Thank you for considering our agency for your clinical placement. We recruit at different points through the year dependent on placement availability for student counsellors looking to work with adults (18+). We post on our website and via other organisations and training establishments email networks to advise that we are recruiting.
If you contact us outside of these periods we will ask you to reapply when our application process opens. If you are seeking to work with children or young people please email us separately.
We recognise this information can seem quite daunting but it’s important you review it in detail to get the most out of your placement and to ensure we can meet your expectations and you ours. If you have any questions please do email.
Who are we and what is our client base?
Horsham & Crawley Counselling Group provides affordable counselling to adults, children and young people in Horsham, Crawley & the surrounding areas.
We are a team of experienced qualified counsellors and students who offer day and evening appointments to our client base. As an organisation we are registered with the BACP and abide by the BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions (July 2018).
We practice in comfortable counselling rooms in Alphacom House in Oakhill Road in Horsham. There is free parking on the streets around Alphacom House, except for before 10am for which we can provide parking permits.
Our counsellors’ offer 3 client hours on a voluntary basis as well as doing paid work to support our social mission. We have a sliding scale fee structure to our clients based on their income. Our clients self-refer or are referred in by their healthcare professionals. We can work either long term or on a time limited basis, dependent on clients’ needs.
What are our requirements for applicants?
Application point
- We recommend that you consider us as a second placement, due to the complexity of client presentations and work suitable for students.
- We accept applications only from students who are in their second year of qualification training. Third year of training for those applying from Chrysalis. Please do not apply if you are not yet in Year 2 (or Year 3 for Chrysalis).
- Our expectation is that students should have at least 50 counselling hours experience at the point of application or other evidence of significant experience in other mental health roles. If this changes when we open recruitment we will advise you.
Training providers
- As we are a BACP registered organisation we are orientated towards supporting only those students who are on BACP accredited courses or those courses recognised by other established counselling and psychotherapy bodies by this we mean the NCS, UKCP, the BPS and UKATA.
- As an agency we require our students to be in personal therapy for the duration of their placement with us.
Length of placement
- As we are an agency that specialises in long term client work we ask you for a commitment to remain with us for a minimum of 18 months (with a 12 week notice period) even if this extends beyond your likely qualification date.
- We have a probationary period of four months for your clinical placement. You will meet with both your supervisor and the clinical management team within this period to ensure that you are progressing as expected and receiving the support that you need.
Client work
- You must have the ability to see up to three clients a week voluntarily.
- We do not ask you to give any hours for admin support in addition – however, if your course requires admin hours we can help you to meet this
- To give yourself the best chance of getting the experience and clinical hours you need it helps if you can be flexible.
- We permit recording of client sessions with the client’s permission and with appropriate reflection on the client’s presentation beforehand in our supervision
- Our client work is governed by the BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions (July 2018).
Professional membership
- You are required to be a student member of either the BACP or a similar professional organisation and as such, whilst on placement, you will be expected to abide by the BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions (July 2018).
Supervision
- It is your responsibility to ensure that our fortnightly supervision arrangements meet the requirements of your training course.
- We will consider requests for additional external theoretical supervision but the clinical responsibility remains with HCCG.
- We expect you to be able to make arrangements wherever possible to fit in with our supervision timetable.
- We require 85% attendance at supervision during the year.
- We ask you to meet and sit in your supervision group for a suitable period prior to beginning client work.
Self-care and Personal therapy
- We expect you to take at least four weeks holiday during the year and to give at least one month’s notice of holidays of two weeks duration.
- Proposed holidays of longer than two weeks duration need to be advised and to be discussed with both your supervisor and clinical management.
- We expect students to remain in personal therapy for the duration of their placement with us and actively encourage it beyond qualification.
Relationship with our organisation
- You must show an understanding of our mission and practice in a way that reflects the ethos of our Group.
- You will be asked to attend at least three team meetings a year (held bi-monthly).
- You will be asked to abide by our Code of Conduct.
- We expect you to adhere to our administrative and record keeping processes and respond promptly to requests for information from both the Service Administrators and the Clinical Team.
- We will ask you at interview to reflect on what it means to have a relationship with the agency as well as our clients
What else might you need to think about in relation to a placement?
- If you are working full time (as well as training), we will ask how you will manage your time between work, your placements, your training establishment and personal therapy.
- If you are travelling some distance to get to us think about making allowances for journey times and the costs involved and be realistic about your availability.
- Fulfilling your clinical hours’ requirement remains your responsibility and is likely to involve you in obtaining a second placement.
- Supervision is fortnightly and has returned to face to face sessions in Alphacom House at set days and times, we will do our best to accommodate you in our existing groups but this may not always be feasible.
What we offer you in return
As a student counsellor you would receive from us:
- Suitably assessed clients for you to work with on a timely basis to help you gain your hours
- A review process where we check in with you at designated points and support you
- Free fortnightly supervision with an appropriately qualified supervisor at Alphacom House
- Free insurance cover whilst you volunteer for the Group
- Induction processes and support from the Clinical Placement Manager
- Involvement in team meetings and CPD opportunities
- The opportunity to practice with a wide range of presenting issues
- The opportunity to engage with a motivated, friendly and experienced counselling team who are dedicated to continuing to offer support to local residents
- If you are not in possession of an Enhanced DRB check we will carry this out for you (but you will be expected to contribute 50% towards the cost).
How can you apply?
- You need to complete and return our Student Application form which is available from our website home page when recruitment is open. There is no need to submit a CV.