Counsellor - Becoming Man; BAM

Islington Council is seeking skilled and committed practitioners to join the

Islington Council is seeking skilled and committed practitioners to join the Becoming A Man (BAM) team as Counsellors working directly with young people in secondary schools.
BAM is a school‑based counselling and mentoring programme that supports boys aged 12–16 to develop social‑emotional skills, strengthen relationships and make positive choices about their future. As a BAM Counsellor, you will build trusted relationships with young people and create safe, supportive and appropriately challenging spaces in which they can reflect, develop and thrive.

• Deliver weekly curriculum‑based BAM group counselling sessions ("BAM Circles").
• Provide individual counselling, mentoring and support to young people participating in BAM.
• Build strong, trusting relationships with young people and maintain appropriate professional boundaries.
• Work collaboratively with school staff, pastoral teams and other professionals to support young people’s engagement and wellbeing.
• Create safe, engaging and inclusive environments that support young people’s social‑emotional development.
• Maintain accurate records and contribute to programme monitoring, evaluation and data collection requirements.
• Participate fully in BAM training, coaching, supervision and reflective practice to support high-quality and consistent programme delivery.
• Follow safeguarding procedures and identify and elevate concerns appropriately.

• Experience working directly with young people in education, youth work, counselling, social care or community settings.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build positive, trusting relationships with young people.
• Strong group facilitation, communication and empathy skills.
• An understanding of trauma‑informed, relationship‑based and culturally responsive practice.
• An ability to work effectively and collaboratively with school staff and other professionals.
• A commitment to equality, inclusion and anti‑racist practice.
• A commitment to ongoing professional and personal development, including openness to coaching, feedback and reflective practice.
• Good organisational skills and the ability to maintain accurate records and contribute to programme monitoring and evaluation.

Due to the nature and delivery model of the BAM programme, this role is subject to a Genuine Occupational Requirement that applicants must be male. Applicants from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds are particularly encouraged to apply.
The role involves building sustained, trusted relationships with boys and young men through a programme specifically designed around their social‑emotional development, positive identity development, and experiences of masculinity.

Islington is a place rich with diversity and culture. As a council our sense of purpose couldn’t be clearer: we serve. It’s in the logo. We are committed to challenging inequality in the borough and as one of the largest employers we know that to look after the place and the planet, we have to look after our people. Together we can change the future.
We are determined to create a more equal Islington, where everyone who lives here has an equal chance to thrive.
To do this, everyone who works at Islington Council lives by a set of values which guide us in everything that we do: collaborative, ambitious, resourceful, and empowering. They spell out ‘CARE’, which is what we think public service is all about.

We are committed to challenging inequality in the borough and as one of the largest employers we know that to look after the place and the planet,…