Counsellor and Student Life Officer

Anticipated start: As soon as possible

Location: Johannesburg, South Africa

Instill’s mission is to transform teaching, learning and leadership in every classroom on the African continent. We believe that the greatest levers for change in the education system are teachers and school leaders. We have recently been accredited as a higher education institution in South Africa, and seek to build a team that will change the face of teacher education across the continent. We’re looking for a 'Counsellor and Student Life Officer' to join our small and growing team to ensure the success of our first cohorts of student-teachers.

• Demonstrated commitment to anti-racism, equity, and inclusion
• You have an undergraduate degree, although we are more interested in your experience, drive and passion than your qualification
• You have the ambition to grow with the business and move into leadership positions
• You are an exceptional critical thinker with strong interpersonal communication skills
• You have a demonstrated passion for educational development, closing educational equity gaps, and are strongly aligned with our vision, mission and values

What does this role entail?

To ensure emotional wellness of the students by providing primary counselling, and by overseeing all Student Life activities on campus as we launch our first cohorts.

• Provide individual primary counselling to students.
• Explore and clarify concerns important to the student.
• Support students to develop the skills needed to deal with challenges.
• Assist students to explore and identify options open to them.
• Guides students through referral options.
• Receives signed confidentiality statements and gains consent forms from student.
• Determines course of action to be taken i.e. whether to refer a student or whether another session is required.
• Establishes trustworthy relationships with students that opens channels for communication between the campus and students
• Develops initiatives that add to the students experience at Instill Education
• Facilitates group counselling for students with similar problems.
• Establishes a referral network for secondary counselling.
• Presents Life Skills workshops addressing relevant social and emotional problems experienced by students.
• Creates awareness campaigns surrounding universal social and emotional issues.
• Facilitates guest speakers to address students on relevant topics.
• Facilitates core activities for student engagement.

Selection Criteria:

• Postgraduate Diploma / Bachelor’s Degree / Bachelor Honours Degree (NQF Level 8) in Counselling Psychology or Social Work
• Experience working in a student life role in a higher education institution a big plus

Do our values resonate with yours?

We measure the impact of everything we do. We believe that education equity is a central pillar of achieving social justice. We pursue excellence in everything that we do. We have the courage to make bold decisions and learn from our mistakes. We build community by being accountable for our actions, fostering collaborative environments, and acting with integrity and humility. We believe that diversity is central to our success.