Counsellor

Protsahan

Protsahan India Foundation is a child-centered, systems-change nonprofit working to prevent and heal Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) among adolescent girls in contexts of deep adversity. We implement direct interventions through our Girl Empowerment Centers and work to strengthen public systems through evidence-based field building and trauma-informed ecosystem design- especially across education, care, and justice sectors.

As a Counsellor at Protsahan you will use your expertise in arts-based therapy, case management, and counselling to support children’s parents in our Girls Empowerment Centers (GECs) and survivors of violence,working closely with child protection functionaries and systems.

Purpose of the Role

The Counsellor will provide counselling and family support while building meaningful engagement with fathers, brothers and other male members of the community. The role combines direct work with families, community-level dialogue, field visits and coordination with child protection stakeholders. We are specifically looking for a male counsellor and social worker who

can work closely within the community, particularly to engage men and fathers in conversations around caregiving, violence, gender norms and the safety and wellbeing of children.

The counsellor is expected to understand the realities families face on the ground-including gender-based violence, restrictions on girls, family conflict, unequal caregiving responsibilities and barriers to education and safety and respond with empathy, sound judgement and a clear commitment to child safeguarding. Through individual counselling and community engagement, the role will encourage responsible caregiving, non-violent behaviour and safer, more supportive environments for children.

Additionally, the role serves as a crucial liaison with key child protection authorities such as CWCs, DCPUs, JJBs, Childline, law enforcement, and CCIs to facilitate swift, child-centric case management while contributing to Protsahan’s research and evidence-based practice.

Key Responsibilities

1. Facilitate group sessions with fathers, brothers, and other male caregivers that promote emotional expression, coping skills, and mutual support, using gender-transformative and positive approaches to challenge rigid ideas of manhood and encourage respectful, non-violent, emotionally present caregiving.
2. Hold individual man-to-man counselling sessions with fathers of children who are not receiving adequate attention or care at home, helping them understand their child’s needs, reflect on their own role and attitudes, and build positive parenting practices.
3. Collaborate with internal teams and external partners to ensure holistic child protection and mental health support, including joint planning of father engagement alongside the child’s own counselling plan.
4. Maintain structured records of counselling sessions, father engagement outcomes, and changes in parenting practices and child well-being, in line with confidentiality and data protection norms, to support Protsahan’s evidence-based interventions.
5. Participate in reflective supervision, case reviews, and team-based learning opportunities to enhance practice and ensure quality of care, including the particular challenges of working with fathers in cases involving violence or abuse.
6. Contribute to community events to strengthen the trauma-informed care ecosystem, at community-level dialogues on positive fatherhood.
7. Liaise and coordinate with child protection functionaries, including Child Welfare Committees, District Child Protection Units, Juvenile Justice Boards, Childline, police/Special Juvenile Police Units, and child care institutions, for referrals, case reviews, and follow-up, in line with applicable child protection laws, policies, and procedures.

Qualifications & Experience

1. Master’s degree in Counselling, MSW, or a related discipline, certificate or diploma in counselling, mental health, or psychosocial support will be given preference.
2. Minimum 3-4 years of experience working in vulnerable communities and male adults.
3. Prior experience of working with child protection functionaries (such as CWC, DCPU, JJB, Childline, police, or child care institutions) will be considered.
4. Working knowledge of the child protection framework in India (JJ Act, POCSO Act, and related laws, rules and procedures).
5. Strong communication and documentation skills, with empathy and cultural sensitivity.

Key Outcomes (First 12 Months)

1. Caregivers receive counselling sessions on need-based, active high-risk cases, with personalised, trauma-informed care plans.
2. Work with parents and caregivers to help them understand children’s emotional, developmental and safety needs and identify practical ways to support them at home.
3. Fathers, brothers and caregivers are engaged consistently across the five Girl Empowerment Centres through individual conversations and community dialogues.
4. Address concerns emerging from the community, including restrictions on girls, early marriage, school discontinuation, domestic violence, family conflict and barriers to girls’ education and participation.
5. Establish and maintain working relationships with child protection functionaries (CWC, DCPU, JJB, Childline, police, and child care institutions), supporting timely referrals, follow-up, and case coordination for children under care.
6. Document counselling processes, father engagement outcomes, and learnings in a structured way, contributing to Protsahan’s evidence-based interventions and to the wider mental health ecosystem for vulnerable children.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

1. 25–30 active individual cases counselled with documented care plans and progress.
2. 3–4 group counselling / arts-based sessions conducted per month with feedback and outcomes tracked.
3. Timely and accurate documentation of all sessions, assessments, and progress notes.
4. Timely referral, follow-up and coordination with child protection functionaries on active cases.
5. Meaningful engagement with families to support child well-being.
6. Active participation in reflective supervision, case reviews, and continuous learning activities.

Preference: Male candidates with prior experience working with child protection functionaries are encouraged to apply. Given the specific requirements of this role, we are seeking to strengthen male representation within our community-based counselling work, particularly for engagement with men and fathers on caregiving, violence, gender norms, and the safety and wellbeing of children.