South Island School seeks to appoint a Student Counsellor / Psychologist to commence work in August 2020. Whilst we are ideally seeking for this to be a full time role, we would also consider an application for a part time role from a suitable applicant.

As a student counsellor, you will be responsible for providing social and emotional counselling services for students at South Island School. The successful candidate will be part of a student well-being team which includes two part time Social Workers. The school counsellor will also work closely with teachers in a pastoral role as well as with the Vice Principal in charge of student well-being and safeguarding.

Description of Duties

The role carries duties in three main areas:

Student Counselling
● Providing confidential personal counselling for students as individuals and groups;
● Working with families as and when necessary;
● Maintaining and monitoring effective referral mechanisms, both for teachers and students;
● Liaising with pastoral staff to ensure effective flow of information;
● Employing appropriate assessment and screening tools.

Developing School Programmes
● Collaborating with teachers on health & well-being initiatives and the pastoral learning curriculum;
● Helping plan and deliver parent workshops;
● Supporting training or information sessions, for both staff and parents, on such issues as emotional health and strategies for support.
Community Support
● Identifying and responding to trends in student needs;
● Developing and maintaining relationships with government and community support services;
● Liaising with health professionals to support students and families.

Requirements
● Bachelor degree (postgraduate qualifications preferred);
● Recognised qualification in counseling, social work, educational psychology or other relevant discipline;
● Professional registration with a recognized body;
● Fluent English speaker, at least at near native level, to ensure nuanced, sophisticated and sensitive understanding of student issues; the ability to speak Cantonese is a bonus but not essential;
● Willingness to maintain professional competency through professional development and networking;
● An openness to different cultural sensitivities and approaches to well-being;
● A sound understanding of, and ability to work within, the counsellors’ Code of Ethics, with the utmost respect for confidentiality of service;
● The ability to communicate effectively with a range of people and institutions, including teachers, parents, students, social workers, associated professionals, government agencies and NGOs;
● A sound understanding of relevant policies and procedures and the role of external agencies, and the ability to refer to these agencies when required;
● Applicants must be a permanent Hong Kong resident or possess a valid visa to work in Hong Kong.

Post-qualification experience with young people, ideally in an international school setting, would be an advantage, but we are willing to consider less experienced applicants with highly relevant, transferable experience and skills. The single most important characteristic of the successful applicant will be the ability to work empathetically with children to support their social and emotional needs.

The package carries the standard medical, dental, MPF plans for members of our support staff team.

Further information can be found in the following locations:
● South Island School website: https://www.sis.edu.hk
● English Schools Foundation website: https://www.esf.edu.hk/

Thank you again for your interest in this role.

Closing Date: 27 May 2020
For enquiries, please contact Cecilia Lo (Principal’s PA) at celo@sis.edu.hk.
Applications must be submitted online through https://recruit.esf.edu.hk
Step 1: Go to the Registration tab and register. You will then receive an email with an activation link.
Step 2: When your account has been activated, login to the system and click "Job Listing"
Step 3: Check the box next to the job(s) that you wish to apply for and click "Apply & Continue".
Applicants must be a permanent Hong Kong resident or possess a valid visa to work in Hong Kong.

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 within ESF.

ESF is an Equal Opportunities Employer

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.