Voluntary Counselling Opportunities

Why Many Counsellors Start in Voluntary Roles

Counselling is a career that many people move into later in life. Training typically involves several stages, including foundation courses, a diploma and sometimes a master's degree, with practical components required at each level. Most students continue working in other jobs throughout this process. People drawn to counselling often already work in roles that involve supporting others, such as teaching, nursing, healthcare or social work.

Once qualified, finding paid work can take time. Market saturation, regional job scarcity and strong competition all contribute to the challenge. Many qualified counsellors spend months or longer looking for full time positions. Part time roles exist, but these may not provide a reliable income on their own.

Voluntary counselling offers a way to gain experience, build confidence and contribute to the community while seeking paid employment. It also carries limitations, including the financial pressure of working without pay and the risk that organisations come to rely on unpaid labour rather than creating funded posts.

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Where Voluntary Counselling Positions Exist

Voluntary roles are available across a wide range of settings. These include:

• Charities offering mental health support, such as Mind or local counselling services
• Bereavement organisations like Cruse Bereavement Support
• Helplines run by organisations such as Samaritans
• Services for specific groups, including young people, refugees or older adults
• Specialist areas such as addiction support, eating disorders or domestic abuse
• University and college counselling services
• Workplace wellbeing programmes

Many training courses require students to complete a set number of supervised client hours before qualifying. Voluntary placements often provide these hours, making them a standard part of the training pathway.

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What to Expect from Voluntary Work

Voluntary counselling roles vary considerably. Some organisations ask for a regular weekly commitment, often between four and twelve hours. Others may offer more flexibility. Most will provide supervision, which is a requirement for practising counsellors, though you should confirm this before accepting a placement.

Membership of a professional body such as the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy or the UK Council for Psychotherapy is not always required for voluntary positions, though many organisations prefer it and it becomes more important when seeking paid work. Insurance is also typically required. Some organisations provide this for their volunteers, while others expect you to arrange your own cover. It is worth noting that some professional bodies include insurance as part of membership.

Voluntary work is unpaid, but many organisations cover travel expenses. The experience gained can strengthen applications for paid positions, and regular supervision helps you develop your skills in a supported environment.

Finding Opportunities

Vacancies for voluntary counsellors are advertised in several places. The BACP website lists some placements, and many local counselling services post openings on their own websites. General volunteering platforms such as Do It and Volunteering Matters also carry listings.

It can help to approach organisations directly, even if they are not actively advertising. Many charities welcome enquiries from qualified or trainee counsellors looking for placements.

When applying, you will usually need to provide evidence of your qualifications, membership of a professional body if held, and any relevant experience. A DBS check is typically required for counselling roles involving vulnerable adults or children, and the organisation will usually arrange this on your behalf.

Voluntary counselling is not a quick route to paid employment, but it offers real experience and the chance to support people who may not otherwise access counselling services. For many counsellors, it forms a valuable part of their early career. Some continue voluntary work alongside paid roles as part of their ongoing professional development and commitment to accessible mental health support.

The Next Step

Now that you have read through the advice above, you might want to put it into practice. Our Counselling Approach Finder lets you describe what a client brings to you and find out which counselling approach is most evidence based for their situation. Try it now →