HOMETREE Therapy Centre is looking for voluntary trauma counsellors for the Union and Clinton Hospitals in Alberton.
Hometree runs a voluntary trauma counselling service for these hospitals, which provides a valuable service to the local community.
“The aim of the service is to provide support, care and basic counselling for patients and their families in times of crisis and loss. As a result of the unpredictability of trauma and crisis, we need to be able to offer these services seven days a week, 24 hours a day,” said Matthew Taylor on behalf of Hometree.
Trauma is defined as the following: “A direct personal experience of an event that involves actual or threatened death or serious injury, or other threat to one’s physical integrity; or witnessing an event that involves death, injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of another person; or learning about an unexpected or violent death, serious harm, or threat of death or injury experienced by a family member or other close associate.”
A traumatic event is an event which threatens to overwhelm an individual’s ability to cope with their normal life.
The role of counsellors is to listen, support and empathise with patients and their families during their time of crisis; liaise with doctors and family; provide information about the hospital and local services.
It is important to note that Hometree must often work from the casualty areas of the hospitals, which can be demanding in terms of pressure and of what one sees in these areas of the hospitals.
Hometree requires the following from a voluntary counsellor:
- People who are busy studying counselling and or psychology, who have an interest in working in the area of trauma.
- Own car and cellphone is a must.
- The ability to get to the Union or Clinton Hospitals in Alberton within 15 to 20 minutes.
- Being available on call once or twice a week.
In return, Hometree offers voluntary counsellors basic training in trauma and crisis counselling, ongoing support and debriefing, as well as a safe environment to gain experience in crisis and trauma counselling.
If you believe that this opportunity is meant for you, please contact Matthew Taylor on 084 590 2306 or pop an email to trauma@hometree.co.za or for more information.
For free daily local news in the south, visit our sister newspapers Alberton Record, Comaro Chronicle, Southern Courier and Get it Joburg South Magazine.
Remember to visit our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. You can also email our offices on cvdwalt@caxton.co.za, juliem@caxton.co.za or luckyt@caxton.co.za
Add us on WhatsApp today! Comaro Chronicle: 079 427 8074 and Southern Courier: 079 404 5789.
