The post-holder will be responsible for coordinating and delivering a wellbeing and counselling service to learners in line with the Access and Inclusion Strategy and the whole college approach to Mental Health.
-
Deliver professional, ethical counselling support to learners across campuses, including assessments, one-to-one interventions, crisis support, and drop-in sessions.
-
Support learner wellbeing by promoting positive mental health strategies in collaboration with the Advice, Guidance and Learner Support Team.
-
Work collaboratively with internal teams and external partners to provide expert advice on counselling provision and mental health approaches.
-
Design and deliver workshops, group sessions, and wider mental health promotion activities throughout the academic year.
-
Plan, deliver, and continuously improve counselling services, maintaining accurate records and evaluating performance against operational targets.
-
Supervise and mentor trainee counsellors, supporting placement opportunities and professional development.
-
Contribute actively to team objectives, share best practice, deliver staff training, and engage in ongoing professional development.
Qualifications:
-
BACP/COSCA registered and accredited counsellor (or potential to re-register in short timescale)
-
Diploma level Counselling qualification
-
Evidence of Continuous Professional Development
Desirable:
-
Evidence of specialist training and experience in counselling/adapted therapeutic work with learners with complex support needs and learning disabilities, or evidence of actively working towards a recognised qualification in this area, supported by relevant practical experience.
Demonstrable knowledge of
-
National priorities for education;
-
Understanding of legislation in relation to Wellbeing and Mental Health
-
Further Education Access & Inclusion agenda
-
Safeguarding and Corporate Parenting
Skills and Competencies:
-
Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a team;
-
Strong interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills;
-
Confident in the use of ICT, including working knowledge of MS Word and Excel;
-
Ability to work with discretion and maintain the confidence of learners and staff;
-
Ability to communicate and deal with staff at all levels; and
-
Ability to work flexibly to meet the requirements of the service.
Experience:
-
Experience of working in a Mental Health service
-
Experience in crisis intervention
-
Experience of working in an educational setting
-
Experience of working as part of a team to deliver objectives and targets;
-
Experience of developing and maintaining a range of internal and external partnerships;
-
Experience of working with a diversity of client groups and a wide range of clients of all ages and backgrounds
