Information for Prospective Volunteers
The Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association has pioneered a comprehensive range of rehabilitation and after-care projects for the mentally ill since the Association was formed at the time of the 1959 Mental Health Act. Current projects include Day Centres, Industrial Education Units, Residential Care Accommodation, Counselling, Art Training, a Structured Keep Fit Programme, Art Therapy, Music Therapy, Laughter Therapy, Creative Writing, Computer and Internet Training and Fund Raising.
The aim of the Counselling Service is to enable participants to recognise their uniqueness by gaining a deeper insight into themselves and to gain a heightened sense of self-awareness and empowerment. The orientation of the service is Integrative.
The service we offer is £2 per session for clients who are unemployed or on benefits; there is a charge of £15 per session for those in full time employment. For those working part time the rate is negotiable between £2 and £15 per session.
We ask our counsellors to commit themselves to a minimum period of six months to the C4BH counselling service. We would ask that the volunteers honour any commitment made to C4BH and, if this is not possible, to ensure that adequate notice is given to allow for alternative arrangements to be made.
The counselling sessions are held at The Groupwork Centre, Hackney from 9 a.m. to 4.50 p.m. Monday to Friday.
The sources of referral are: GPs, Social Services, Voluntary Organisations, Hospitals, Housing Associations and Self Referrals.
We require our volunteer counsellors to have their own indemnity insurance and advise that they should be receiving their own personal therapy while seeing clients at C4BH. A CRB Disclosure Certificate issued within the last three years is also required.
Counsellors not yet qualified will need to be on a recognised Diploma Counselling Course.