Professional Summary
Senior Youth Counselor and MBACP-registered practitioner with extensive clinical and outreach experience supporting adolescents across Greater Manchester facing complex psychological, family, and educational challenges. Proven track record in leading frontline safeguarding operations, clinical team supervision, and designing collaborative interventions alongside schools, NHS services, and social care.
Professional Experience
Pennine Reach Youth Trust
Manchester, United Kingdom
Senior Youth Counselor & Clinical Team Lead
Nov 2018 – Present
- Direct clinical counselling provision and community support programmes for over 180 adolescents navigating severe emotional distress, anxiety, and school disengagement.
- Supervise a multidisciplinary team of 7 youth counsellors and caseworkers, establishing monthly peer-reflection frameworks and case-review clinics.
- Act as Designated Safeguarding Lead, managing statutory referrals to Manchester Children's Services and leading risk assessments for high-needs cases.
- Formulate trauma-informed therapeutic group sessions targeting emotional regulation and resilience building in local secondary academies.
Bridges Youth & Family Services
Salford, United Kingdom
Youth Counselor
Mar 2013 – Oct 2018
- Delivered individual solution-focused and integrative counselling sessions to 65 young people aged 11 to 19 presenting with complex trauma and behavioural issues.
- Collaborated with local Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and pastoral teams to implement coordinated crisis management plans.
- Facilitated weekly psychoeducation workshops for parents and carers, focusing on attachment, non-violent communication, and adolescent crisis de-escalation.
Canalway Community Youth Project
Manchester, United Kingdom
Youth Outreach Caseworker
Sept 2011 – Feb 2013
- Provided one-to-one pastoral guidance, mentoring, and early emotional intervention to vulnerable youths affected by gang affiliation and exclusion.
- Coordinated drop-in mental health wellbeing hubs that engaged over 250 young residents annually across central Manchester neighbourhoods.
- Maintained confidential case records and therapeutic tracking systems compliant with local safeguarding legislation.
Education & Qualifications
University of Salford
Postgraduate Diploma · Counselling and Psychotherapy · Salford, United Kingdom · Distinction · Sept 2009 – Jun 2011
Specialised in adolescent developmental psychology, psychodynamic therapy, and systemic family intervention models.
Completed supervised clinical placement supporting vulnerable youth facing bereavement and family breakdown.
Manchester Metropolitan University
Bachelor of Science (Hons) · Applied Social Science and Youth Studies · Manchester, United Kingdom · Upper Second-Class Honours (2:1) · Sept 2001 – Jul 2004
Coursework focused on urban community development, juvenile justice policy, and social advocacy for at-risk youth.
Community Projects
Urban Youth Resilience Initiative
Sept 2021 – Apr 2022
- Designed and piloted an open-access wellbeing toolkit adopted by 6 community hubs to help frontline youth workers identify early signs of adolescent depression.
- Organised multi-agency forums involving local schools, police liaison officers, and youth leaders to streamline referral pathways.
Core Competencies
Adolescent Psychotherapy
Trauma-Informed Practice
Safeguarding & Child Protection
Crisis Intervention
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy
Multi-Agency Liaison
Clinical Team Supervision
Risk Assessment & Management
Group Psychoeducation
Restorative Practice
Languages
English
C2
French
B1
Professional Registrations & Certifications
Registered Member MBACP
British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy · Jun 2015
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) Level 3
Greater Manchester Safeguarding Partnership · Sept 2024
Voluntary Work
Northwest Care Leavers Forum
Manchester, United Kingdom · May 2019 – Present
- Volunteer Mentor
- Provide free fortnightly guidance sessions and independent living mentoring to young adults transitioning out of the local care system.