Overview
Counsellor-SophiaTown Jobs in Johannesburg at U-turn Homeless Ministries
Summary
U-turn is a leading organisation in creating effective pathways out of homelessness. As part of the growth of our programme in Johannesburg the team is looking for a counsellor to join them in June. The position will be based in Sophiatown but as our operations grow, might require the candidate to from time to time visit our worksites in Melville and Northcliff. The programme has a strong focus on vocational rehab and works towards four outcomes: stable accommodation, sustained sobriety, healthy support structures and sustainable income. This is a full-time onsite position and will initially be offered as a one-year contract.
This position
The counsellor forms part of the 3rd phase interdisciplinary team consisting of social workers, an occupational therapist, pastoral staff, house-managers and some lay staff. Collectively the team works with a group of about 60 clients on the 3rd phase work-readiness programme. Clients are case-managed by the Social workers and OT’s who refer individual cases to the counsellor for specific interventions. This position requires the candidate to have a thorough understanding of addiction and at least 3 years of experience working with individuals in recovery from various forms of addiction. Most clients require a thorough process of relational healing and the counsellor must be comfortable with couples and family work. The ideal candidate will be someone with a Biblical understanding of a person’s identity and the relational nature of humans.
Background
U-turn is a thriving non-profit that exists to equip homeless people with the skills to overcome homelessness. Founded in 1997, we believe in life after homelessness. We believe that every homeless individual is intrinsically valuable and should have access to an effective pathway that addresses their physical, spiritual and emotional needs so they can leave the streets and become a long-term productive member of society.
To help homeless people overcome homelessness we operate a phased approach that includes rehabilitation from substance abuse, counselling, life-skills training and sheltered work placement in one of our social enterprises. This allows candidates to test and apply the training they’ve received. Through this process, the programme inculcates a healthy work ethic, furnishes modern job skills and gives 18-24 months of real work experience so that individuals can graduate and be gainfully employed in the modern South African economy.
The programme is yielding wonderful results. Our candidates typically graduate into open market employment and show an above 85% long term success rate! We are actively working to expand the programme to more locations in Cape Town and across South Africa.
Service Centres
U-turn’s Service Centres provide services to people living on the streets in order to prepare them for and to support them on a journey of change. This includes providing food and clothing (and in some cases access to a shower and a bed for the night), therapeutic and development based interventions, and recovery support for those struggling with substance abuse. The ultimate aim of the Service Centre is to prepare individuals to participate in our work-based rehabilitation programme.
Work-readiness programme
The work-readiness programme is tasked with providing work-based rehabilitation and skills development training that prepares clients for graduation into employment and reintegration into the community. One day per week, each client attends a training day where they access group therapy delivered by an interdisciplinary team, individual counselling and input using a specially designed curriculum. This cycle of learning and application follows a graded approach and continues for as long as needed (on average 18 months). Case-managers coordinate the entire intervention programme for the clients and work in close-collaboration with the worksite managers.
Transitional Accommodation
Due to the nature of our long term interventions we run transitional accommodation in the form of group homes where clients accessing our Work-readiness program can move into when leaving homeless shelters. These homes are managed by a house-manager that along with service centre staff, works-site managers and therapeutic staff forms the client-facing team assisting the clients along the full Life Change journey.
Key areas of responsibility
Assess referred clients and provide medium term interventions within your scope or refer external for treatment outside of your scope
Facilitate and co-facilitate groups as per the personal development and training day group programme
Provide crisis intervention as and when it arises, assessing the needs of the client and making recommendations to the team
Facilitate relapse analysis with any relapsed clients and work through the emergency recovery plan with them providing any additional counselling as part of the process
Join disciplinary panels where indicated and provide Emergency Recovery intervention support as part of the team dealing with a client’s relapse
Take part in client case-discussions forming part of the interdisciplinary team treating all the clients in the Unit.
Take part in any staff training that the Personal Development and Training Team provides to equip staff with necessary understanding about addiction, mental health and dual diagnosis.
If there is an opportunity for student placements, provide supervision and feedback to relevant parties
Assist Service Centres by running recovery groups as part of your weekly schedule and equipping staff with the necessary understanding about addiction to facilitate a culture of recovery in the centre as a whole.
Use and contribute to existing planning and record keeping systems to ensure continuous improvement of your areas of responsibility
Experience and Skills
Registered with the relevant counselling bodies
Trained in trauma counselling
At least 3 years’ experience of working in the field of addiction
Experience of working in an inter/multidisciplinary team (beneficial)
Personal attributes
Resourceful individual that is not easily flustered
Ability to self-motivate, and work with minimal supervision
Collaborative team player, concerned with team success as well as individual performance
Emotionally mature individual
Problem solver who is open to change and able to take initiative
Willingness to learn and grow personally
Organisational Fit (where applicable)
If in Recovery – actively engaged in own ongoing recovery, accessing accountability support and practicing recovery behaviour
If employed as a Professional – affiliation with professional board, continued personal development and accessing supervision
Gospel orientation – connected to a local fellowship of believers, reading the Bible and grounded in Gospel-motivated Social Action
Next Steps
Candidates interested in this position should apply online at https://homeless.org.za/career-form. The letter of motivation should be approximately 1 page in length and include information on why you would like to work at U-turn and how you fulfil the required knowledge skills set outlined above. Please note that applications without a letter of motivation will not be considered. IF YOU HAVE NOT HEARD FROM US WITHIN 4 WEEKS, PLEASE CONSIDER YOUR APPLICATION UNSUCCESSFUL
Job Type: Full-time
Work Location: In person
Title: Counsellor-SophiaTown
Company: U-turn Homeless Ministries
Location: Johannesburg
