Bright Light is seeking a suitably skilled and motivated person to join its Board of Trustees as Chair in an exciting and challenging period.

Along with many organisations, Bright Light is having to adapt and change post-pandemic and in light manage financial challenges, but we have ambitious plans to continue delivering an excellent service to people in need of counselling and family therapy across the Lothians.

About Bright Light

Bright Light provides counselling support for families, children, and young people in both family and individual sessions. Our focus is supporting the positive mental health of the individual in relationship to others - family members, friends, people they encounter including professionals, their communities and with themselves. Established in 1948, Bright Light’s services have developed and evolved considerably over the years.

We recently launched our updated values and 2023-2026 Strategic Plan which provides the blueprint for Bright Light’s focus and development over the next three years.

About the role

Simon Massey, the current Chair, is stepping down in April 2024 at the end of his term on the Bright Light Board so we are looking to recruit an enthusiastic, values-led and experienced individual to take on the role.

You will provide a constructive and supportive role in furthering the values and objectives of Bright Light and lead the Board in fulfilling its responsibilities in good governance. This includes leading the Board in developing strategy, monitoring quality and supporting the effective, and sustainable, delivery of counselling services across the Lothians. You will work closely with the CEO and wider Bright Light staff team as well as being part of the Relationships Scotland network.

Each year the Board usually meets as follows:

• 4 x Board Meetings. 2½ hours on a weekday evening in February, May, August and November. These alternate between online and in-person meetings, with the in-person meetings usually followed by a meal out.
• 1 x Annual General Meeting. Hybrid meeting allowing both online and in-person attendance. Timings and dates differ each year. The last one was May 2023.
• 1 x Board and Bright Light senior staff Strategy Day. In-person meeting. Timings and dates differ each year. The last one was March 2023.

As with many smaller charities, the role can sometimes be quite hands-on so it’s important that as well as the above meetings, the Chair is able to regularly meet with the CEO, lead or oversee any sub-committee meetings, attend a Relationships Scotland Member Service Chairs group and support the development of the Board.

Although the role is non-remunerated reasonable expenses will be reimbursed.

An induction programme will be provided, and we encourage Trustees to join the SCVO Trustees Network while ongoing training will be available to meet identified needs.

Are you searching for a role that will draw on your relationship and administrative skills? Do you have strong IT skills, an eye for detail and an ability to work systematically through a series of processes to completion? Are you confident to work with people at all levels, with strong communication skills, verbally and written?

The successful postholder will be supporting the team in a range of operational tasks as well as capturing data for the evaluation of The Promise project.

Bright Light Relationship Counselling is delighted to have received funding to provide counselling to care experienced young people (14 – 25) as part of The Promise funded projects.

Are you a fully qualified Children & Young People’s Counsellor (at Diploma level? Minimum 2 years post-qualifying experience). Are you interested in making a difference as part of our project to provide counselling to care experienced young people?

You will be part of a project team that includes Systemic Counsellors who will be working with care experienced families and referrals will be coming from a number of partner organisations within Edinburgh and the Lothians. The working week will be across 5 days and will include some evening sessions.

In addition to the direct counselling work you will contribute to the evaluation of the project, the formalising of relationships with partner organisations and opportunities to increase awareness of the value of counselling in addressing childhood adverse experiences and trauma.

Bright Light is seeking a suitably skilled and motivated person to join its Board of Trustees as Chair in an exciting and challenging period.

Along with many organisations, Bright Light is having to adapt and change post-pandemic and in light manage financial challenges, but we have ambitious plans to continue delivering an excellent service to people in need of counselling and family therapy across the Lothians.

About Bright Light

Bright Light provides counselling support for families, children, and young people in both family and individual sessions. Our focus is supporting the positive mental health of the individual in relationship to others - family members, friends, people they encounter including professionals, their communities and with themselves. Established in 1948, Bright Light’s services have developed and evolved considerably over the years.

We recently launched our updated values and 2023-2026 Strategic Plan which provides the blueprint for Bright Light’s focus and development over the next three years.

About the role

Simon Massey, the current Chair, is stepping down in April 2024 at the end of his term on the Bright Light Board so we are looking to recruit an enthusiastic, values-led and experienced individual to take on the role.

