Volunteer Group Leader

Introduction

At TOP UK we run network of online groups who support people suffering with OCD and Phobias overcome their anxieties. We use a gold standard therapeutic model based on Exposure-Response Therapy and CBT which gradually encourages group members to understand their conditions and guides them in to recovery. As a volunteer, you don't need to have previous therapeutic experience and will be trained in how to co facilitate a group. You do need to be warm, empathetic and compassionate and lived experience of anxiety, OCD or a phobia is helpful but not essential. You will feel confident to facilitate a group alongside another trained volunteer and will be able to commit to 2 hours a week minimum for a period of 12 months or more.

Main purpose of the role

As a group leader your primary responsibility is to assist in the delivery of the organisation's therapeutic services through co-facilitating weekly guided self- help groups. There may be extreme circumstances where you will be required to temporarily facilitate a group individually, though this will be a last resort option and subject to your level of experience and confidence in the role.

You will provide compassionate care to our service users that is based on empathy, kindness, respect, dignity, and will be trained to use our psychologically-informed evidence- based approaches.

Therapeutic Responsibilities

• Co-facilitate therapeutic guided self-help groups on a weekly basis.
• Interact with relevant service users to arrange their initial attendance at
• therapeutic groups.
• Consistently work within the scope of your training and recognise the
• limits of your practice.
• Liaise closely with the organisation's Clinical Director to discuss
• challenging cases and clinical concerns.
• Inform the Clinical Director of any expected instances of absence two
• weeks prior to the event. Administrative Responsibilities
• Record service users' attendance on a weekly basis.
• Maintain service user attendance databases to the highest possible
• standards of accuracy and detail.
• Disseminate psychometric measures to service users in accordance with
• the organisation's evaluation strategy
• Promote a culture of evaluation amongst service users attending your groups to enhance the amount of individualised feedback available to them.
• Respond to service user enquiries, and organisational communications, in an appropriately timely manner.
• Register your free organisation-provided DBS certificate on the Disclosure and Barring Service Update Service.
• Developmental Responsibilities
• Actively engage in the initial training workshops that are provided by the organisation.
• Maintain a commitment to continual personal development and engage in additional training opportunities when provided.
• Actively engage in organised peer reflective practices
• Make use of the organisation-wide digital communication channels to
• share and learn therapeutic practices. Safeguarding Responsibilities

• Safeguarding - It is every volunteer's responsibility for safeguarding and protecting adults and children from abuse, regardless of the setting in which your care takes place. It is every volunteer's responsibility to be aware of the organisation's relevant policies and procedures and proactively maintain safeguarding procedural knowledge.

Additional Responsibilities

• Adhere to all organisational policies and procedures.
• Treat information relating to service users, employees, and the business of
• the organisation in the strictest of confidence. Under no circumstances should such information be discussed with any unauthorised person(s) or organisations.
• Support the organisation's promotion of a positive approach to diversity and inclusion, treating others with dignity and respect.
• Develop and maintain positive relationships with colleagues, taking account of their age, religion or belief, ethnicity, sex, marital or civil partnership status, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy or maternity status and any disability.
• Maintain an approachable nature and ensure that your conduct towards colleagues is open and honest, dealing with differences in opinion, in ways which avoid offence.