We have an exciting opportunity to offer a small group of newly qualified counsellors a chance to gain experience and client hours while being fully supported within a dedicated training and development scheme in our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). If you have recently qualified and looking to take that first step in to paid counselling work, then get in touch today to apply.

As a graduate counsellor, you have a fantastic opportunity to make a tangible difference to people’s emotional health and wellbeing while developing your professional practice in your first step of your new counselling career. Working within our EAP service we will coach and support you to help a wide demographic of clients through multiple platforms including immediate emotional support on the helpline, short-term solution-focused telephone and video sessions and online webchat emotional support and signposting.

What we offer in return:

As a recently qualified counsellor we will support you every step of the way while on the programme to give you the confidence and experience you need and help you on your journey toward accreditation. Working with the dedicated programme lead we will offer the following:

• Individual case management
• Team meetings
• Individual clinical supervision
• Continued Professional Development Sessions
• Dedicated support for accreditation with BACP or equivalent
• With the support of a wider team of clinicians and senior leadership, you will have the opportunity to work in a varied multidisciplinary team
• Varied training and development opportunities for career progression clinically and operationally.

The candidate we are looking for:

• An empathic listener
• Confident in their communication skills
• Willing and eager to practice in a short-term, solution-focused model
• Has a recognised counselling qualification – ideally Degree or Post Graduate Diploma in Counselling (Level 4 or above)
• BACP (or equivalent) Registered Membership is essential (unfortunately Individual/Student Membership cannot be accepted)
• Self-motivated and confident in remote working
• Competent IT skills, experience of MS Office and MS Teams is essential

Next Steps 

• If successful, after an initial screening call and interview, we will discuss programme start and contract.
• We will provide you with all the IT equipment needed, and check in with you prior to your start date to ensure you have everything
• You will receive a full 3-week induction, online, which starts with an introduction from the service mangers and meeting some of your new colleagues.
• We will then support you with “on the job” training to help you practice and use your telephone and IT skills.

Why Vita Health Group?

Vita Health Group celebrates life. Improving lives physically and mentally drives everything we do.  Now part of Spire Healthcare Group plc we have been providing physical and mental health services for over 30 years. We work in partnership with the NHS, are engaged by insurers and some of the UK’s largest corporate companies to support their workforce and provide a full range of physiotherapy services to private customers.

To achieve our mission of Making People Better, we recognise the importance of investing in our staff. We are an award-winning employer recently recognised nationally as “Best Company to Work for” at the Health and Wellbeing Awards 2024.

This is also recognised by current employees – our most recent Employee Survey results showed the top 5 reasons to work here as being:

• Supportive team and management
• Positive work environment
• Wellbeing and mental health support
• Trust and respect
• Autonomy and flexibility

We are keen to progress your skills and enable career development and provide regular Continued Professional Development opportunities including secondments, management training, a mentoring scheme, apprenticeships and regular events and webinars across a range of clinical disciplines.  In addition to a competitive salary, we also offer the opportunity of a flexible work life balance and a comprehensive benefits package which you can view here: https://www.vitahealthgroup.co.uk/join-us/careers

Vita Health Group is proud to be an equal opportunities employer and is seeking to improve the diversity of its workforce.  We are committed to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion best practice and positively encourage applications from candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion/belief, marital status, or pregnancy/maternity.  For further information on our EDI commitments please view here: Vita Health Groups commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

We are committed to being equitable and supporting the wellbeing of all employees.

• We are a Mindful Employer
• Our status as a Disability Confident Leader dedicated to ensuring that all candidates are treated fairly throughout the recruitment process. All disabled candidates that meet the minimum essential criteria will be invited to interview.
• Our Ethnicity Matters Scheme where all applicants for senior roles (£40,000+) from a minority ethnic group that meet the essential criteria will be invited for interview.
• Our Gender Matters Scheme where all women applicants for senior roles (£60,000+) that meet the essential criteria will be invited to interview.
• Our sign up to the Armed Forces Covenant.  
• Our status as a Menopause Friendly Committed employer. 
• Our sign up to the Employer with Heart Charter.  
• Our commitment to meet the standards outlined in the NHS Equality Delivery System (EDS). Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) and Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES).
• Access to health and wellbeing services for colleagues including Mental Health Advocates and an Employee Assistance Programme.
• An embedded “speaking up” culture facilitated by Freedom to Speak Up Guardians.
• Treating transgender individuals with dignity and recognising the potential complications that may arise when taking references. We encourage applicants to contact HR at hr@vhg.co.uk to discuss or amend how we manage reference requests.

Should you wish to discuss any adjustment or assistance you need in the application or interview process please contact recruitment@vhg.co.uk and we will facilitate.

Please note, all applicants must be legally entitled to accept and perform work in the UK and all positions are subject to a DBS check. 

Any data which you share with us throughout the hiring process will be stored securely within the UK and is accessible only by staff who require it. Should your application be unsuccessful, your data will be securely destroyed after 6 months. 

Vita Health Group reserves the right to close this job when sufficient applications have been received.

Vita Health Group