You will provide a constructive and supportive role in furthering the values and objectives of Bright Light and lead the Board in fulfilling its responsibilities in good governance. This includes leading the Board in developing strategy, monitoring quality and supporting the effective, and sustainable, delivery of counselling services across the Lothians. You will work closely with the CEO and wider Bright Light staff team as well as being part of the Relationships Scotland network.

Each year the Board usually meets as follows:

• 4 x Board Meetings. 2½ hours on a weekday evening in February, May, August and November. These alternate between online and in-person meetings, with the in-person meetings usually followed by a meal out.
• 1 x Annual General Meeting. Hybrid meeting allowing both online and in-person attendance. Timings and dates differ each year. The last one was May 2023.
• 1 x Board and Bright Light senior staff Strategy Day. In-person meeting. Timings and dates differ each year. The last one was March 2023.

As with many smaller charities, the role can sometimes be quite hands-on so it’s important that as well as the above meetings, the Chair is able to regularly meet with the CEO, lead or oversee any sub-committee meetings, attend a Relationships Scotland Member Service Chairs group and support the development of the Board.

Although the role is non-remunerated reasonable expenses will be reimbursed.

An induction programme will be provided, and we encourage Trustees to join the SCVO Trustees Network while ongoing training will be available to meet identified needs.

Bright Light is seeking suitable skilled and motivated people to join its Board of Trustees in an exciting and challenging period.

Along with many organisations, we are having to adapt and change post-pandemic and manage financial challenges, but we have ambitious plans to continue delivering an excellent service to people in need of counselling and family therapy across the Lothians.

About us

Bright Light provides counselling support for families, children, and young people in both family and individual sessions. Our focus is supporting the positive mental health of the individual in relationship to others - family members, friends, people they encounter including professionals, their communities and with themselves. Established in 1948, our services have developed and evolved considerably over the years.

About the role

To help support the organisation Bright Light seeks skilled and motivated individuals to join our Board of Trustees. As a non-executive member of the Board, you will play a central role in developing strategy, monitoring quality and governance and supporting the effective, and sustainable, delivery of counselling services across the Lothians. You will fulfil a constructive and supportive role in furthering the values and objectives of Bright Light, with a clear understanding of their governance responsibilities. We would particularly like to hear from you if you have experience in HR, IT & digital or fundraising.

We are keen to have a diverse group of Trustees so want to hear from people from different backgrounds and lived experiences, but you do not necessarily have to have experience of the charity sector or being a Trustee before – this is a great opportunity to gain fresh experiences and develop new skills. We do want people who share our values of professionalism, working together, optimism, kindness, and fairness.

There are 4 Board meetings each year, our AGM and an in person strategy day. These alternate between online and in-person and occasionally a mix of both.

An induction programme, including a ‘Trustee buddy’ system, will be provided and we encourage Trustees to join the SCVO Trustees Network. Ongoing training is available to meet identified needs.

Are you a qualified Sexual Relationship Therapist looking for a new challenge in your counselling career?

Would working with a growing charity providing counselling to individuals and couples across Edinburgh and the Lothians appeal to the vocational aspect of your practice?

Our counselling team are self-employed counsellors, qualified to work with individuals and couples. Our services also include Family Therapy and Children & Young People counsellors.

If you are interested in working with a minimum of 6 clients a week for Bright Light, we offer –

• a competitive voluntary sector fee of £25 per session

• personal operational support

• a Zoom license for on-line work

• a comfortable city centre counselling room for face to face

• monthly group supervision

• a free in-house CPD programme

• a network of counsellors to connect with

Bright Light is committed to making affordable counselling available and accessible. We want to better reflect the people who use our services and are actively seeking counsellors from a range of backgrounds and experiences.

Looking for a new challenge in your counselling career?

Are you a BACP/COSCA qualified counsellor in individual and/or couple therapy?

Would working with a growing charity providing counselling to individuals and couples across Edinburgh and the Lothians appeal to the vocational aspect of your practice?

Our counselling team are self-employed counsellors, qualified to work with individuals and couples. Our team includes practitioners in Sexual Relationship Therapy and trauma informed counselling.

