Member News: How St Christopher’s invests in staff

Staff development is an integral part of working at St Christopher’s. At various points in your career you have the opportunity to apply for funding to complete training in a relevant area.

Sam, manager of a 16+ service, asked for support to complete a counselling and psychotherapy certificate.

Training that makes a real difference
“​​Since October 2017, I’ve been studying for a Certificate in Counselling and Psychotherapy at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, a specialist mental health trust based in North London. I have been attending a seminar and lecture every Tuesday morning, reading set texts and completing observations from my placement.

“The lectures and seminars give me an opportunity to develop my understanding of psychodynamic psychotherapy and psychoanalysis, and this further underpins the theoretical background on how I work.

“For my placement I was fortunate enough to be able to use the St Christopher’s football team, which I am involved with two nights per week. Writing my observations of the sessions has helped me keep an objective eye while participating in them and reflecting more deeply on the psychological factors at play. This is further aided by the work group discussions that I participate in at the course.

“The course is giving me a greater understanding of the development of the young people I work with, but it is just as applicable to the staff I work with. It’s helped me understand how development that occurs in infancy, childhood and adolescence is no less relevant to adults and I’ve become more aware of my own emotional states and subsequent responses.

“So far the course has been mostly theoretical, which complements the Counselling Skills course I completed last year, all contributing to an increasing ability to work theoretically with young people and staff teams. Hopefully, I’m becoming more effective in my role and this is bringing skills and knowledge to St Christopher’s. But the proof is in the pudding!”​​​

Want to work for a charity that invests in your development? Take a look at St Christopher’s vacancies today.

Source:
www.stchris.org.uk

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