DAPL provide a number of different opportunities for people looking to volunteer:

Student Placements

For individuals training to be a counsellor/art therapist, a limited number of placements are available.

Fully Qualified Counsellors

Qualified counsellors are welcome to apply as volunteers.

Recovery Volunteers

For volunteers who aren't counsellors, there are options to become a Recovery Worker volunteer where you would help with supporting workers facilitate groups etc.

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Counselling Placements

Being on placement with DAPL during your diploma level (minimum) training, or journey through accreditation, will give you a clear understanding of what is involved in providing counselling within the addictions field.

You will join an experienced work force that has been at the forefront of developing therapeutic services for those affected by their own and other people’s drug, alcohol and solvent use.

This can be a very challenging placement. Given the chaotic and marginalised nature of some of our client group, attendance, adherence and resistance is often common place. However the reward of being the one person who is willing to listen, engage and value an individual who may have been excluded and ignored all through their life is almost unquantifiable. It is the unique nature of this type of relationship that we are striving to make common place at DAPL.

Volunteer counselling at DAPL is both demanding and very rewarding. Striving to provide the best therapeutic support for our clients we now only accept volunteers who are qualified to diploma level in counselling. We have a rigorous interview process and a limited number of places. In return for giving your time freely we are offering a package of support that will compliment your needs as an ethical practitioner:

• Free Supervision
• Internal Managerial Support
• Peer Support
• Training and Experience of Working in the Addiction Field Administrative Support
• Insurance
• Premises

Most essentially and at the heart of why DAPL exist, we have a growing number of clients that require counselling and support from caring, skilled professional counsellors. We support anyone in Fife affected by their own drug, alcohol or solvent use. We have two fixed bases (Leven and Kirkcaldy). We also work within Secondary schools, Primary schools, doctor’s surgeries and various community buildings from Tayport to the West Fife villages.

We adapt and tailor our services to keep pace with the evolving needs of the communities in which we work, working closely with many partner agencies and bringing therapeutic consideration to care plans and support packages.

Volunteers have always been a part of DAPL and they will continue to be so. We recognise the importance of this role and see those who do volunteer as an integral part of the team. All workers whether they are in paid or unpaid positions share the challenge of delivering essential psychological, emotional and physical support to our clients.‍

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Student Placement Outline of the Role

‍Being on placement with DAPL will provide the student with both opportunities and challenges. Working within the addictions field adds a further layer of complexity to the counselling process. The needs of the client group can be severe and the chaos of their lives can frustrate attempts to accept offers of help. The benefit of therapeutic support for these clients however can be immeasurable.

The role of the student within DAPL is one that can adapt to accommodate both student and organisation. There are limits however that ensure that the integrity of both the student and the organisation are maintained.

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Key aspects of our work include:

• Placing the client at the centre of our work

• Working within the ethical framework of the BACP

• Providing the community with high quality services

• Working within agreed parameters

• Abiding by the policies of DAPL

• Respecting and fulfilling contracts

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Placement Requirements and Expectations:

• Attend supervision - 2 x 1 hour session per month minimum
• Attend group supervision - 1.5 hours per month
• Attend line management - 1 hour per month 
• Allocated caseload - a minimum of 3 clients weekly
• Attend one of our offices during the allocated hours (Leven/Kirkcaldy)

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