Telephone Counsellors for 
My Options Phoneline for Unplanned Pregnancy | November 2024

Part-time Telephone Counsellor*

Locum Telephone Counsellors (Phoneline)**

Are you an experienced online or telephone counsellor looking for a new opportunity? 

One Family is recruiting experienced, professionally accredited counsellors to assist with providing information and support on unplanned pregnancy via the My Options phoneline service.

If you are an enthusiastic and experienced professional counsellor with at least 3 years’ post-qualification counselling experience, who is committed to women’s sexual and reproductive health, and would like to work in a progressive, voluntary sector organisation, read below.

The Organisation

My Options is the HSE Phoneline for Unplanned Pregnancy. The service is staffed by counsellors and provides information, support and counselling to those with an unplanned pregnancy, those seeking information on abortion services and for providing post-abortion support and medical advice. Further information is available here.

My Options is delivered by One Family, on behalf of the HSE and in partnership with Caredoc.

One Family, Ireland’s organisation for people parenting alone, sharing parenting and separating families (onefamily.ie), has provided non-directive counselling services to women and families who experience unplanned or crisis pregnancies for several decades.

The My Options service provides:

• Counselling and listening support for unplanned pregnancy
• Post-abortion counselling
• Information on abortion, including services that provide abortion in Ireland and abroad
• Information on the options of parenting and adoption
• Signposting and referrals to other relevant, professional services.

Training will be offered for unplanned pregnancy, post-abortion support and phoneline work.

Person Specification

All candidates are expected to have:

• A minimum of 3 years’ post-qualification counselling experience
• A relevant counselling/psychotherapy qualification
• A fully accredited membership with IACP, IAHIP or another professional counselling body
• Experience of working in a team
• A client-focussed perspective
• Competent ICT skills including Microsoft Office and Salesforce
• Ability to work remotely, in an environment suitable for counselling work
• Availability to travel to and work from a central Dublin location, if required
• Good organisation and attention to detail

The ideal candidate will have experience in:

• Delivery of telephone and online counselling
• Working in a phoneline work
• Provision of unplanned pregnancy and post abortion counselling
• Delivery of information and support via telephone and online (webchat)

Tasks and Responsibilities

Via phone line and webchat support, counsellors in the role will provide the following:

• Support and counselling on all options for unplanned pregnancy
• Information on abortion services in Ireland
• Post-abortion counselling

Counsellors will be expected to: 

• Follow all quality and professional standards and codes of practice
• Maintain the high professional and ethical standard in provision of care to clients.
• Attend relevant internal and external supervisions and trainings
• Complete all relevant administration, information monitoring and data collection tasks
• Follow all policies, procedures, protocols and guidelines
• Contribute to evaluations, reports, funding applications, etc., as requested
• Engage with My Options Manager and take direction, where appropriate, on issues relating to clients

The service runs between 9am and 8pm from Monday to Thursday, 9am to 7pm Friday as well as Saturday morning between 10am and 2pm. Staff will be required to work daytime and evening shifts of 4-5 1/4 hours duration.

*Part-time Telephone Counsellor hours – Wednesday 2.30-8pm | Thursday 9am-2.30pm | Friday morning or evening shift of 5 hours | Every third Saturday 10am – 2pm

**Locums need to be available for shifts across at least two of the following days: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Locum Telephone Counsellors will provide sessional cover for phoneline shifts of between 4- 5 1/4 hours duration during operational hours.

This is a part-time hybrid, yet mostly remote-work position. The role entails working in a Dublin city centre location once a month and for induction and training.

Our benefits include:

• Employee Assistance Programme
• Cycle to Work scheme
• 25 days annual leave (pro-rata), rising to 27 days after four years of service
• 2 privilege days
• Training & educational support

The full time (35-hour week) salary scale is €49-€50K, paid on a pro-rata basis.

Informal enquiries welcome by email

Application Procedure

Applications should be sent for “My Options Counsellor” with a cover letter addressing the required competencies and a CV, including the date of your professional accreditation for the attention of: 

My Options Manager
to
sdevilly@onefamily.ie
or 
One Family
8 Coke Lane
Smithfield, Dublin 7 

First-round interviews will be held the week of 2 December 2024 (online) and second-round interviews will be held the week of 9 December 2024, in person.

Applicants without full professional accreditation will not be considered.

Closing date for applications is 12noon on 28 November 2024.

One Family is an equal opportunities employer.