Student Counsellor

Pedare Christian College; Adelaide; On-site; AUD 40,000 - 65,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Meaningful work

Not-for-profit salary packaging

EAP confidential counselling support

Ample staff carparking

Job summary

Pedare Christian College Inc. in Adelaide seeks a dedicated Student Counsellor to deliver pastoral care across our College, with a focus on early years and a supportive, inclusive approach to wellbeing.

The role is 0.8 FTE, permanent (40 weeks per year) commencing January 2027, requiring tertiary qualifications in Psychology, Social Work, or Counselling and experience supporting young people. WWCC and RRHAN are essential; First Aid/CPR preferred.

Qualifications

• Formal training in counselling and mental health support.
• Experience supporting young people, preferably in education.
• Strong ethical standards and commitment to confidentiality.

Responsibilities

• Provide dedicated counselling for Reception to Year 5, with capacity to engage across R–12.
• Develop relationships with staff, parents and community to support pastoral care.
• Maintain effective referral system for student counselling.
• Maintain communication with staff, management and parents with timely feedback.
• Demonstrate understanding of child and adolescent development.
• Demonstrate mediation, negotiation and clear communication with students, staff and families.
• Demonstrate initiative, confidentiality and organisational skills.
• Keep accurate records and manage multiple tasks effectively.
• Analyse complex problems and formulate clear and effective solutions.

Skills

Counselling expertise

Crisis intervention

Communication

Confidentiality

Team collaboration

Education

Tertiary qualification in Psychology/Social Work/Counselling

Job description

Location: Pedare Employment Type: PP - Part-time Permanent Department: Middle School Closing Date: 18 Nov 2026

Student Counsellor

About Pedare

Catering for almost 1,200 students from Reception to Year 12, Pedare is an independent, co-educational Anglican and Uniting Church day school founded in 1986, situated at Golden Grove in the north-east of Adelaide.

We are committed to fostering partnerships with families that enable students to excel in their learning, develop a strong sense of self-worth, and build the skills to contribute to local and global communities.

The Opportunity

0.8 FTE | Permanent (40 Weeks per Year) | Commencing January 2027

Pedare is seeking a dedicated Student Counsellor to deliver exceptional pastoral care and emotional support across our College.

Student safety and wellbeing are at the heart of everything we do. We are looking for an empathetic professional with a strong theoretical framework in child and family therapy, high ethical standards, and a deep commitment to confidentiality.

The successful candidate will hold relevant tertiary qualifications in Psychology, Social Work, or Counselling, accompanied by proven experience supporting young people, ideally within an educational setting. They will bring strong expertise in crisis intervention, youth mental health, and mandatory reporting, alongside a sensitive, inclusive approach to working with diverse and vulnerable students.

The Role

• Provide dedicated counselling support primarily for Reception to Year 5 students, with the flexibility and drive to engage across R–12 and work collaboratively within the broader College counselling team
• Develop collaborative relationships with staff, parents/caregivers and the wider community to ensure best practice in student pastoral support
• Maintain an effective referral system for the counselling of students
• Maintain effective communication with staff, College management and parents/caregivers to provide appropriate feedback
• Have a demonstrated understanding of child and adolescent development
• Demonstrate experience in mediating, negotiating and communicating with students, staff and families
• Demonstrate initiative, flexibility and confidentiality
• Good organisational skills with the ability to prioritise work and remain multi-task focused
• Excellent written, verbal and electronic communication skills with the ability to keep record keeping up to date
• Analyse complex problems and formulate clear and effective solutions

What We Need

• A current South Australian Working with Children Check (WWCC)
• A current Responding to Risks of Harm, Abuse and Neglect (RRHAN) certificate
• First Aid and CPR Certificate (preferred)
• Academic Transcripts and Degrees, Diplomas, Certificates

All certificates and qualifications must be provided to the College prior to commencement of employment; and the College requests the applicant to disclose any information relevant to their eligibility to engage in activities involving children and young people.

Our Culture

At Pedare we facilitate and nurture a vibrant, professional and collaborative workplace where everyone is welcomed, respected and included

Benefits

• Purposeful, meaningful and rewarding work
• Not-for-profit salary packaging options (details via Maxxia)
• Free confidential counselling and support via our EAP program
• Ample staff carparking