PERSON CENTRED SCHOOL COUNSELLOR

Part time school counsellor - term time only

Actual Salary: £9,613.50 per annum (optional pension scheme available)

Hours: 13 hours per week – term time only contract (38 weeks). Paid for 43.5 weeks per year (inclusive of holiday leave). Holidays not to be taken during term time.

Location: Monday 8.45am-3.15pm at a Secondary School in B13 postcode & Tuesday 8.45am-3.15pm at Secondary School in B21 postcode

Reporting to: Chief Executive, Open Door Counselling

Responsible for: Delivering One to One Counselling to Children and Young People Aged 11-18 within the school setting

Contract: From September 2023 for Academic year 2023/24 (in the first instance)

About Open Door

Open Door Counselling is a BACP Accredited Service and a Registered Charity, established in 1967.

Since this time we have offered high quality, well respected, compassionate, person centred counselling to children, young people and adults across the City and beyond. We are passionate about enabling our clients to explore their thoughts, feelings and emotions to achieve personal growth and development, to create long term and sustainable change.

ABOUT THE ROLE

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Qualified School Counsellor to work as part of our team, delivering counselling to children and young people within schools.

The post holder will be required to deliver one to one (face to face) counselling to children and young people aged 11-18, within the school setting (term time only contract). Clients will be experiencing a whole range of mental health difficulties including, emotional distress, depression, anxiety, difficulties with relationships, low self esteem and working with those who self harm and/or have suicidal thoughts/feelings.

Alongside the counselling the post holder will be required to work alongside the staff team to ensure an overall package of care for clients, including sharing safeguarding concerns.

We are looking for a qualified, motivated, compassionate, empathic, sensitive and experienced counsellor, with a passion for making a difference and someone who is able to work within a team as well as independently. The post holder will be required to work in line with both the agencies policies and procedures as well as the schools, including safeguarding policies and procedures.

Applicants are required to have a Graduate Diploma or a Degree in therapeutic counselling (Person Centred or Integrative) and have a minimum of 2 years post qualifying experience of working as a Child and Young Persons Person Centred/Integrative Counsellor within a school and/or mental health setting. Counsellors will ideally be BACP Accredited, if not they must be working towards this and are a Registered Member with BACP.

The post holder will be based at 2 Secondary Schools in Birmingham (postcodes above).

The post holder will be required to uphold BACP’s Ethical Framework and work in line with the Person Centred model, offering clients the core conditions. No other modalities of counselling are to be used within the school counselling provision.

All successful candidates will be required to attend, complete and pass all Mandatory Training prior to taking up their position.

Open Door will offer support to the successful applicant in respect of their professional development and supervision will be given in line with BACP requirements.

Our application process will test your attitudes and behaviours, as well as your knowledge and counselling skills.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Recruitment will be in line with Safer Recruitment procedures.

For an informal discussion about the position please contact Carmel on 07702 415419 or email: carmel@opendoorcounselling.org.uk

How to apply

Please send with a covering letter a full CV outlining qualifications and work history/experience, including names of two referees (one at least most recent professional) and whether you hold a DBS on the update system.

The covering letter should outline the skills and personal / professional qualities you would bring to the role, why you want to work with the Person Centred approach and what you have gained from your professional counselling work.

Please note: do not apply if you are unable at work at the above locations/days/times.

Closing date: ASAP