalent based on 37 hours per week (pro-rata for part-time)
Hours:	30 to 37 hours per week, with 2 days finishing at 7.30pm
Role type:	Permanent
Location:	No Limits Advice Centre and Head Office in Southampton and within schools in the SO14 - SO19 postcode area
Closing Date:	9am Monday 16th June 2025
Interview Date:	Monday 23rd June 2025, face to face in Southampton

Job Description

Application Form

We're looking for a Counsellor to join our Therapeutic Services team and work alongside the Drug & Alcohol Support Hub (DASH) service to offer counselling to 11 to 25 year olds that are case held, accessing substance support and/or have Tier 2 Mental Health needs.

Our Charity

No Limits is the leading youth services charity in Southampton, supporting children and young people in the city and across Hampshire.

At No Limits, it is important our staff and volunteers reflect, represent, and have experience of the challenges faced by the children and young people we support. We are proud of and appreciate our many staff and volunteers who use their own lived experience to support the children and young people they work with.

With this in mind, we are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in all aspects of our work and organisational culture – and when recruiting, it’s important to us that we continue diversifying our staff and volunteer teams, with children and young people at the centre of everything we do. You can learn more about our DEI approach here.

When we talk about talent, we value the transferrable skills and experiences you can bring to No Limits, whether through work (in the same or a different sector), volunteering, or personal experiences. To make sure we get the best talent on our team, we are open to and actively encourage applications from all backgrounds and sections of the community, including diverse ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQIA+, disabled, and neurodiverse individuals.

Your Role

As DASH and Young People's Counsellor, you will work as part of the Therapeutic Services and DASH teams, supporting young people from 11 to 25 years in Southampton who are accessing drug or alcohol support through DASH and young people who need counsellor intervention for Tier 2 Mental Health issues.

Your role will include assessment and the delivery of one-to-one counselling and specialist therapeutic interventions of young people that have already undergone support from a DASH caseworker and have then been identified as needing therapy.

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Hold a caseload of young people, providing face-to-face, phone and virtual counselling
• Deliver counselling assessments, counselling and appropriate therapeutic interventions to young people, working in a goal based 6-week review process and extending for further sessions if needed for DASH young people
• Deliver counselling and appropriate therapeutic interventions to young people, working with CORE OMS on a 6-8 session counselling model
• Use appropriate tools to measure young people’s progress in counselling at set points along their journey with No Limits
• Build and maintain relationships with other professionals, partners, and statutory organisations, ensuring effective support and seamless onward referral for young people
• Provide support and guidance to volunteers involved in the provision of counselling and other therapeutic interventions
• Have a commitment to learning and growth that enable therapeutic work to follow this

We are committed to making a difference in the lives of the children and young people we work with, and as such, you must show a willingness to demonstrate commitment to the values and behaviours which flow from the No Limits ethos. Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people is paramount.

We particularly welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds and those who have had experiences similar to the young people we aim to support. We are committed to creating a diverse environment where people can be their authentic selves, where their experiences and opinions are valued, and we are all open to learning from each other.

As part of our team, you’ll receive a comprehensive induction and access to learning and development opportunities relevant to your role, supporting your ongoing growth.

You’ll have the essentials of:

• A counselling Diploma/Degree - Level 5 qualification minimum and 1 year post qualification
• Experience of trauma work in a therapy setting
• Basic knowledge and up to date understanding of drugs and alcohol
• Membership of a nationally recognised professional body such as BACP, NCP or UKCP (up to 100% of the membership fee is paid by No Limits)
• The ability to build trusting and positive relationships with children and young people
• The ability to use IT to support your role, including the use of technology and Microsoft suite
• A commitment to personal growth, continuous development, and application of learning

Please let us know if we can support you with any reasonable adjustments at any point prior to, during or after the selection process, such as access arrangements, flexible working, or a suitable place to pray.

>>> Our Benefits (click to expand)

We are committed to being a great place to work, where people achieve and feel valued.In our People Survey, 98% of staff and 100% of volunteers said they were proud to tell people they work or volunteer for No Limits. We’re proud to offer some great benefits, on top of being able to make a meaningful contribution to the lives of local children and young people:

️ 36 days annual leave(including public holidays) Two additional wellbeing daysper year – Supporting you to take additional time off for your wellbeing or development. Pension scheme– Supporting your future by matching your additional pension contributions up to 2%. ️ Life assurance scheme– Giving you peace of mind with 2x annual salary cover for pension members. Hybrid and flexible working– Giving the flexibility to work in the best way for your role. Comprehensive induction and training offer– Including our online learning management system with hundreds of opportunities to support your development. Employee Assistance Programme– Providing you with counselling, financial, personal support and health and wellbeing services.

Interested..? We'd love to hear from you!

To apply now, please submit your application via the application portal below, by the deadline of 9am on Monday 16th June.

We’d be happy to have an informal discussion and answer any immediate questions you might have. If you’d like an initial discussion please contact Vicki Mogridge-Percy, our Therapeutic Services Operations Manager by email at [e-mail] or Dan Rogers, our DASH Operations Manager, by email at [e-mail].

In the ‘Your Supporting Statement’ section of the application form, please include how your knowledge, skills and experience meet the ‘About you – knowledge, skills and experience’ section of the role description: link to JD

Please note that as we follow safer recruitment guidelines, we do not accept CVs.