Volunteers and Student Placements
Listening Ear has a great reputation for supporting volunteers and student placements. Both our Adult and CYP services are Accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy which we are very proud of. This also means that Listening Ear offer the highest standards of support for not only our clients, but for the students and volunteers who play a huge part in delivering such high quality services.
Unfortunately, Listening Ear will not be taking a student cohort in Summer 2024. The next student intake is scheduled for Winter 2024.
How to Apply and FAQ’s
All applicants are required to email a completed copy of the Listening Ear student application form (which can be found here) to volunteering@listening-ear.co.uk by the closing date specified above. All application forms will undergo a shortlisting process by the Clinical Team and then if successful in securing an interview, you will receive an email informing you of the date and time to attend. Please note that any applications received after the closing date will not be shortlisted.
FAQ’s
Q: Can I apply for a placement if I have submitted an application for a placement before?
A: No, if you have previously submitted an application for placement and were not successful in securing an offer of interview, please do not re apply.
Q: Will you inform me if my application has not been successful in securing the offer of an interview?
A: Unfortunately, due to high demand for places we will be unable to contact you to provide feedback or to inform if you have been unsuccessful in moving past the shortlisting stage.
Q: Will the Interview be in person or remotely?
A: Interviews will take place via Teams. All Teams invitation details will be sent out within the email informing you that you have been shortlisted.
Q: What happens if I can’t make the interview date and time offered to me?
A: We will try to accommodate a change of day and time but please be aware that all interviews must be held on the dates specified and are on a first come first served basis.
Q: What happens after I have attended my interview?
A: Following interview, we will be emailing all interviewees to inform them if they have been successful in securing a placement with Listening Ear. We will then be asking successful applicants to provide some documentation such as your Fitness to Practice letter from your course provider, or a statement which demonstrated that you will have this secured by February 2024 half term. We will also require you to complete a DBS at this stage.
Q: If I am successful, will I be with anyone else when completing my placement hours?
A: Yes, we have designated members of the Clinical Team on site when our students are completing their placement hours to provide you with any support or guidance you will need. We additionally have designated Safeguarding Leads who are on site whilst placement hours are being offered to students.
Q: Can I have a placement with Listening Ear and with another placement provider?
A: No, we would like our student placements to have Listening Ear as their sole placement provider in order to ensure students are working within a safe caseload limit.
Q: Will Listening Ear pay for my clinical supervision?
A: No, Listening Ear will not pay for your external clinical supervision while you are on placement.
What to expect as a Student with Listening Ear
Starting your journey in the world of Counselling and Psychotherapy can sometimes feel overwhelming and can raise a lot of questions for consideration. Questions such as, “Will I receive the appropriate level of support?”, “Will I be given the correct level of encouragement to really develop as a therapist?” and “Will I receive help to ensure I am working ethically with my clients?” are all important questions to ask at any point in your career. We firmly believe that Listening Ear offer the right level of support to enable you to answer “Yes” to all of these questions.
As a student you will be supported by a dedicated placement manager who will be your point of contact for all things therapy related. We will offer you support and guidance with things such as best practice, developing your skills, working ethically with clients and support around your study as you work towards qualification.
Most importantly, you will be treated as a fellow professional and welcomed into the Listening Ear family.
Additional Information
Unfortunately due to the demand on placements the members of Listening Ear’s student recruitment panel are unable to contact unsuccessful applicants and are also unable to give feedback on individual applications.
If you have any questions about student placements, prior to submitting your application please email volunteering@listening-ear.co.uk & we will look to respond within 2 to 3 days. We have also provided some responses to frequently asked questions below which may assist you with any questions you may have.
To be notified of future placement intakes, please subscribe to our mailing list.
What to expect as a Volunteer Counsellor/Psychotherapist with Listening Ear
Whether you are a recently qualified therapist looking to gain further experience within your practice or have a wealth of client experience delivering therapy you can expect the same level of support from our dedicated team. This includes financial and practical support with your client work such as working towards accreditation, supervision and continued professional development.
At Listening Ear, we recognise the importance and value of our dedicated Volunteer Counsellors and welcome applications all year round.
If a volunteer position is of interest to you, please email a copy of your CV along with the completed application form and entitle the email ‘Qualified Volunteer’ to volunteering@listening-ear.co.uk
Looking to start your career with Listening Ear? Find out about current paid opportunities by visiting our recruitment page.
- "Thank you, thank you, thank you, honestly I cannot thank you enough. You’ve been patient, professional, encouraging, and really kind and generous to me with your knowledge and your time. You are really very special. I am tearing up as I type this, I’m going to miss everything about you and Listening Ear"
Christine - "Volunteering gives me a chance to develop my own counselling skills while giving something back to the community"
Andrea - "I volunteer to give people access to free counselling who otherwise wouldn't get the help they need"
Clare - "I'm volunteering to support a valuable free service and be a part of a reputable, professional and caring team"
Emma