School Counselor

The Akanksha Foundation is a non-profit organization with a mission to provide children from low-income communities with a high-quality education, enabling them to maximize their potential and transform their lives. Akanksha works primarily in the field of education, addressing formal education by initiating school reform through its School Project. Currently,

Akanksha reaches out to the 9300 children through its 11 schools in Pune and 10 schools in

Mumbai.

**Position: School Counsellor**

**Function/Team**: Community Engagement

**Location**:Pune (Peth Area and PCMC Area)

**Compensation**: Based on skill sets, experience and sector standards.

**Reports to**: Lead Counsellor

**Position Summary**: As an Akanksha Counsellor, you will support the schools from the lens of a “whole school approach”. This will involve addressing the needs of learners, staff and the wider community not only within the curriculum but also across the whole-school and learning environment. You will work with schools and key stakeholders to build spaces where different learners thrive in an inclusive classroom setting, where learning is holistic.

You will also work to meet the needs of students with specific social/ emotional challenges and/or disabilities.

**What your role will entail?**

**In Schools -**
- Visiting different schools across the city (as allocated)

**Within Classrooms -**
- Classroom Observations (whole class and/or individual)
- Identifying children with emotional, behavioral, learning problems.
- Documenting cases as per the format
- Conducting sessions with children in classrooms on various socio-emotional or life skills as per the developmental need of the class (e.g. sessions on self-awareness, team work, empathy building)

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**With Teachers, Social Workers and School Leaders -**
- Facilitating sessions in every school with the aim of building teacher, social worker and

School Leader awareness on children’s development and concern areas.
- Capacity building of teachers to work with children in the classroom.
- Regularly briefing the teachers, social workers and School Leaders about the status and progress of the children who are undergoing counselling.
- Collaborating with the school social worker to ensure necessary follow ups are done
- Conducting home visits, meeting parents, setting up appointments for medical check-ups and any speech therapy or assessment.

**Outside the Schools and With the Community -**
- Visiting homes in the community with the aim of understanding the family, its dynamics and other aspects which affect the children
- Conducting one-on-one sessions with the parents of children being counselled.
- Capacity building of parents to help them address their concerns and build their parenting skills
- Working with the Social worker and collaborating with parents as partners in the child's development.

**With External Agencies -**
- Coordinating with government hospitals for psychoeducational testing, Speech therapy,

Occupational therapy
- Collaborating with external experts for counselling of cases of severe distress or abuse.
- Collaborating with external experts for conducting capacity building sessions for the teachers and parents.

**With the Team -**
- Working with a team of Counsellors and participate actively in opportunities for training and collaboration.
- Supporting team members and being open to sharing and learning skills

**What you need for this Position?**

**Education**
- A Bachelor’s degree with specialization in psychology and/or counselling (required)
- A Master’s degree with specialization in psychology and/or counselling (preferred) or post-graduation training or diploma in psychology and/or counselling

**Experience**
- At least 2 years of relevant experience in the field of education working with children and parents.
- Experience of working directly with children/youth.

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- Experience in documenting student data and planning activities.
- Prior experience in building capacity in teachers and parents with respect to child development and allied areas (preferred).

**Knowledge/Skills/Abilities**
- An empathetic and patient approach towards counselees
- Positive and solution-oriented with demonstrated strong work ethics and professionalism
- Highly motivated and perseverant
- Demonstrated openness to learning and willingness to actively participate in personal and professional development for self.
- Flexibility, adaptability and ability to function in an unstructured environment
- Strong interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate with different stakeholders.

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**Job Types**: Full-time, Regular / Permanent

**Salary**: ₹30,000.00 - ₹32,000.00 per month

**Benefits**:

- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Provident Fund

Schedule:

- Day shift

COVID-19 considerations:
We follow all Covid related protocols

Ability to commute