School Counsellor

Recruiting Organisation: YMCA DownsLink Group                   

Working hours: 8.5 hours a week – Millais Secondary School and 12.5 hours a week at The College of Richard Collyer
Salary: £30,495 per annum, pro rata
Contract: Fixed-term until 31 Sep 2023 for The College of Richard Collyer and Permanent contract for Millais
Location: Horsham – The College of Richard Collyer & Millais Secondary School

YMCA DLG are a charity working to transform the lives of vulnerable young people, working to prevent youth homelessness and provide a home to 763 young people every night. They reach a further 10,000 young people and their families through other key services, such as counselling, support and advice, mediation, and youth work. This is challenging yet rewarding work that helps the young people they support to belong, contribute, and thrive.

Established in 1996, Dialogue School Counselling is a BACP accredited school counselling service covering Sussex and Surrey. Dialogue has built an excellent reputation with schools, professionals and commissioners and the service has developed and expanded over the years, now operating across Brighton & Hove, East and West Sussex, and Surrey. Schools are deeply committed to meeting the individual needs of students as they prepare them to meet the challenges of growing up and moving toward adulthood.

The Role

1. They are recruiting for a part-time School Counsellor on a term-time fixed-term contract until 31 September 2023. They are looking for a qualified counsellor with experience of working with young people to join the team and deliver the school counselling service from September 2022. The College of Richard Collyer in Horsham is an Ofsted outstanding Sixth Form College located in Horsham, West Sussex, highly ranked and specialises in the education of 16–18-year-olds. You will provide an ethical, professional counselling service at the College. You will establish good professional working relationships with key school staff. This will include discussion of referrals, managing a session timetable within the school day and agreeing a process for students coming to and from sessions. You will be required to undertake assessments and counselling sessions, complete all associated admin, and attend regular clinical supervision and line management meetings.
2. They are also looking for a qualified counsellor with experience of working with young people to join the team and deliver the school counselling service on a part-time (8.5 hours per week), term-time only permanent contract at Millais Secondary School in Horsham from September 2022.  You will provide an ethical, professional counselling service at Millais. You will establish good professional working relationships with key school staff. This will include discussion of referrals, managing a session timetable within the school day and agreeing a process for students coming to and from sessions. In addition, will be required to undertake assessments and counselling sessions, complete all associated admin, and attend regular clinical supervision and line management meetings.

The expected working pattern (days/hours) are to be discussed at interview. 

Who You Are

They are seeking candidates who are passionate about making a difference to lives of the children and young people they work with.

• You’ll have a keen interest in and experience of working with young people of secondary age.
• You’ll have a professional, flexible attitude with excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to manage your time well.
• You’ll be confident in identifying and responding to safeguarding concerns and have experience of working in a school setting.
• You will have a counselling or psychotherapy qualification minimum Level 4 and ideally Level 6, along with 2 + years’ post qualifying experience in individual counselling or therapy with young people preferred, to include working with risk issues.
• You will hold a registration or Accreditation with BACP or equivalent professional body such as HCPC, UKCP.
• In addition, you will have a sound understanding of child protection & vulnerable adult safeguarding issues, policies, and procedures.

As an organisation, they are committed to the continued professional development of all colleagues, providing an extensive programme of formal learning opportunities, and supported by an organisational wide culture of learning. As part of commitment to being a Trauma-Informed Organisation, all frontline staff have access to regular group Reflective Practice Supervision and for therapeutic roles, they offer clinical supervision.

How to Apply:

For The College of Richard Collyer: You can apply via website link here.

For Millais Secondary School: You can apply via website link here.

Please download a job pack from the same page for more information about other benefits offered. If you would like any further information or an informal discussion about this post, please email [email protected]

YMCA DownsLink Group welcomes applications from all sections of the community. They value diversity and promote inclusion, which they demonstrate through their activities, as well as in their policies and working practices. Reinforced by their culture and values, they seek to create an inspiring and inclusive place to work.

YMCA DLG requires all staff and volunteers to be committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and to respond proactively to safeguarding concerns. Successful applicants are required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure via the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

For questions regarding this role or to request another application format: please email at [email protected]

Closing Date: 29 August 2022

Please note this is a rolling advert; applications will be reviewed regularly, and suitable applicants will be invited to attend interviews on a rolling basis. Please apply early to avoid disappointment.