Job Title: Female Specific Counsellor
MQI’s Jane’s Place & St Francis Farm Detox and Rehab Services
Responsible to: Deputy Head of Services/Service Coordinator
Responsible for: The direct delivery of counselling and groups to clients in MQI’s Female Specific Service (Jane’s Place), Dublin and Detox and Rehab programmes in St Francis Farm Carlow.
Reports to: Jane’s Place Coordinator. Rehab Coordinator St Francis Farm.
Objective: To effectively deliver counselling, group-work and care planning to female clients of MQI, and in doing so to uphold the philosophy and working ethos of MQI.
MQI are looking to recruit a Female Specific Counsellor to work in an exciting new Female Specific service. This role will be divided between the Female Specific Service in Dublin and MQI’s Detox and Rehab programmes in St Francis Farm Carlow. The base for this role will be Dublin.
This role will be part of the team responsible for the delivery of Female Specific Services in “Jane’s Place”, temporarily based in Dolphins Barn and St Francis Farm, Tullow.
The female only day service “Jane’s Place” will provide a ‘one-stop-shop’ for access to information and supports across health, addiction, life skills, gender-based violence, coercive control, legal issues, education, employment support, counselling, and mental health services. The role involves some 1:1 work with female service users, group work, in-reach into other community projects as well as advocating and giving a voice to female service users, facilitating research.
The role will involve two days working in St Francis Farm, Tullow working with female service users and on occasion male service users who are on the 6-to-8-week detox programme or the 14-week Residential Rehab Programme. The counsellor will be part of a multidisciplinary team in St Francis Farm.
Main Duties/Responsibilities:
Jane’s Place.
• Working specifically to target and engage with female service users (women over 18 who are experiencing multiple disadvantage- homelessness, health and addiction, abuse, marginalisation, inequality)
• Development of women’s only service/centre – a female specific space that supports and attends to safety needs of women.
• Provide one to one and group counselling interventions that gives women immediate access to support.
• To work with the Service Coordinator in the assessment and identification of client needs.
• To act in a ‘key worker’ capacity with designated clients in accordance with structures agreed with the Service Coordinator.
• To develop individual care plans for clients.
• Inter-agency and collaborative working with specialist services to better meet the needs of women, in a holistic, person-centred way.
• To ensure that the needs of clients are attended to with sensitivity and efficiency.
• Work to improve outcomes, creating pathways and enabling access of women into appropriate services.
• Network with other organisations and agencies who support and work with women with complex or multiple needs and issues.
• Provision of an empowering, peer support and group space/environment that strengthens and encourages the belief for women in their own ability to make positive change in their lives, at their pace.
• Advocacy work, raising awareness of issues women face, in order to promote, inform and influence policy.
• Developing strategies in order to increase engagement with women.
• Ensure that the day-to-day operations of the service run smoothly in accordance with organisation and service policies and procedures.
• To work as part of the team with regular and consistent communication.
• To participate actively in all team meetings and to be open to all reasonable requests from the Service Coordinator.
St Francis Farm
• To work with the Service Coordinator and Clinical Nurse Manager in the assessment and identification of client needs.
• To act in a ‘key worker’ capacity with designated clients in accordance with structures agreed with the Service Coordinator.
• To support the treatment programme through the facilitation of one-to-one counselling, care planning, therapeutic group work and psycho-educational workshops.
• To ensure that the needs of our clients are attended to with sensitivity and efficiency.
• To develop individual care plans for clients.
• To be up to date and aware of good practices and procedures in the delivery of services to our clients, with particular reference to Residential services.
• Facilitating clients to access local services such as medical, welfare and advocating on their behalf.
• To liaise with internal and external agencies to identify client progression pathways.
• Work within the policies of MQI, both organisation wide and project specific to ensure consistent delivery and quality standards are adhered to.
STAFFING
• To provide continuity and support for students, part time and voluntary workers.
• To work as part of a team and actively encourage this ethos among the workers.
ADMINISTRATIVE
• To comply with the Service and Rehab Coordinators’ requirements in relation to all appropriate paperwork and filing of data relevant to the services, in particular day books, intervention records and client care plans and files.
• To feed into the preparation of reports, statistics and other information that may be required.
• To ensure that all relevant client records are logged on MQI’s CRM database
• To be observant, proactive and comply with MQI’s requirements in relation to Health & Safety protocols.
TRAINING
• To attend all training sessions, workshops and courses as advised by the Service and Rehab Coordinator.
• To support and facilitate the transference of learning to workers, trainees, students, and volunteers on the Project.
• To actively engage with your supervisor, regarding one’s own personal/ professional needs in the context of being an effective worker on the Project.
GENERAL
• To maintain good relationships with external agencies and stakeholders on behalf of MQI.
• To be up to date and aware of best practice and procedures in relation to Health and Safety in the workplace.
• To become familiar with and ensure that all MQI’s policies and procedure are being adhered to, particularly those relating to Health & Safety, HR, Confidentiality, Boundaries and Staff Code of Ethics.
• To have a flexible approach to the work in response to organisational change, development, and review of best practice.
• To assist with any other duties which the Service Coordinator / Rehab Coordinator might reasonably request.
Person Specification
• Two years experience in a paid full-time capacity in an addiction service or similar setting or equivalent part time.
• Accredited counsellor with ACI, IACP or equivalent body.
• A relevant third level qualification in the area of addiction studies or social care.
• Experience of working in a residential setting an advantage.
• An excellent understanding of issues relating to problem drug use/homelessness including mental health concerns and progression pathways towards, housing, training, and work.
• Understanding of the issues facing women with complex needs
• A knowledge and understanding of a trauma informed approach
• Capacity to develop constructive relationships with clients & team.
• Capacity to work on own initiative and as part of team.
• Capacity to develop positive relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Must be able to demonstrate proficient IT skills including Microsoft Word, Excel, Power-point, and a good knowledge CRM system for reporting purposes.
• Experience of developing and delivering workshops and seminars.
• Experience and skills in the referral process and assessment of clients with addiction needs.
• Experience and skills in developing Care Plans.
• A full, clean driving licence is required.
Location: Jane’s Place Dolphins Barn Dublin 8 with travel to St. Francis Farm, Tullow, Co. Carlow
Contract Type: Contract of Indefinite Duration.
Hours: 39 hours per week
Salary: €35, 800 – €43,400 per annum, depending on experience.
If you are interested in applying for this position, please complete the attached application form and email to recruitment@mqi.ie with a copy of your up-to-date CV by close of business on the 27th July 2022.
Please ensure to include the following title in the subject line of your email ‘ Female Specific Counsellor C0258’.
MQI is an equal opportunities employer. MQI reserves the right to review and amend this job description as appropriate.