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• Have you got a university degree or post graduate qualification in a mental health or counselling related discipline?
• Do you hold a current practicing certificate and are a registered member of a relevant organisation?
• Are you experienced in psychology, social work, or counselling and, supporting people from diverse backgrounds?

Mō Te Herenga Waka – About Our University

Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington is a global-civic university with our marae at our heart. This iho draws off our heritage and is further defined by our tūrangawaewae, in particular Wellington, Aotearoa, and the Asia-Pacific, all of which are expressed in our position as Aotearoa New Zealand’s globally ranked capital city university.

Our core ethical values are respect, responsibility, fairness, integrity, and empathy. These core ethical values are demonstrated in our commitment to sustainability, wellbeing, inclusivity, equity, diversity, collegiality, and openness. With, and as, tangata whenua, we value Te Tiriti o Waitangi, rangatiratanga, manaakitanga, kaitiakitanga, whai mātauranga, whanaungatanga, and akoranga.

Kōrero mō te tūranga – About the role

Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington is currently recruiting a Student Support Coordinator to join the Mauri Ora – Student Health and Counselling team on a fixed-term basis until December 2023. We have an exciting opportunity for a qualified and experienced Social Worker, Occupational Therapist, Counsellor, Psychologist, Mental Health Nurse or Psychotherapist to join our passionate and motivated team.  You will have a strong passion in working with young adults and mature students. 

The Student Support Coordinator role provides short-term counselling or therapeutic support to university students in our Halls of Residence. The Student Support Coordinators (SSCs) are a team of five registered mental health practitioners who provide a confidential mental health service for hall residents, mostly first year students. They support students who are experiencing mental health or wellbeing issues that may impact on their ability to manage the demands of their living and academic environments.  The SSC liaises with Accommodation services staff, universities faculties, Student Support Services, and Community Services to ensure that residents receive the support they need.

Ō pūmanawa – About you

Key Requirements: 

• University Degree or Post graduate qualification in a mental health or counselling related discipline.
• Be a fully registered member of a relevant professional board or organisation in New Zealand and hold a current practicing certificate.
• Proven/demonstrated experience in psychology, psychotherapy, social work, or counselling, and supporting people from a range of backgrounds and cultures, particularly young adults.
• Experience in providing holistic mental health assessments and delivering a range of therapeutic approaches including solution focused, brief / time limited models of counselling. 
• Experience in mental health crisis management and intervention.
• Proven ability to counsel using an approach that is non-judgemental, flexible, empathic, and sensitive to cultural, religious differences, gender, and sexual orientation.
• Experience and interest in working in a culturally safe approach with Māori and Pasifika students and applying cultural models of wellbeing.
• Ability to work in a self-directed manner with a high level of organisational skills. 
• Ability to work in a flexible manner across different environments and engage with a variety of clinical and non-clinical partners. 

Ideally, you will have the following:

• Knowledge and experience in the university / tertiary education sector, understanding of pastoral care code and responsibilities. 
• Knowledge within a hall of residence or other community living environment and within mental health services.
• Experienced in the provision of consultation and mental health promotion/preventative services. 
• Familiarity with client record software and Microsoft Suite. 

Ētahi kōrero hai āwhina i a koe – Why you should join our team

We are a collegial team from a variety of cultural and professional backgrounds. We cultivate regular professional and social connections to foster a supportive and warm atmosphere. We offer competitive salary, and our team benefits include:

• 5 professional development days and individual professional development budget (FTE pro rata)
• In-house professional development sessions on cultural and clinical topics
• Fortnightly external clinical supervision (FTE pro rata) & fortnightly in-house peer supervision 
• Professional indemnity insurance and annual registration (FTE pro rata)

As a VUW Staff, you will also benefit from University Holidays and staff discounts and packages. More info can be found here.

If you are curious, eager to work in a tight knit team and have a great sense of community you will fit right in! 

Role Description

Close Date for Vacancy: 12 March 2023

Contact Details for Vacancy: If you have any questions regarding this role, please get in touch with Laureline Darques, Clinical Lead Counselling (022 023 9296 or laureline.darques@vuw.ac.nz). But applicants should follow all steps listed below. 

Important – Application Steps and information

Download and complete the university application form.

Then, please combine your cover letter, CV and the university application form into a single file (preferably in pdf format).

Click ‘apply now’. Follow the process to enter your contact details and attach your combined file (CV, cover letter and the university application form) using the ‘CV/Resume’ button.

If you have any issues uploading your application, please email the completed application form, cover letter and CV to erecruit@vuw.ac.nz stating the reference number and position title from the advert in the subject line.

Applications close 12 March 2023.

Reference 5742.