Working For DRCS
Derwent Rural Counselling Service is a psychological therapy service focused on continuous improvement to support locals of Derbyshire to access high quality talking therapies.
DRCS was founded in 1989, as a charity organisation, by members of the local population, who identified a need within the area to offer psychological support to the rural community.
In 2013 we joined forces with Derbyshire Healthcare Foundation Trust and became a member of the consortium, Talking Mental Health Derbyshire and now offer NHS IAPT treatment as well as our charitable services.
People are our foundation strategy that enables us to achieve sustainable growth by investing in our team members, giving them an opportunity to achieve their own goals, and the organisation’s goals.
If we want to grow more, we have to invest more in our team, helping them, help us.
At DRCS, our core values are our behaviours. They are the reason why we succeed in helping as many individuals as we do. They underpin all our interactions, and our recruitment processes aim to find the right candidates for the right roles.
We take a friendly, positive and pro-active approach and our talented team works hard to support clients and colleagues alike.
At DRCS, our values are our behaviours. They guide our decision making and our actions. They are the reason why we will succeed in helping as many individuals that we can. We will always strive to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to:
- Friendly feel balanced with professional, high quality delivery of service
- Prominent values including respect, trust, vision, teamwork, recognition and engagement
- Committed to work life balance through flexible working opportunities
- Autonomous and team working
- Supportive senior management team
- Friendly social scene with various events throughout the year (coffee and cake sessions, summer party, Christmas lunch and ad hoc events)
- Forward thinking and committed to introducing new business streams and processes
- Encouragement to attend community events for business development and networking
- Sector competitive salaries
DRCS is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership
Training and development
The DRCS senior management team takes an active role in promoting training and development, supporting staff to develop and progress.
We have defined career pathways in place to underpin progression from trainee to accredited counsellor and other routes also available for our dedicated support staff including apprenticeships.
Our approach to training and development has successfully steered and supported many employees to attain qualifications and achieve progression via formal qualification routes and internal moves.
As part of the DRCS family, you will have access to a generous range of benefits, including:
- Pension with 5 per cent employer pension contribution
- 25 days holidays plus Bank Holidays and up to 30 days based on time served
- Ongoing professional development through CPD programmes
- Perkbox offering 24-hour medical advice and counselling support and retail discounts
- An Employee Assistance Programme offering confidential advice and support via a 24hr Freephone helpline
- Family friendly policies
- Company sick pay
- Well-being initiatives
BACP Accreditation feedback
Your evidence, documents and policies are strong and rigorous. It is clear what a hardworking and valuable service DRCS provides for service users and the community.
Trainees
We work closely with contacts at universities in Derby, Nottingham, Lincoln, Leicester, Sheffield, Coventry and Keele to identify relevant candidates for our fully-funded trainee positions.
Value Added to Your Role as a Self-employed Contractor
- Clinical Supervision provided
- Flexible hours to suit your commitments
- Access to additional IAPT modality training
- A caseload to suit your availability
- Experience of working within an IAPT service
Testimonials
"When I started working for DRCS 4 years ago I experienced so much support from the whole team whilst I was completing my accreditation. At DRCS there is always someone you can approach from clinical lead to fellow counsel-lors/supervisors to admin. There was, and is, plenty of training to develop and further my knowledge, and there are many opportunities for career progression. I’m growing and developing as a counsellor with many different experiences, and there’s always something new to learn. I feel there’s so much more for me here, I feel respected and valued as a member of the team. I can’t thank DRCS enough to giving me the opportunity to work with them." Nargis Sharif
"The best thing about working at DRCS is the people, the professionalism, organisation and dedication that seems to come together to make it all work so well, there is a real sense of team spirit. What keeps me at DRCS is feeling valued and supported, everyone is so friendly helpful and considerate, it feels like a really good place to be." Gary Main
"As an affiliate I feel respected and supported in my work. I can set my own hours and there is always plenty of work. The training offered is great and people are lovely and helpful." Rukhsana Manir
Why choose DRCS?
- Established charity of 30 years offering range of high quality psychological therapy services
- Contracts with Derbyshire Healthcare Foundation Trust and Talking Mental Health Derbyshire to offer NHS Talking Therapies services countywide
- BACP accredited service
- Employed and self-employed roles including psychological therapists, business support professionals and administrators
- Clinical supervision provided
- Counselling rooms and offices in various locations across Derbyshire
- Large and varied client base including individuals, schools and businesses
- Varied career opportunities
- Flexible hours
- Friendly and forward thinking
- Approachable and friendly staff and culture
- Commitment to continuous improvement, development and progression including opportunity to access additional NHS Talking Therapies modality training, NICE training for recommended therapists
- Opportunities to drive improvements and business development
- Opportunities to lead and develop group work
- We’re a social organisation – from coffee and cake sessions to annual staff events
Vacancies
Please find available job opportunities at DRCS below. If there isn't a suitable opportunity available, please contact us. Unfortunately, due to the volume of enquiries we receive, unsolicited approaches from recruitment agencies will not be considered.
