Student Counsellor

Job Description
GEMS Wellington Academy, Silicon Oasis is seeking an experienced Student Counsellor. The post commencing January 2025.
The position will be reporting to Assistant Principal Safeguarding.

Job Purpose
• To organise and provide personal, social, and emotional counselling for WSO's community, as well as nurture a culture of wellbeing through programming across the school community.
• Utilizing leadership, advocacy, and collaboration, school counsellors promote student success, provide preventive services, and respond to identified student needs by implementing a comprehensive school counselling program that includes individual and group counselling, classroom lessons, and school-wide initiatives.

Main Duties
• Program Delivery
• Provide individual and group counselling to students with identified concerns and needs.
• Support and knowledge to deliver assemblies on relevant personal, social, and emotional topics.
• Consult and collaborate effectively with parents/guardians, school leadership, and other educational/community resources regarding students with identified needs and concerns.
• Promote and plan programming for staff and student mental health initiatives.
• Discuss and communicate the goals and progress of the school counselling provision with leadership and staff.
• Work with the leadership team to develop experiences and activities which are beneficial for students' holistic development, and which promote responsibility, leadership skills, cooperation and other personal and social skills.
• Maintain current and appropriate resources that can be made readily available for students, parents, and staff.
• Establish procedures for securing external assistance for students with ongoing personal problems and emotional needs.

System Support
• Establish procedures and time frames to provide students with personal, social, and emotional counselling.
• Implement an effective referral and follow-up process.
• Maintain student records on progress, achievements, activities and interests.
• Collect and analyze data to guide program direction and delivery.

Skills and Professional Expectations
• Embrace and encourage the ethos and standards of excellence as defined in the GEMS Core Values.
• Ensure the GEMS policies, procedures, and codes of conduct are followed at all times.
• Adhere to policies, procedures, and ethical standards of the school counselling profession.
• Participate in regular professional development activities to improve knowledge and skills.
• Initiate effort and energy beyond the typical work day, where the tasks require additional commitment.
• Attend staff meetings and serve on committees as required.
• Perform other duties as requested by direct reporting line managers/supervisors.

Qualifications and Key Skills
• Minimum of a Master’s degree in either Counselling, Psychology or Social Work, with an expectation to eventually gain a CDA license.
• Have an excellent level of English, both written and spoken.
• Ideally have a minimum of 3 years counselling experience in a school setting.
• Be up to date with all developments within the field of Counselling.
• Have excellent knowledge and adaptable towards technology.