Psychosocial Counsellor

Terms of Reference (ToR)

Psychosocial Counsellor – 1 Position (Salyan)

Project: Promoting Inclusive Education (Supported by Felm Nepal)

Duty Station: Salyan District, Karnali Province

Duration: Initially one year, renewable based on performance and funding availability

Reports To: Project Coordinator

Background

KOSHISH is implementing the Promoting Inclusive Education Project in Salyan District with support from Felm Nepal. The project aims to improve access to inclusive and quality education for children with disabilities and marginalized children by strengthening disability-friendly school environments, enhancing teacher capacity, promoting psychosocial wellbeing, supporting community engagement, and strengthening local government ownership of inclusive education systems.

To strengthen child wellbeing and school-based psychosocial support mechanisms, KOSHISH seeks a qualified Psychosocial Counsellor to provide technical leadership on psychosocial support, counselling, referral systems, and child wellbeing promotion in schools and communities.

Position Summary

Under the supervision of the Project Coordinator, the Psychosocial Counsellor will lead implementation of psychosocial wellbeing and counselling components of the project. The position will support children with disabilities, marginalized children, caregivers, teachers, and school systems through psychosocial assessment, counselling, referral linkage, teacher orientation, caregiver support, and establishment of safe and supportive school wellbeing mechanisms.

The role will ensure that schools are not only physically inclusive, but also emotionally safe, supportive, and responsive to children’s psychosocial needs.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

Psychosocial Support and Counselling Services

• Conduct psychosocial screening and assessment of children requiring emotional, behavioural, or psychosocial support. 
• Identify children at risk of exclusion, distress, bullying, trauma, stigma, or psychosocial challenges affecting school participation and wellbeing. 
• Develop individualized psychosocial support plans and provide counselling support as appropriate. 
• Provide basic psychosocial counselling services through individual, family, and group sessions where needed. 
• Maintain follow-up systems for children and families receiving psychosocial support. 
• Identify complex cases and facilitate referral to specialized mental health, disability, rehabilitation, child protection, or health services. 
• Ensure counselling services are confidential, child-sensitive, and rights-based. 

School-based Wellbeing and Inclusion Support

• Support schools to establish child-friendly psychosocial wellbeing and support mechanisms. 
• Promote safe, supportive, and inclusive school environments that reduce stigma, discrimination, bullying, and exclusion. 
• Facilitate school-level awareness and orientation on emotional wellbeing, coping skills, peer support, and help-seeking behaviour. 
• Support child clubs and extracurricular wellbeing activities that promote resilience and inclusion. 
• Provide technical input to strengthen school counselling and wellbeing systems. 

Capacity Building and Technical Support

• Orient teachers and school staff on: child psychosocial wellbeing, classroom emotional support, identifying distress signs, basic psychosocial first response, referral pathways, positive behaviour support, and inclusive classroom practices. 
• Build capacity of Social Mobilizers and community volunteers on psychosocial support approaches, documentation, and referral systems. 
• Conduct caregiver orientation on child development, parenting support, disability inclusion, psychosocial wellbeing, and stigma reduction. 
• Support capacity strengthening of SHGs, caregiver groups, and community support structures on wellbeing promotion. 

Family Engagement and Community Support

• Conduct family counselling and psychoeducation sessions where appropriate. 
• Support home visits for vulnerable children, especially those at risk of dropout, exclusion, or emotional distress. 
• Support School-at-Home initiatives for children unable to attend school regularly. 
• Link families to appropriate community support services, disability services, and social protection mechanisms. 
• Coordinate community awareness activities promoting child wellbeing, inclusion, and supportive family environments. 

Referral and Coordination

• Map available psychosocial, disability, rehabilitation, child protection, and health services in project areas. 
• Establish and strengthen referral pathways for children and families requiring additional support. 
• Coordinate with: health facilities, municipalities, OPDs, disability service providers, child protection actors, and community support systems. 
• Maintain referral tracking and follow-up systems. 

Documentation, MEAL and Reporting

• Maintain systematic and confidential records of counselling sessions, referrals, and follow-up support. 
• Develop and maintain beneficiary records and psychosocial support databases. 
• Document case studies, success stories, lessons learned, and good practices. 
• Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual progress reports in standard formats. 
• Support project indicator tracking related to psychosocial wellbeing and child support systems in coordination with MEAL unit. 
• Maintain organized documentation and means of verification. 

Safeguarding, Inclusion and Accountability

• Ensure all psychosocial support services uphold safeguarding, child protection, and inclusion principles. 
• Promote awareness of safeguarding, child protection, and PSEAH among schools, caregivers, and community stakeholders. 
• Ensure safe participation of children and families in all psychosocial activities. 
• Promote accessible complaint and feedback mechanisms for children and caregivers. 
• Ensure compliance with KOSHISH safeguarding and organizational policies. 

Other

Perform other relevant duties assigned by the Project Coordinator or Program Manager in support of effective project delivery.

Qualification and Experience:

• Bachelor's Degree in a relevant field such as Psychology, Counselling Psychology, Clinical Psychology or related discipline, OR, one year post graduate diploma in counseling psychology.
• Minimum 3 years relevant professional experience in psychosocial counselling / mental health / child wellbeing programming.
• Demonstrated experience in: individual counselling, family counselling, group counselling, psychosocial case management, and referral coordination.
• Strong documentation and facilitation skills.
• Proven experience working in diverse and multicultural teams.
• Strong Command on MS office and fluency in both written and spoken English and Nepali.
• Demonstrated experience working with local governments, schools, and community structures.

Salary: Negotiable as per competence and experience

Applying Procedure:

Interested candidates are requested to fill in the application CLICK HERE

The applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis; however, the last date for submission is 10th September 2026.

Note:

1. Eligible candidates with disabilities, women and from the local area are encouraged to apply.
2. KOSHISH reserves the right to accept or reject any or all applications without assigning any reason whatsoever.