Work with schools and colleges as a counsellor

Schools and colleges look for counsellors in a few set ways: a regular or part-time counsellor on campus, one-to-one student sessions, workshops, and talks for parents and staff. You can offer one of these or several. This guide covers what institutions ask for, how to present yourself, and how to tell Leshya which of this work you do.

No one can promise you institutional work. What you control is how clearly you describe what you offer, and whether the people deciding can see it.

What schools and colleges ask for

One-to-one student sessions. A school or college wants a counsellor students can meet privately, at set hours, for stress, relationships, family worries or study problems. Some institutions want this on campus, some online, some both.

Workshops and talks. Common topics are exam stress, sleep, screen use, peer pressure and well-being. These are group sessions, so they need a plan you can run for a class, a hall or a staff room.

POCSO awareness. Schools look for awareness sessions for teachers and staff on spotting concerns early and knowing what to do next. If you have POCSO training, say so plainly and keep the certificate to hand.

Career guidance. Students in classes 9 to 12 are often choosing a stream or planning what comes after school. Colleges ask for it too, around placements and further study.

POSH for staff. Colleges are workplaces as well. Some ask for POSH awareness for staff, and some for an external member on a committee. Both need prior training or committee experience, so only offer them if you have it.

Parent talks and part-time or visiting roles. Many institutions cannot hire full time. A visiting counsellor who comes on fixed days, or a monthly arrangement, is common.

Why school demand is in the news

In January 2026 CBSE amended Clause 2.4.12 of its Affiliation Bye-laws on appointing counsellors and wellness teachers in affiliated schools. CBSE lists it as Circular No. 02/2026, dated 19 January 2026, on its SARAS circulars page.

We could not read the circular itself in October 2026, so we do not repeat figures such as student ratios or training hours here. Read the circular before you quote any requirement to a school. Our page for school managements sets out what is known and what to check.

How to present yourself

Principals and wellness cell heads read quickly. Give them the same few facts every time, in the same order.

Qualifications: your degree, your specialisation and any training that matters for the work, such as POCSO. Check the RCI's own rules on registration before you describe your status, and use the words on your certificate.

Topics: three to five you can run well, not twenty. For example exam stress, study habits, adjusting to a new school or college, and talking to parents.

Age groups: say which you work with, such as classes 6 to 8, classes 9 to 12, or college students. Be honest about the ones you have not worked with.

Languages: list every language you can run a session in, since a talk in the language a class thinks in lands differently.

Format: on campus, online, or both, and which days you can travel.

References and samples: a one-page outline of a past workshop, with permission, tells an institution more than a long profile.

A sample workshop outline

Here is a plan you can adapt for a 60 minute exam stress session with classes 9 to 12. Change the timings for your group.

Minutes 0 to 10: introduce yourself, say what stays private and what does not, and say that this is a talk and not a counselling session. Name who they can speak to afterwards.

Minutes 10 to 25: what stress does in the body and in the mind, with two or three examples students will recognise. Ask for a show of hands, not for stories.

Minutes 25 to 45: three practices to try in the room, such as breathing, a short study plan and a way to handle a bad paper. Let students try each one.

Minutes 45 to 55: questions, written on slips if the class is shy.

Minutes 55 to 60: where to get help, including the school counsellor and Tele MANAS on 14416. Leave a short handout for students and one for parents.

Agree with the school before the day who follows up with any student who seems to need more support.

Tell Leshya which organization work you offer

In your Leshya dashboard, under "Work with organizations", you can tell us which work you take on. The options include "School counseling", "College student counseling", "POCSO awareness workshops", "Career counseling for students" and "Workshops and wellness talks". Others cover employee counselling, POSH workshops, an external committee member, manager training and critical incident support.

For "School counseling" and "POCSO awareness workshops" there is a check, "I am POCSO-trained". Tick it only if it is true. You can add an indicative rate for each, per session, per workshop or per month. You can change your selections at any time.

Organizations send inquiries from the For organizations page. A person at Leshya reads each inquiry and replies, and the scope and fees are agreed with the organization before anything starts. We match counsellors who have told us they take on that kind of work. The Leshya team can see who has declared which work, and we share your indicative rate only when we contact you about a specific opportunity.

That is all we can say about how it works. We do not promise that you will receive inquiries, any number of them, or any income. Your declaration tells us what you do, so we can reach you when a request fits. It does not certify your training, and we do not describe it as certified.

Keep your private clients too

Institutional work is usually part time and paid on a schedule you do not set. Many counsellors keep a private practice alongside it, so a profile that clients can find and book from stays useful. A person reviews every counsellor profile before it goes live, and your fee is shown before anyone books.