Wellbeing Counsellor - Sha Tin College

The roles and responsibilities of the Wellbeing Counsellor are to:

• Provide counselling and support to students with a diverse range of issues, such as bereavement, loss, transition, bullying, eating disorders, self-harm, depression, anger management, anxiety, stress, abuse, and relationship problems.  
• Collaborate with teaching staff to proactively address the social, emotional, and wellbeing needs of students.
• Act as a consultant and resource person within the College community, including suggesting referrals to external agencies and experts as needed.
• Access support from a variety of external agencies to enhance the services provided to students.
• Assist and support parents/caregivers in addressing their children's social, emotional, and educational issues.
• Identify students and groups at risk of poor educational, social, or mental health outcomes, and develop plans and programmes to support them.
• Provide counselling services in a professional manner, adhering to the code of ethics and demonstrating appropriate therapeutic behaviour with the consent of clients.
• Recognise the limits of counselling and the appropriate time to refer clients to other mental health professionals for further support or diagnosis.
• Provide the College community with information and resources on mental health and wellbeing.
• Help foster a safe and inclusive school culture.
• Maintain secure and confidential case notes and counselling records.
• Respond, as part of a team, to emergencies and critical incidents.
• Collaborate within the counselling team to coordinate the Peer Supporters Programme.

Working with Students:

• Ensure accessible and appropriate services to meet diverse student needs with consideration of linguistic, cultural, and neurological context
• Provide a professional and confidential one-on-one counselling service
• Facilitate group counselling sessions, when necessary
• Offer programmes and activities to proactively support social and emotional development
• Promote healthy communication between families, peers and staff
• Student Advocacy
• Mediation/restorative practices
• Identify students at risk and provide appropriate support

Working with Staff:

• Share expertise to support all staff in their guidance and teaching roles 
• Generate support from staff for students whose individual needs may become apparent through counselling
• Attend Student Support Meetings and cross-faculty case conferences 
• Contribute to the Wellbeing curriculum and lead Wellbeing lessons

Working with Families:

• Provide a professional and confidential counselling service for families/caregivers
• Support families in times of crisis
• Assist families with parenting, such as establishing appropriate rules and boundaries for their children’s behaviour
• Share information about adolescent development while acknowledging the tensions, challenges and rewards of living with teenagers
• Share family concerns with staff, where appropriate
• Facilitate and/or lead parenting courses

Role Specifications

The Wellbeing Counsellor role is complex, as the counsellor needs to build and maintain professional relationships with a wide range of people while adhering to the ethical principles of confidentiality. There can be tensions between different aspects of the role, such as advocating for students, supporting staff and parents, and ensuring a safe environment.

Counselling in a school setting provides students with an opportunity to explore their difficulties and concerns, empowering them to make informed decisions and achieve the best possible educational and social outcomes. Wellbeing Counsellors complement the work of teachers by strengthening student welfare provisions and providing counselling and psychological assessment for students with specific needs, without compromising the counselling relationship through discipline or punishment.

Personal Skills and Abilities:

• Demonstrate empathy with the needs and feelings of others
• Acknowledge and respect diversity of culture, gender, age, disability, religion and sexual orientation and be non-judgmental
• Work as a team player and collaborate closely with colleagues in the Wellbeing Team
• Establish a relationship of trust and respect with clients, and with the wider school community
• Be a skilled communicator - possess excellent observation and listening skills
• Be patient, flexible, curious and sensitive
• Understand their own attitudes and beliefs and consider how these impact the counselling relationship
• Convey to students a belief that they can all make positive change

Knowledge and Experience:

• Possess (1) a Master’s degree in Counselling, Social Work, or a related practising discipline with at least 1 year relevant post-degree experience; or (2) a Bachelor’s degree in the abovementioned disciplines with at least 3 years relevant post-degree experience
• At least three years experience as a practising counsellor
• An understanding of the context of international education, the structure of secondary schools and student developmental needs
• Awareness of the distinctive societal and parental expectations of young people in Hong Kong
• Knowledge of any additional mental health relevant qualifications is preferred
• Current membership or eligibility for membership of the relevant professional bodies, i.e. HKPCA, APCPA 

The Wellbeing Counsellor is contractually required to have regular professional supervision with a supervisor who is a member of an appropriate professional association (eg HKPCA, APCPA or equivalent), bound by a Code of Ethics and subject to a complaints procedure. The College is aware of and supportive of these supervisory needs. Regular supervision is important, not only for the wellbeing of the counsellor’s clients, but also for the wellbeing of the counsellor.

For enquiries, please contact Jamie Chan at pa_principal@stconline.edu.hk

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and offers may be extended prior to the job closing date.

By applying for this position, your application may be considered for other opportunities (senior-level roles, head of department, etc.) within ESF.

ESF is an Equal Opportunities Employer

The English Schools Foundation (ESF) is fully committed to providing equal employment opportunities. ESF will not discriminate on the basis of age, race, colour, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, national origin, religion, veteran status, physical or mental disability, genetic information, creed, citizenship or any other status protected by local laws or regulations.

Personal data provided by job applicants will be used strictly in accordance with the ESF's Personal Data Policy, a copy of which will be provided upon request.

Aligned with the recommendations of the International Task Force on Child Protection, we hold ourselves to a high standard of effective recruiting practices with specific attention to child protection.