Lead Counsellor

• locations
• Recovery Steps Cumbria - Carlise & Penrith

• time type
• Full time

• posted on
• Posted Today

• job requisition id
• JR011242

Lead Counsellor– Recovery Steps Cumbria

Location:Cumbria

Working Hours:30

Contract Type:Permanent

Salary:£40,266 - £54,478 (Pro Rata'd to 30 Hours)

Please note: The salary listed reflects the full earning potential for this role. Starting salaries depend on experience and progression within the band. 

About Waythrough 

Waythrough was formed in 2024 following the merger of Humankind and Richmond Fellowship. Together, we’ve created one of the largest mental health and social support charities in England.

Every year, we support around 125,000 people through nearly 200 services – and it’s all made possible by our 3,500 brilliant staff and volunteers.

Make a real difference in your community 

Are you passionate about helping others live safer, healthier, more independent lives? Join our team at Waythrough and support people facing challenges around mental health, substance use, housing or domestic abuse. This is more than just a job – it’s a chance to build meaningful relationships and create lasting change.

About the Role

This role involves providing structured counselling / psychosocial therapies to service users and their close family members as required. Also providing management of the countywide counselling service within Recovery Steps Cumbria and operational support to trainee counsellors on placement at the service.

What You’ll Do

• Coordinate, manage, and lead an accessible counselling service with clear pathways and risk governance.
• Hold clinical governance and safeguarding accountability for the counselling element of the service.
• Create and maintain clear pathway for the counselling service from referral point to exit.
• Provide robust assessments of clients mental health needs and suitability for psychological intervention, allocate correctly with counsellors, volunteer/Student counsellors as appropriate to their capacity and skills.
• Provide supervision, guidance, and reflective practice spaces for counsellors, volunteer and trainee counsellors ensuring high quality of care.
• Implement systems responsive to differing levels of risk, complexity, and need; escalate safeguarding promptly.

To Succeed in This Role, You’ll Need:

• Recognised qualification in Counselling or Psychotherapy (Level 4 or above) BACP accreditation / UKCP registration (or equivalent)
• Recognised certificate in counselling supervision

What We Offer

We value the people who make a difference every day. Alongside meaningful work, you’ll enjoy a comprehensive benefits package:

• 27 days’ annual leave, rising to 32 after 1 year (plus bank holidays)

• Pension scheme with 4.5% employer contribution, matched up to 6.5%

• Life assurance (3× annual salary)

• Enhanced sick pay and family-friendly pay

• Birthday leave and the option to buy up to 5 extra days’ annual leave

• Professional fee reimbursement for relevant qualifications

• 24/7 online GP access and Employee Assistance Programme

• Recognition and long service awards via our

  Way to GoandAspirationsportals

• £500

  Recommend a Friendbonus

• Cycle to Work scheme and Credit Union membership

• Discounts via Blue Light Card, Charity Discounts, Extras and Tickets for Good

• Free will writing service and wellbeing initiatives throughout the year

Inclusion and accessibility 

Waythrough is proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and communities, especially those with lived experience of the issues we support.

We have signed up to the Disability Confident Scheme - all applicants are welcome, and adjustments can be made to enable fair participation.

If you need adjustments or support to apply, please email our recruitment team: recruitmentteam@waythrough.org.uk 

Closing Date:

About Us

Waythrough launched in October 2024 following the merger of Humankind and Richmond Fellowship.

Our vision is to break down the barriers that stop people getting the support they need to live a life they value. We tackle poverty and disadvantage in communities, through mental health, drug and alcohol, housing and related support.

We have almost 200 services around England – and nearly 3,500 amazing staff and volunteers who run them. Every year our services support around 125,000 people.

Bringing together two big organisations is not a small task and it’ll take a while to fully integrate our systems, processes and approaches. That’s why you will notice the jobs here are still branded ‘Richmond Fellowship’ or ‘Aquarius’ (our subsidiary charity in the Midlands). Next year we’ll be fully integrating our recruitment systems but for now they are separate.

Thanks for bearing with us – and don’t forget to check out the Waythrough jobs on the Humankind job site https://peoplekind.my.salesforce-sites.com/recruit/

Aquarius

Aquarius is a subsidiary of Waythrough. Aquarius is a Midlands-based charity supporting individuals to overcome the harms caused by drugs, alcohol and gambling. Aquarius has always held the view that people we support could resolve their problems with support and guidance and that people have the ability to find their own solutions to their problems. Our roles across the organisation include Practitioners and Administrators as well as Team Managers.

Find out more at www.aquarius.org.uk