If you are interested in working with a minimum of 10 clients a week for Bright Light, we offer –

• a competitive voluntary sector fee per session
• a one year self-employed contract
• personal operational support
• a Zoom license for on-line work
• a comfortable city centre counselling room for face to face
• group supervision
• a free in-house CPD programme
• a network of counsellors to connect with

Bright Light is committed to making affordable counselling available and accessible. We want to better reflect the people who use our services and are actively seeking counsellors from a range of backgrounds and experiences.

Are you a Systemic Psychotherapist or Systemic Practitioner looking for a new working environment and the challenge and opportunities that come from working within the voluntary sector?

This is a unique opportunity for a Systemic Psychotherapist/Practitioner to lead a truly collaborative team of family and systemic practitioners.

The team has benefited greatly from the freedom afforded by working in the voluntary sector, which has enabled it to develop joint working, using ‘reflecting teams’ both in sessions with clients and in peer supervision and team meetings. Through the close team work, we have been able to draw on each others’ skills and experience to develop many creative ways of working, for example in communicating creatively with children, and during Covid 19, supporting each other to turn the possible constraints of on-line working to therapeutic advantage.

The team is enriched by its members who have both adult and young people’s counselling qualifications and experience, in addition to their systemic training. A collaborative leadership approach enables team members to contribute to the maintenance and development of the service.

Recent substantial long-term funding has greatly strengthened the position of the family therapy service at Bright Light.

The team consists of 4 self-employed practitioners and 2 volunteers, and provides an all-age service bridging the gap between children's and adult services. The team work to meet the psychological needs of families experiencing wide-ranging dilemmas and from diverse social and cultural backgrounds. Experience of working with children, young people, adults and families, and adapting approaches to work online as well as face to face is therefore essential.

We are looking for a Systemic Psychotherapist/Practitioner who is highly motivated, pro-active and intuitive to lead this service in a collaborative manner. This is an opportunity for someone with creativity and systemic expertise to bring their influence to co-create an evolving service.

The post holder needs to have an ability to be flexible and to lead the team in taking on and adapting to new opportunities as they arise. They also need to be a confident, warm and collaborative team member to hold the team in safe uncertainty.

We actively welcome applications from candidates who reflect the diverse

communities and individuals we work with.

"Being part of a team of family therapists and systemic practitioners who do so much co-working and reflecting team practice has been an incredibly unique, rewarding and special experience for me and has developed my professional practice and personal growth. I will always hold onto this. Having come from statutory services I have been amazed at how quickly and intuitively this team and service can adapt to change and respond to opportunities. I have experienced an open invitation for me to bring my own self and creativity in co-creating the service.”

Sam, previous Team Co-ordinator

Bright Light Relationship Counselling is seeking to recruit a Treasurer and Trustees to serve on the Board of this well-established organisation at a particularly exciting time in its long history.

Bright Light’s core mission is to provide confidential non-judgemental counselling and family therapy services to strengthen, promote and enable close relationships and emotional wellbeing for couples, families and individuals in Edinburgh and the Lothians. We continued to deliver these services during the pandemic by means of virtual and phone counselling and will continue to offer these options as well as face to face counselling going forward. Having recently sold the premises the charity operated out of for many decades, Bright Light is financially sound. It is also a member of the Relationships Scotland national network of services and currently has an office in Relationships Scotland’s premises in central Edinburgh.

We are poised to begin development of a new strategic plan which will maximise the charity’s offer of services to people in Edinburgh and the Lothians. We are therefore keen at this time to welcome new trustees and a Treasurer who can contribute to shaping Bright Light’s future directions as well as ensuring future delivery of its strategic goals.

