Author Archive | toby

Sainsbury’s colleagues and Sunderland Counselling Staff and Volunteers have been fundraising using jam donated by the store at Silksworth. Once the jam has been enjoyed the empty jars have been filled with loose change and collected towards Sainsbury’s Charity of the Year appeal which will benefit Sunderland Counselling this year.

Sainsbury’s local charity partner of the year

Sunderland Counselling Services is delighted to announce that we  have been chosen by staff and customers at the Silksworth Lane branch of Sainsbury’s as their local charity partner of the year for 2012 / 2013. We will be working closely together to set up fund raising and awareness raising events and activities. More details will be provided as they become available.

News Update May 2012:

1. Volunteer Counsellor Recruitment

We have been advertising for volunteer counsellors through Jan – Feb 2012 and have received a number of application forms back from people who are looking for placements through their 2nd year of their foundation degree.  Our selection day is arranged for Friday 18th May with one to one interviews planned for June.

2. Volunteer counsellors – Good Luck!

Several of our current volunteer counsellors have now left the service and moved on into counselling jobs.  We wish them the best of luck and thank them for all their hard work for the service.

3. Care Line

Sadly we were informed by Sunderland City Council that they intended to end the contract we held with them for the Careline service. The service ended in February 2012.  We would like to thank all the staff and volunteers involved in the service for their hard work and dedication over several years.

4. Macmillan Counselling Service

From October 2011 we have been providing a counselling service in the Macmillan Information Centre in Sunderland Royal Hospital with one part time counsellor. From April 2012 we will have a second counsellor working in this service.

5. National Council for Voluntary Organisations

Sunderland Counselling Services continues to be a member of NCVO – the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, giving a voice and support to civil society.  We are proud to display their logo on our website.

6. Sunderland Primary Care & Wellbeing Service

In February we welcomed four new Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners to the service. Two will be based at Washington Mind while two will be based at Sunderland Counselling Services. All are currently trainees and are studying the certificate in low intensity CBT at Newcastle University.

On 22nd March 2012 the Sunderland Primary Care and Wellbeing Service (a partnership between Sunderland Counselling Services, NTW NHS Foundation Trust, Sunderland Mind and Washington Mind) won the partnership award at NTW’s Shining a Light on Excellence awards event. We congratulate all the staff working in this service on an excellent achievement!