Vacancies
CBT/PWP Team Lead (Employed Position)
Want to make a real difference and have a truly rewarding career? Join Derwent Rural Counselling Service and become part of a talented, compassionate and enthusiastic workforce committed to a vision of 'keeping the client at the centre of everything we do'
DRCS is an established talking therapies provider. In addition to our charitable service we deliver NHS Talking therapies services for Anxiety and Depression, working with Derbyshire Healthcare foundation Trust, Talking Mental Health Derbyshire. The service offers low and high intensity interventions in individual and group formats.
We require a suitably qualified and experienced CBT therapist and supervisor for the post of CBT/PWP team lead. Previous experience leading a team would benefit the applicant and be valued by DRCS.
Location: Chesterfield. May need to travel to other locations in Derbyshire.
Hours: 22.5 hours – minimum 3 days
The successful candidate will report to the Clinical Lead and will supervise and line manage a team of CBT therapists and PWPs. The main outline of the role is as follows;
The post holder will provide line management, supervision and case review to our team of therapists, ensuring that all practitioners within the service are working professionally and ethically, meeting the requirements of the BACP Ethical Framework, BABCP code of conduct, performance and ethics, DRCS policy and procedure, and national guidelines for an NHS Talking Therapies service.
As part of the Senior Clinical Team, the post holder will support the improvement of standards and outcomes for the services’ clients, ensuring that they receive the highest standard of service that we can offer. To achieve this, we expect an engaging, involving style which will establish a positive and sensitive relationship with our therapists.
This role is suitable for an experienced CBT therapist and supervisor looking to broaden their experience and lead a team. As a qualified Step 3 clinician you will provide leadership and management of a team of clinicians and carry a small caseload.
Contribute to service improvements and work with our partner organisations to manage waiting times and client choice within your area of responsibility.We offer a service which is a blend of primarily face to face and remote treatments working with clinicians, local healthcare staff, partner organisations and healthcare establishments such as GP surgeries, etc, to maintain client choice across Derbyshire.
As a result, our clinicians work out of our premises, partner premises and other healthcare clinic space across Derbyshire as well as working remotely.
Team leaders respond to concerns and complaints for their areas of responsibility in consultation with the wider senior clinician and senior management teams.Essential qualifications for this role are:
Therapist accreditation through BABCP
NHS Talking Therapies experience, including completion of high intensity supervision training
A good level of knowledge regarding safeguarding, risk assessment and management, and Derbyshire mental health stepped care pathways.
This is an exciting opportunity to join a team where your ideas and creativity would be welcome in contributing to the development of an effective and innovative service, meeting the needs of our growing therapist team.
The closing date for applications is close of business, Wednesday 6th December 2023.
Shortlisting will take place on Thursday 7th December 2023.
Interviews will take place f2f in Belper on Thursday 14th December. Please ensure you will be available before applying.
For more information contact Kim Heappey, Clinical Lead on 07940324187 or kim.heappey@nhs.net. To register your interest please contact Rosie Allison, HR Manager on 07393198818 or email hradmin@drcs.org.uk.
As part of our commitment to the NSPCC Safer Recruitment process, a full application pack will be sent to you. To be considered for this role we require all applicants to complete and submit an application form prior to the closing date. Unfortunately, we cannot accept CVs without a supporting application form.
More Information
Person Specification | Job Description | Application Form | Application Pack
Pre-Accredited Counsellor (Self Employed)
Role Overview
The purpose of this role is to provide counselling to clients of the service while being supported by our clinical team via supervision, mentoring and CPD to submit for BACP (or equivalent) accreditation.
Key Requirements/Purpose of the Role
As a Counsellor/Therapist the post holder will work as a member of the primary care psychological therapies team providing time-limited interventions within our IAPT contract and also offer counselling and support to clients outside of this contract. The post holder will work with clients who have a range of mental health problems, including anxiety and depression, for which counselling is demonstrated to be clinically effective. They will be based in sites across the county of Derbyshire. The post holder will work with people from different backgrounds age 16+ and should be committed to equal opportunities.
Qualifications
The successful candidate will have a recognised Counselling or psychotherapy qualification to at least Level 4 diploma level.
Accreditable with BACP or equivalent (may not have all the hours needed, but must meet other requirements and have at least 300 supervised counselling hours, ideally 350).
More Information
Person Specification | Role Profile | Application Form | Application Pack
Accredited Counsellor (Self Employed)
Role Overview
As a Counsellor/Psychotherapist the post holder will work on behalf of DRCS providing time-limited interventions within our IAPT contract and also offer interventions and support to clients outside of this contract. The post holder will work with clients who have a range of mental health problems, including anxiety and depression, for which counselling is demonstrated to be clinically effective.
Key Requirements/Purpose of the Role
Based at any of our sites across Derbyshire, the post holder will work with people from different and diverse backgrounds age 16+, and should be committed to equal opportunities. We also offer talking therapies for children and young people and are very interested in talking to qualified therapists with experience of working with this group of clients.
Qualifications
The successful candidate will have a recognised Counselling or psychotherapy qualification to diploma level or above and will be accredited with a professional psychological therapy organisation, such as BACP or UKCP.
In addition, the candidate may already be qualified in any NICE recommended modality(DIT, IPT, EMDR, Couples CfD, CfD).
More Information
Person Specification | Role Profile | Application Form | Application Pack
