Trainee Placements with Quetzal
Applications open for 2025
Quetzal provides free confidential counselling, providing essential support for women aged 16 and over living in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland recovering from the trauma of childhood sexual abuse.
Quetzal has a robust trainee package set up, specifically for students studying counselling and psychotherapy. Working with survivors of childhood sexual abuse comes with its own challenges, however our specialist training, free in-house supervision, and continuous support from the Clinical Lead makes this a safe, interesting and an extremely rewarding placement.
If you want to make a difference and support the end of violence against women and girls, we want to hear from you!
Please note the trainee placement requires a commitment of one year and you need to be able to support a minimum of two clients.
By volunteering with Quetzal, you will develop new skills, receive specialised trainings and provide short- and long-term interventions to women who might be accessing counselling for the first time.
Prospective placements can apply at any time by returning the completed application form to:
All applications received will be acknowledged and then you will be contacted closer to the time to arrange for an interview.
Female applicants only – This post is exempt under Schedule 9, part 1 of the Equality Act 2010 – We are a women-only group because we believe it is vital that women have safe and supportive spaces where they can come without fear of re-traumatisation to explore their experiences and begin to recover from the trauma of childhood sexual abuse. Opening up about trauma is a deeply personal and vulnerable experience and clients tell us they feel more at ease in a female-only space. Research shows that women-only services create a safe space, physically and emotionally and result in better outcomes for women. We recognise that men care about women too and that many men and boys experience sexual violence. We can signpost men affected by sexual violence to specialist services in Leicester that cater specifically for their needs.
The process
Our placement application process is designed to be straightforward, ensuring you know what to expect at every stage. From submitting your application to being assigned counselling sessions, we aim for transparency and efficiency.
To help you navigate each step with ease, we’ve outlined the key stages of the process, including important timeframes, in our detailed guide.
Download the PDF to get a detailed breakdown of the process and important timeframes.
What does volunteering look like?
- Face-to-face, Telephone & Online Counselling
- Flexible around you and your schedule
- Based at Quetzal premises on Talbot Lane or from home
What do you need?
- You have a Level 4 Diploma or equivalent in Counselling or Psychotherapy.
- You are registered with the BACP.
- Are able to travel to Leicester City Centre.
- Have experience in working with clients using the Integrative and or the Person Centred Model.
- Have a good/working knowledge of the issues and complexities surrounding abuse. Including working with safeguarding issues, stigma and shame.
- You have the ability to work empathetically with women service users aged 16 and over.
- You are someone who is organised, dedicated, reliable, and communicates well in a professional setting. Confident using Microsoft Office and Zoom.
Benefits for you
- Experience working with women with compounded and complex trauma, and obtaining insight, skills and knowledge with the key issues affecting women dealing with the impacts of non-recent abuse.
- Robust development of counselling skills, and expertise in counselling women.
- You can become a paid associate with Quetzal after successful qualification and completion of your placement with Quetzal.
What you get from us
- Specialist in-house training in how to work with childhood sexual abuse
- Free Trauma informed CPD training and workshops to further add to your skill set
- Support, and experience with an organisation who are the forerunners in Leicestershire and Rutland of providing long-term counselling to women dealing with the impacts of non-recent abuse
- Unlimited Refreshments
- Travel expenses (not including mileage)
- The opportunity to work with and learn from experienced, passionate women counsellors.
- On-going support and case management from the Clinical Lead
Download our application form and email it to placements@quetzal.org.uk