Bright Light is committed at all levels of the organisation to the principles of equality, diversity and inclusivity and welcomes applications from people of any age. We are however particularly interested to hear from applicants with backgrounds and experience in any of the following areas:

• Accounting or finance (treasurer role)
• Counselling/therapy
• Human resources and training
• Law, particularly family law

The new Treasurer will take over from the outgoing treasurer and will be responsible for monitoring the financial health of the charity as it works towards delivering its strategic goals

The Board are responsible for setting and monitoring delivery of the strategic goals of the organisation, for overseeing the effective delivery of services and ensuring effective governance in accordance with Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) requirements and current legislation. For further information on the role of trustees please see Guidance for Charity Trustees developed by OSCR at: oscr.org.uk/charities/guidance/guidance-and-good-practice-for-charity-trustees

The Board currently meets six times a year by Zoom and has annual Board Away Days. The Treasurer will also be expected to chair a monthly finance subgroup meeting.

Our new Bright Light Relationship Counselling Practice Manager will lead our dynamic team of counsellors and therapists delivering high-quality therapeutic counselling and support services, within Bright Light’s service delivery framework and in line with BACP/BABCP/COSCA (or equivalent) ethical frameworks and codes of practice. All our counselling services are currently being delivered by Zoom Pro and mobile phone but our aim is to begin face to face when possible and to offer a blended service to our clients longer term.

This is an exciting opportunity to use your skills to:

• Manage and direct delivery of counselling service operations to agreed standards;
• Ensure delivery of quality non-judgemental counselling practice and exceptional customer care to our clients;
• Provide effective leadership of our self-employed counsellor team;
• Draw on extensive professional counselling clinical expertise and practice to support current counselling delivery arrangements and influence future development of these;
• Provide written reports and other information to Senior Management Team, CEO and Board as required; and
• Contribute to social media activity and partnership working to maintain a strong positive presence internally and externally

The post offers plenty of scope to use your initiative, people and problem-solving skills at a particularly interesting time in the charity’s development. Our services are in much demand and it is an exciting time to join us. We can offer you supportive working arrangements, scope to develop your skills and expertise further and dynamic committed people to work with

As a key member of our Senior Management Team (SMT) reporting directly to the CEO you will:

1. Ensure the highest consistent standard of clinical practice is delivered by counsellors and therapists in compliance with COSCA/BACP accreditation.
2. Provide effective leadership and management of our counsellors and intake workers (self-employed and directly employed by Bright Light Relationship Counselling).

You will, in your role as counselling practice manager and team leader:

• work with Bright Light Relationship Counselling staff to ensure smooth allocation and matching of clients/counsellors;
• negotiate offer of appointments by counsellors to maximise counsellor availability/client uptake;
• work with counsellors to meet agreed client contribution targets agreed with CEO;
• take responsibility for addressing counsellor/client issues, provide essential counsellor case support as required and bring potential complaints to a positive conclusion;
• support and encourage the professional practice and development of self-employed counsellors/therapists through provision of training programmes (CPD), annual appraisals, group supervision, regular video meetings with counsellors (currently by Zoom) and other activities agreed with CEO from time to time;
• be an effective member of the SMT and liaise as necessary with the CEO, and other members of staff;
• take responsibility for driving forward developments and managing change in the counselling team;
• initiate counsellor recruitment drives as necessary, advise CEO on counsellor/student appointments and facilitate and participate in the induction of new counsellors, students and group supervisors;
• facilitate quarterly meetings with group supervisors to identify trends, good practice and collaborate with them to develop services and policies;
• review our counselling policies and procedures, protocols and administrative/monitoring systems, develop guidelines for good practice and record keeping protocols as agreed with the CEO;
• attend quarterly Relationships Scotland network meetings.

Holiday Entitlement:5 weeks holiday plus eight public holidays pro rata. Some of which must be taken when the office is closed between Christmas and New Year . Annual leave is calculated on a calendar year basis.

Reporting: Direct report to the CEO and Board of Trustees.

Place of work:Currently working remotely home based. Future may be blended.

Delivery Model: Management of our current Zoom Pro and Phone Counselling service and, when resumed, our face-to-face counselling service.

