About the Role
The Department of Health is seeking a dedicated Counsellor Grade 1 to 3 (Mental Health) to join its team in the Bergriver Sub-District. This vital role focuses on providing preventative and developmental counselling services to enhance the mental well-being of individuals, groups, and communities. By working closely with an interdisciplinary support team, you will play a significant part in addressing mental health challenges and promoting psychoeducation in the community. Your efforts will directly impact the lives of many South Africans, fostering healthier minds and stronger communities.
As a Counsellor, you will carry out essential functions that include performing psychological screenings, offering supportive interventions, and creating reports to ensure effective communication with clients and supervisors. This role is crucial in the public service sector, as it helps to promote mental wellness and resilience among diverse populations, ultimately contributing to a more supportive and healthier environment in Bergriver and beyond.
About the Department
The Department of Health is committed to delivering comprehensive healthcare services to all citizens of South Africa. Its mission is to promote health and well-being, prevent illness, and ensure access to quality healthcare. Working within this department means being part of a larger movement to improve health outcomes and advocate for the mental health needs of the community. Every team member plays a vital role in shaping the future of health services, making it a fulfilling and meaningful place to work.
What You’ll Do
- Provide preventative and developmental counselling services at various levels
- Conduct supportive psychological interventions to enhance individual and community mental well-being
- Perform basic psychological screenings and assessments
- Collaborate with interdisciplinary/multi-sectoral support teams to provide comprehensive care
- Deliver psychoeducation and promote mental health awareness in the community
- Write reports and provide feedback on interventions to clients and supervisors
- Participate in regular clinical supervision and contribute to mental health teams at the sub-district and district levels
- Mentor and support lay health workers in their roles
What You’ll Need
- An appropriate qualification that allows registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa as a Registered Counsellor
- Registration with HPCSA as a Registered Counsellor
- For Grade 2: A minimum of 8 years relevant experience post-registration
- For Grade 3: A minimum of 16 years relevant experience post-registration
- Valid driver’s licence (Code B/EB)
- Knowledge and experience in counselling and psychometric assessments
- Strong strategic and analytical thinking skills
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team
- Proficiency in MS Word, PowerPoint, and Excel
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
How to Apply
Please submit your application before the closing date as late applications will not be considered.
Requirements
Minimum educational qualification: Appropriate qualification that allows registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa as a Registered Councillor.Registration with a professional council: Registration with the HPCSA as a Registered Councillor.
Experience: Grade 1: None after registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa as a Registered Councillor.
Grade 2: A minimum of 8 years appropriate experience as a Councillor after registration with Health Professional Council (HPCSA) as Counsellor.
Grade 3: A minimum of 16 years appropriate experience as a Councillor after registration with Health Professional Council (HPCSA) as Counsellor.
Inherent requirements of the job: Valid (Code B/EB) driver’s licence.
Willingness to consult clients, attend and conduct meetings and training sessions.
Competencies (knowledge/skills): Knowledge and/or experience in counselling, psychometric assessments and identification of mental health challenges.
Ability to think strategically and analytically, as well as the ability to interpret and implement policies and guidelines.
Work within your professional scope of practice and know when to refer for more specialized mental health interventions.
Knowledge and experience in providing mentoring and supervision of other lay health workers.
Ability to communicate.
Computer literacy (i.
e.
MS Word, PowerPoint and Excel).
Knowledge and application of regulations, policies and procedures relevant to health programs.
Able to work independently and in a team.
Good presentation skills and the ability to conduct meetings and training.
Good intra- and interpersonal skills aimed at professional relational development, maintenance of good professional relations and effective conflict resolution.
Adaptable and innovative in a high-pressured environment.
Conceptualisation skills are appropriate for individual and group evidence-based intervention identification and application.
Ability to work in a diverse, multi-cultural and inclusive environment.
Job Duties
Providing preventative and developmental counselling services and interventions on all systems levels; Performing supportive psychological interventions to enhance mental well-being on an individual basis, group basis or at community level.Performing basic psychological screening aimed at overall generalized functioning enhancement.
Provide counselling in conjunction with interdisciplinary/multi-sectoral support team.
Provide psychoeducation and mental health promotion.
Report writing and providing feedback to clients/supervisor(s) on interventions.
Attend regular clinical supervision and form part of the sub-district and district mental health teams.
Provide supervision, mentoring and support to lay health workers.
