Student Counsellor

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.

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.

Minimum of a Master’s degree in either Counselling, Psychology or social work,  with an expectation