Person Specification

Essential:

• BACP, COSCA or equivalent accreditation
• Extensive experience of relationship counselling and of working at senior management level
• Experience of delivering a successful video/phone counselling service and practical usage of Zoom Pro
• Commitment to professional standards of working and first-class customer care
• Well organised and able to multi-task to tight deadlines
• Knowledge of or experience of work in the areas of domestic abuse, safeguarding, child protection
• Strong leadership and people management skills
• Successful history of delivering services to agreed client numbers, standards and income
• Committed and thoughtful. The position demands wisdom in dealing with counsellors from diverse backgrounds and the complex demands and needs of clients
• Excellent communication, workload and people management skills
• Strong team player

Desirable:

• Management qualification
• Comfortable with social media and blog writing.
• Creative, inspirational, positive attitude
• Ability to embrace and drive through change

Bright Light is a leading relationship counselling charity currently based at 9a Dundas Street, Edinburgh. Staff are currently working remotely from home and our services are being delivered via Zoom Pro video and phone counselling. We aim to maintain these services plus return to face-to-face counselling when allowed and deemed safe. Bright Light has a proud and long history. Since 1947 our relationship counselling services have provided high quality professional counselling support for people who are struggling with issues in their lives which impact on their relationships with close others. We aim to welcome everyone through our door and are always non-judgemental. We are a medium sized charity, with the majority of our income coming from client contributions, Trusts and Foundations.

As well as delivering individual and couple relationship counselling, we are proud of our flagship systemic family therapy service which is unique to Scotland. Please visit our website Bright-light.org.uk for more information.

Our Vision is a better quality of life and wellbeing for people and their families through strengthening relationships.

Our Aim is to provide, develop, and co-ordinate a confidential accessible counselling, family therapy and wellbeing service in Edinburgh and the Lothians for people in relationships. As a not-for-profit charity, we deliver a professional service in Edinburgh and Lothians to strengthen and enable close personal relations and to promote emotional well-being.

Our Values: Always compassionate and caring

• Connecting and empathetic with people
• Starting from each person’s needs and respecting them
• Non-judgemental
• Respecting and supporting people’s choices, decisions, and aspirations.
• Keeping people as safe as possible
• Respecting confidentiality and boundaries
• Striving to be accessible, inclusive and empowering.

We are excited at the prospect of welcoming a new treasurer as we take Scotland’s longest established relationship counselling charity forward in the novel environment created by Covid19. We responded to the initial Covid19 lockdown by migrating counselling to video and phone platforms for clients who would previously have met their counsellors face to face. Since then, our expertise in distress- and trauma-informed support counselling has enabled our counsellors to help people not only with their relationships but also to manage personal challenges presented by Covid19 and ongoing uncertainties which impact on those relationships. These extraordinary circumstances also necessitated changes in where and how Bright Light’s staff work. We are, in that context, in the process of implementing a revised staffing structure. We anticipate that the year ahead will be one of meeting ongoing challenges but also of identifying and pursuing new opportunities as we develop a new strategic plan and grow our virtual and phone counselling services. We also look forward in due course to resuming face to face counselling.

To deliver a range of counselling including individual and couple counselling and sex relationship therapy.

Contract:

• 37.5 hours per week – distribution of hours to be agreed (will include delivery of evening and weekend counselling appointments).
• 12-month fixed term contract – extension subject to additional funding being secured.
• 3-month probation period.

Renumeration:£29,000 for 12-month fixed term contract. 35 days annual leave and public holidays.

Reporting:Direct report to the Counselling Practice Manager, accountable to the CEO and the Board of Trustees.

Place of work:Currently home-based working remotely due to current covid-19 restrictions. Any change to the current arrangement would be by mutual agreement.

Delivery Model:Zoom Pro and Phone Counselling with potentially some face-to-face counselling as Covid19 regulations allow and subject to mutual agreement.

Summary of Role:The Counsellor will be responsible for the delivery and evaluation of counselling and support services to clients in line with BACP/BABCP/COSCA (or equivalent) ethical frameworks and codes of practice.

