Counselling Volunteer

We offer one to one trauma informed counselling support to survivors of sexual violence and have opportunities for trainee and qualified counsellors.

Skills and Qualifications

Our volunteer counsellors must have completed or be completing at least a Level 4 Diploma in Counselling or equivalent.

Time Commitment

We ask that you are able to commit to a minimum caseload of two clients (raising to three when you feel ready) and commit to volunteering with STARS for at least 24 months. We provide in-house fortnightly supervision and Continued Personal Development (CPD) opportunities.

Training

Full training and support is provided. Our training 'Working with Complex Trauma – Listener Induction
Training' is CPCAB approved.

Additional Information

All our Volunteer Counsellors undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, must be a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and have their own insurance.

Here's a blog from one of our Counselling Volunteers who can explain a bit more about the role, click here for Colette's Volunteering Story.

To apply please contact our Volunteer Co-ordinator on 01202 308848 or email [email protected]

Latest

Sexual Violence Awareness Week - in the Bournemouth Echo

STARS organized various events during Sexual Abuse and Sexual Violence Awareness Week to improve access to support and education. Read about it in the Bournemouth Echo.
Trauma Teddies

Knit a trauma teddy to support our work.
Our trustees
Police Experience Survey - Operation Bluestone Soteria

Operation Bluestone Soteria is inviting victim-survivors of rape and sexual assault to take part in an anonymous survey about your experience with the police.

Social Media Volunteer

This role involves helping us design some of our resource packs & helping us plan and design our social media content. We have lots of great information that we want to share, but we need someone to come and wave their creative wand and make it look great.
Fundraising Volunteer

This role is hugely varied, one week you might be bag packing in the local supermarket, the next week you might be helping organise a quiz night and the next looking for raffle prizes for our charity ball.
Support Line Volunteer

This role involves taking calls on our dedicated Support Line from those looking for confidential listening support, further information or referral to our other support services. Support Line Listeners must be able to complete three sessions of training and commit to six hours a month.
Events Volunteer

As a charity we attend various events such as the Bournemouth Marathon, Bestival and Bourne Free and need support for roles such as marshalling, handing out leaflets and talking to people about our services.
Administration Support Volunteer

This role covers a variety of office-based duties , from data inputting, photocopying, filing, event planning support to social media planning and posting.

Green Flags vs Red Flags

We all know about red flags in relationships. Those little (or big) things that trigger our warning system and get the alarm lights flashing. But how much do you know about green flags?
Locked Up for Killing Your Abuser. Why the Law Does Nothing to Protect Domestic Abuse Victims who Protect Themselves ‘Too Far’.

We currently live in a country with laws which perceive domestic abuse victims as mentally ill or cold-blooded killers for killing their abuser after years of prolonged abuse.
How the Brain Works in Response to a Traumatic Event

In this blog by Alison Woodward, Clinical Supervisor at STARS Dorset, we look at How the Brain Works in Response to a Traumatic Event. The 5 Fs, Fight, Flight, Freeze, Flop and Friend.
Why do we victim blame?

In this blog by Ellie Rowe, MSc Investigative Forensic Psychology student at Bournemouth University, we look at Victim Blaming. Victim blaming often involves false beliefs or thoughts that attempt to shift the blame from the perpetrator of the crime to the victim
Contact Us

Our contact details, how to get in touch.
The lies rape myths tell us and why we have to dispel them

In this blog by Jessica Smythe, MSc Investigative Forensic Psychology, we look at rape myths, the stereotyped and false beliefs about sexual assaults, rapists and rape victims which often serve to excuse sexual violence, create hostility toward victims and can lead to bias in criminal prosecution.
Jobs

STARS Dorset are looking for a part time fundraising assistant.
The problematic use of past sexual history as evidence in rape trials

The problematic use of past sexual history as evidence in rape trials by Kez Bhola-Dare, 2ND Year Law Student, Bournemouth University, and Jamie Fletcher, Lecturer in Law, Bournemouth University. Whilst there are a range of sexual assault myths that can influence rape trials, this blog focuses on the myth that a women’s sexual history is an indicator of consent to the act in question.
Counselling Service

STARS Counselling service provides one to one, trauma informed counselling, free of charge, for anyone of any age or gender who lives, works or studies in Dorset and has experienced any form of sexual violence at anytime in their life.
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