Join the team!
Student Counselling Coordinator/Practitioner
Student Counselling Coordinator/Practitioner
Full Time Fixed Term – 12 Month Maternity Leave
Damascus College is seeking an experienced and passionate Student Counselling Coordinator/Practitioner to join our Student Wellbeing Team in a fixed-term, 12-month maternity leave position.
The Student Counselling Coordinator/Practitioner plays a key role in the College-wide delivery of quality pastoral care and student wellbeing services.
Reporting to the Assistant Principal Student Wellbeing, the successful applicant will provide specialist guidance, assessment and counselling services to support the emotional, social and educational wellbeing of students at Damascus College. The role works closely with College leaders and staff within academic and pastoral care structures to identify, develop and coordinate school-wide wellbeing structures and practices aligned to student needs.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide individual and group counselling support to students and families to enhance students’ personal, social and educational development.
- Manage day-to-day staffing related matters of the Student Counsellors and externally engaged services.
- Lead the review, development, implementation and evaluation of student wellbeing strategies, programs and initiatives.
- Coordinate relevant student services and contribute to a consistent, whole-school approach to wellbeing and pastoral care.
- Respond appropriately to students presenting with complex needs and manage crisis situations with sound clinical judgement.
- Maintain accurate, comprehensive and confidential case notes and student wellbeing data.
- Actively support and promote the values and ethos of a Catholic school in the Mercy tradition.
Key Selection Criteria
The successful applicant will demonstrate:
- Strong experience providing high-quality counselling and individual support to young people and families within a school setting, including excellent case note management and confidentiality practices.
- Demonstrated capacity to respond effectively in crisis situations and support students with complex needs.
- Proven experience leading the development, implementation and evaluation of best practice student wellbeing initiatives, informed by relevant data.
- Highly developed communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to manage complex casework and work collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders.
- Demonstrated experience and understanding of Child Safe Standards and working with the Commission for Children and Young People (CCYP), including compliance, reporting obligations and best-practice safeguarding processes.
- A clear understanding of and commitment to the ethos of Damascus College as a Catholic school in the Mercy tradition.
The successful candidate must hold a formal qualification in Counselling such as a Bachelor and/or Masters of Social Work or Counselling and registration with the Australian Counselling Association; OR Full registration as a Psychologist with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation agency (AHPRA).
Tertiary qualifications in Psychology, preferably with a Masters of Psychology (Clinical or Education/Developmental Psychology) is highly desirable.
Why Join Damascus College
- Our leadership team prioritises creating a supportive environment that nurtures both wellbeing and career growth.
- Be part of a collaborative and professional team in a uniquely serene working environment.
- Staff wellbeing and work–life balance are central to our culture and priorities.
- Enjoy the benefits of an active Staff Association with regular social events and activities.
- Access confidential counselling and wellbeing support through our Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
For an application to be considered, applicants will be expected to provide and complete:
(1) a Cover Letter
(2) a Key Selection Statement (please refer to the position description)
(3) a detailed resume and
(4) a completed College Application Form
For a confidential, no-obligation conversation contact the People & Culture Team on (03) 5337 2222.
Applications close 9am Monday 19th January 2026.
Shortlisted applicants will be contacted for an interview.
Damascus College is committed to the safety, wellbeing and inclusion of all children and young people. All employees and volunteers to the college must be committed to providing the highest level of safety and care.
Damascus College acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land the Wadawurrung people. We pay respect to Elders past, present, and emerging.
About Us
As Ballarat’s only Catholic co-educational secondary college, Damascus College offers innovative and progressive learning and teaching that inspires and challenges students to be their best and to contribute confidently to the global community.
Our diverse curriculum caters for various post-secondary pathways, providing young people with a solid foundation on which to build their lives, by an education that focuses on the development of the whole person.
We understand that each student has individual learning needs and we aim to provide classroom activities that differentiate their abilities and learning styles. Students are encouraged to participate in all activities available at the College, regardless of their skill level, as we firmly believe that a well-rounded education provides young people with the agency to be their best.
We are fortunate at Damascus College to be able to offer our students a contemporary learning environment only 7km from the Ballarat CBD, with access to innovative technology, flexible and modern classrooms and lots of open spaces and bushland. Students graduate from Damascus College with a strong sense of their own identity and worth, and an appreciation of Christianity in the Catholic tradition.