Roles and Responsibilities:

1. Provision of and evaluation of high-quality counselling and therapeutic services to clients within Bright Light Relationship Counselling’s service delivery framework.
2. Utilisation for the benefit of clients of all therapeutic skills and qualifications held.
3. Developing and managing a caseload of individual, couple and range of relationship counselling therapeutic work in line with organisational service models and requirements.
4. Supporting clients to set and achieve identified goals, positive outcomes and assessing and demonstrating progress to ensure timely completion of work.
5. Accurate and timely completion of all client paperwork/records, business information system entries, diaries and statistical information to support therapeutic practice, data inputting, and reports as required for evaluation service processes and to meet the administrative requirements of the organisation.
6. Working to BACP/COSCA and/or other relevant therapeutic bodies Standards and Ethical Frameworks.
7. Maintaining own professional registrations and accreditations.
8. Compliance with Bright Light Relationship Counselling's policies and procedures.
9. Developing and maintaining positive working relationships with staff, our clients and partners.
10. Attending and fully participating in team training/CPD, clinical supervision and annual appraisal of work.
11. Contributing to social media activity as required whilst ensuring client confidentiality/anonymity.
12. Positively and proactively representing Bright Light at all times in interactions with staff and service users in other agencies.

CORE REQUIREMENTS:

• Diploma in Relationship Counselling or extended 100 hrs practice certificate;
• Training in Sex Therapy;
• Digital Video and Telephone Counselling experience and training;
• Completed a minimum of 200 hours dedicated training in couple work and related written assignments and assessment of skills;
• Membership of BACP and/or COSCA and commitment to abide by their code of ethics;
• Agreement to comply with Bright Light Relationship Counselling policies and procedures;
• Commitment to Bright Light Relationship Counselling’s annual professional review process; and
• Ability or willingness to learn to produce social media blogs and other activity.

To deliver a range of counselling including individual and couple counselling and sex relationship therapy.

Contract:

• 37.5 hours per week – distribution of hours to be agreed (will include delivery of evening and weekend counselling appointments).
• 12-month fixed term contract – extension subject to additional funding being secured.
• 3-month probation period.

Renumeration:£29,000 for 12-month fixed term contract. 35 days annual leave and public holidays.

Reporting:Direct report to the Counselling Practice Manager, accountable to the CEO and the Board of Trustees.

Place of work:Currently home-based working remotely due to current covid-19 restrictions. Any change to the current arrangement would be by mutual agreement.

Delivery Model:Zoom Pro and Phone Counselling with potentially some face-to-face counselling as Covid19 regulations allow and subject to mutual agreement.

Summary of Role:The Counsellor will be responsible for the delivery and evaluation of counselling and support services to clients in line with BACP/BABCP/COSCA (or equivalent) ethical frameworks and codes of practice.

Roles and Responsibilities:

1. Provision of and evaluation of high-quality counselling and therapeutic services to clients within Bright Light Relationship Counselling’s service delivery framework.
2. Utilisation for the benefit of clients of all therapeutic skills and qualifications held.
3. Developing and managing a caseload of individual, couple and range of relationship counselling therapeutic work in line with organisational service models and requirements.
4. Supporting clients to set and achieve identified goals, positive outcomes and assessing and demonstrating progress to ensure timely completion of work.
5. Accurate and timely completion of all client paperwork/records, business information system entries, diaries and statistical information to support therapeutic practice, data inputting, and reports as required for evaluation service processes and to meet the administrative requirements of the organisation.
6. Working to BACP/COSCA and/or other relevant therapeutic bodies Standards and Ethical Frameworks.
7. Maintaining own professional registrations and accreditations.
8. Compliance with Bright Light Relationship Counselling's policies and procedures.
9. Developing and maintaining positive working relationships with staff, our clients and partners.
10. Attending and fully participating in team training/CPD, clinical supervision and annual appraisal of work.
11. Contributing to social media activity as required whilst ensuring client confidentiality/anonymity.
12. Positively and proactively representing Bright Light at all times in interactions with staff and service users in other agencies.

CORE REQUIREMENTS:

• Diploma in Relationship Counselling or extended 100 hrs practice certificate;
• Training in Sex Therapy;
• Digital Video and Telephone Counselling experience and training;
• Completed a minimum of 200 hours dedicated training in couple work and related written assignments and assessment of skills;
• Membership of BACP and/or COSCA and commitment to abide by their code of ethics;
• Agreement to comply with Bright Light Relationship Counselling policies and procedures;
• Commitment to Bright Light Relationship Counselling’s annual professional review process; and
• Ability or willingness to learn to produce social media blogs and other activity.