Kooth US - Bilingual Online Counselor (Children and Young People)

Remote-Part time (Evenings and Weekend availability)

Description

Kooth is a fast-growing business with a social purpose. After 20 years of successful services in the UK, Kooth is rapidly expanding in the United States. Our mission is to provide welcoming and effective digital mental health support to all age ranges proactively beginning with students and young adults ages 10+.

Using the collective insight from nearly 1 million hours of professional intervention we guide students to three areas of evidenced-based support: self-guided, community/peer interactions, and chat-based counseling provided by licensed counselors. These areas of assistance are designed to match student’s current wants, needs, and goals as well as identify and refer to higher level of care when needed.

A role with Kooth is an exciting opportunity to join the pioneers of digital mental health and wellbeing. Through online counseling you will be helping to provide youth and students with access to immediate and often crucial support. Kooth uses technology to remove any barriers that could prevent students from accessing the help that they need.

While students have 24/7 access to Kooth’s digital programs, chat counseling services will only be offered 6-10pm Monday through Sunday. This role will be a part-time contract focused on providing chat-based counseling to students requesting a chat.

You will have the opportunity to work up to 40 hours a week with flexible scheduling available. A range of rota options are available though they all include evening working.

What you’ll do

You will be at the heart of what Kooth is doing. You will be:

• Providing text-based online counseling, support and advice to service users facing challenges, including suicidal feelings and engaging in risk taking behaviors.
• Assessing the risks and needs of each service user you interact with – signposting, referring, and managing your own caseloads.
• Providing short-term, solution focused counseling to help with physical, emotional, mental health issues and distress.
• Liaising with agencies and individuals who may be in contact with the student (School counselors, social services, parents, etc.).
• Performing all duties in line with relevant compliance, legal requirements and internal policies with reference to safeguarding.

You will also be embraced as part of a close-knit, positive and likeminded team who are committed to providing a valuable service in an online environment.

Requirements

Skills necessary for success:

Alongside

• Warm, welcoming and companionable. Able to communicate effectively and empathetically with a diverse array of people in an online environment.

Flexible

• No day or person is the same. What is important is you allow students to own their feelings and journey but are there for them to provide immediate support when they need it the most.

Compassionate

• Open-minded people that do not judge. You listen, counsel and support.

Committed

• No matter what support someone may need, you want to be there to help. You can remain positive, resilient and proactively work to provide effective support.

Safe

• You want to be a part of our safe space for users and are serious about safeguarding.

Requirements

• Minimum of Masters Degree in Behavioral Health discipline (MA, MSW, MEd, etc.)
• Minimum of a provisional license in degreed discipline; licensed in the state of service delivery
• Must be fluent in English and Spanish
• Demonstrable experience in delivering inline with one therapeutic modality.
• Preferred experience in conducting risk and needs assessment, referral and providing effective short-term, solution focused interventions.
• Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate to support and maintain clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behavior.
• Experience in safeguarding youth and students with clear knowledge and understanding in safeguarding policies and legislation.
• Experience of providing effective engagement and immediate support to help young people through challenging experiences and develop skills to make positive changes in their lives.
• The ability to work remotely with a strong internet connection and competent, confident use of technology.

Benefits

• Hourly compensation negotiable based on experience
• Schedule available: 5:30-10:30pm Monday - Saturday with evening / weekend availability