School Counsellor - Al Danah Charter School

Aldar Education are currently seeking for an outstanding School Counsellor for Al Danah Charter School for the coming academic year 2021-2022. The main purpose of the role is to provide professional leadership and management for the department in order to secure high quality teaching and learning, effective use of resources and improved standards of learning and achievement for all students.

The School Counsellors will assist students with personal, family, educational, mental health, or career problems. The counsellors will advocate for students and work with other individuals and organizations to promote the academic, career, personal, and social development of the student.

School Counsellors will help students evaluate their abilities, interest, talents, and personalities to develop realistic academic and career goals. Counsellors use interviews, counselling sessions, interest and aptitude assessment tests.

Personal Mental Health Counsellors will provide psychological support and deliver therapeutic and supportive interventions to support students manage social and emotional challenges, both to individuals, in small target groups and utilising whole school initiatives to promote wellbeing.

MAIN ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• Help students enhance personal, social, and academic growth and wellbeing
• Monitor the progress of individual students
• Make contact with parents to discuss student behaviour or support needs
• Take steps to prevent bullying and support victims of bullying
• Help students develop job search skills, such as resume writing and interviewing techniques
• Help students understand and deal with social, behaviour, and personal problems
• Deliver therapeutic intervention based on the need of the individuals and provide referral to external services as needed
• Emphasize preventive and developmental counselling to provide students with life skills needed to deal with problems before they worsen and to enhance students’ personal, social, and academic growth.
• Provide special services such as conflict resolution classes; identify cases of domestic abuse and other family problems that can affect a student’s development

Note: Duties will fall within the professional qualifications and expertise of the counsellor, depending if the post requires Guidance Counsellor and/or Mental Health Counsellor provision.

CAREER COUNSELING:

• Works with students regarding career options and provides appropriate information to students regarding careers.
• Assists in providing students with information for career exploration and selection to assist them in making appropriate academic course selections relating to their interests.
• Maintains an appropriate library/database relating to various careers for students to utilize in their career explorations.
• Coordinate access to university affairs and with university applications.

PERSONAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELLING:

• Works with individual students and groups of students in regards to appropriate social, emotional and development issues.
• Maintains an awareness of cultural influences regarding social development of adolescents and delivers culturally sensitive therapies.
• Monitors students who may be at risk in regards to social and emotional issues and makes appropriate referrals for interventions outside of school in consultation with parents.
• Promotes wellbeing of students via whole school and community awareness initiatives.
• Works closely with the pastoral team and safeguarding leads.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science/Education in Social Work 
• Bachelor of Counselling
• Bachelor of Psychology – with subsequent post graduate counselling qualfiications

Minimum Experience

• Minimum of 2 years experience in school counselling or other counselling experience required

Job Specific Knowledge & Skills

• Appropriate license to carryout student counselling
• Strong interpersonal skills with both students and parents
• Demonstrable organizational skills
• Strong desire to help others and should be able to inspire respect, trust, and confidence
• Must possess high emotional and physical energy to handle the array of problems addressed
• Maintains the highest levels of confidentiality and professionalism

Aldar Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. Offers of appointment are subject to satisfactory references and police clearance.