*This is a unique opportunity for a therapeutic Counsellor to make a real difference to young people’s mental health in local schools! *
North Staffs Mind has an opportunity for you to join our school counselling team. We are looking for a fully qualified Counsellor to work in primary and secondary settings in Stoke-on-Trent and Cannock for three days per week.
Benefits
- Term time only, meaning annual leave during school holidays
- People focused organisation with excellent staff satisfaction results
- Monthly CPD workshops
- Additional annual leave for your birthday
- Flexible approach to working
- 5% employer contributory pension scheme
NB - Interviews scheduled for 30th and 31st July. Successful applicant to be available to start in September for new academic year
About Us
North Staffs Mind has been delivering a range of respected, client-focused and high-quality services for adults, children and young people in North Staffordshire for 50 years! We pride ourselves on our relaxed and friendly atmosphere and our commitment to delivering high quality, client focused, professional services.
About the Service
Our well-established school team are proud to work in multiple schools and Academy Trusts across the Staffordshire and Cheshire area. New commissions are regularly acquired as we broaden our reach to provide the highest quality counselling support to children and young people within the school environment.
Quote from one of the team: 'Working as a School Counsellor is an incredibly rewarding role. Each student brings something new to the sessions and it is a privilege to hear their stories. As a practitioner, working in such a supportive and collaborative school environment has helped me to develop and grow my practice, it is a fantastic role which continues to challenge, reward and allow me to advance as a counsellor.'
We are committed to equal opportunities and work with people from different cultural backgrounds, using interpreters when necessary and the service is available for young people from age 4 to 19 years old.
About You
We are looking for a fully qualified Counsellor with a real passion for supporting young people experiencing mental health issues, often with complex needs or neurodiversity.
You should be flexible, approachable and committed to working as part of a multi-disciplinary team in order to achieve the best possible outcome for every person you work with.
You should be adaptable in approach as you will be providing goal focused and evidence informed therapeutic interventions tailored to the individual client.
Successful candidate must hold a full UK driving licence.
The Details
In return we offer a varied and rewarding role in a people-focused organisation that strives to improve the mental health and wellbeing of our local communities.
You will be based in 4 schools in Stoke-on-Trent who share provision and 1 school in Cannock, as well as our head office in Hanley for occasional admin, and you may also be expected to work remotely from home.
- Hours: 21 hours per week (term time only)
- Days: Wednesday to Friday (3 days)
- Salary: £24,584 - £29,705 gross per annum, pro rata to £13,953 - £16,860 gross per annum (dependent on experience). Salary is paid each month and spread over the full year.
- Report to: School Team Manager
This job role is subject to an enhanced DBS Check, the cost of which will be met by NS Mind.
Job Summary
North Staffs and Cheshire Mind Schools team provides counselling services to numerous schools across Staffordshire and Cheshire. A school counsellor is required to work independently within a school environment delivering one to one counselling and group work to children and young people.
Our service is delivered on school premises, although we may also deliver services remotely via the telephone and/or video.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
- Offer professional therapeutic service within a specialist provision to meet individual needs.
- Offer flexibility in approaches to working with children and young people (CYP). This may include walk and talk sessions, parental interventions, working with a small group of CYP and working creativity to meet the needs of a diverse client group within multifaceted educational settings.
- Work with parents, carers and other professionals in order to achieve the best possible outcomes for the client.
- Be able to engage appropriately with neurodiverse clients.
- Work with small groups of children and young people.
- Have input into staff training and whole class activities to raise awareness of mental health and emotional wellbeing of CYP.
- Share information required to ensure that the individual clients are protected/supported in line with agreed protocols.
- Maintain necessary records to ensure work is recorded appropriately and produce reports for information and statistical purposes so that the work can be effectively monitored and managed.
- Make and maintain links with staff in the school in order to ensure good communication.
- Liaise with key individuals in order to ensure the young person is supported appropriately, including staff, parents and other agencies.
- Work in line with North Staffs and Cheshire Mind policies and procedures, including confidentiality and safeguarding, and relevant school policies.
- Work in line with the Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions (BACP), 2018.
- Be responsible for your own safety and wellbeing.
- Ensure that you are working in a safe and appropriate way within the school environment.
- Undertake required training and maintain an up-to-date knowledge of issues which affect the mental health of children and young people through training, reading and other relevant sources.
- Attend line management meetings, team meetings and away days, when requested.
- Support other team members in the provision of a quality service
- Be prepared to be involved in workshops/training/information events.
- Undertake regular clinical supervision of 1.5 hours per month.
- Any other duties as required by North Staffs and Cheshire Mind to ensure the efficient operation of the service.
Terms and Conditions:
- Working hours are term time only, plus a week at the end of the school year and a week at the start of the school year - annual leave is in line with the academic school year.
- You are required to commit to the same school for an academic year.
- Due to travel around different schools, you are required to provide a vehicle for use at work, and to insure it appropriately, at your own expense.
- You will be reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses that are authorised in accordance with North Staffs and Cheshire Mind’s procedures.
Person Specification
Essential:
· Diploma in Counselling or equivalent MSc.
· Hold a full current driving licence and have use of an appropriately insured car to allow reliable commute/travel between schools
· Be a BACP Member or willing to register
· Good understanding of emotional and mental health in children and young people
· Experience or knowledge of working with neurodiversity
· Good understanding of safeguarding issues
· Experience of working with groups of young people
. Work in ways which help the child/young person express themselves including using creative methods
· Be a dynamic, creative person with drive and initiative, and be self-motivated
· Committed to the values of North Staffs and Cheshire Mind, the principles and practice of Equal Opportunities and service user engagement
· Organised and efficient with paperwork and administrative tasks
· Confident in IT and able to work with cloud-based client data management system
· A good communicator in both written and spoken media, able to present confidently to a variety of audiences
Desirable:
· Good local knowledge about Staffordshire and Cheshire.
· Past experience of working within a school environment
Pay: £24,584.00-£29,705.00 per year
Benefits:
- Additional leave
- Bereavement leave
- Casual dress
- Company events
- Company pension
- Free flu jabs
- Health & wellbeing programme
- On-site parking
- Sick pay
Language:
Licence/Certification:
- Diploma in Counselling (required)
- full UK driving licence (required)
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person
