Counsellor

Job Title: Mental Health Counselor

Location: Dadar/ Chembur, Mumbai

Time Commitment: Full-Time

Reporting To: Managing Trustee / Senior Program Head

About Urja Trust

Urja Trust is a Mumbai-based grassroots nonprofit supporting young women (18–35) who have experienced homelessness, violence, or systemic marginalization. We create safe and empowering spaces for survivors to access justice, health, livelihood, and civil rights, while engaging with systems and communities to promote gender-transformative behaviors and approaches. Our work is rights-based, trauma-informed, and guided by human rights and intersectional principles.

Purpose of the Position

The role of the Mental Health Counselor is to support and facilitate rehabilitation of the homeless young women and trans and non-binary individuals (referred as participants) associated with URJA and support other activities with respect to community and systems engagement from a mental health lens.

Key Responsibilities

Direct interventions with participants

• Conduct therapeutic interventions and assessments to facilitate mental health support to homeless youth.
• Conduct individual and group counselling sessions with stakeholders associated with homeless youth through hospital and home visits if the need is identified.
• Facilitate necessary referrals of homeless youth post the mental health assessment. Collaborate with the health team to facilitate and oversee psychiatric treatment to the homeless youth.
• Collaborate with the shelter team to facilitate the safe space to the homeless youth by participating in the planning of the space and in-house activities.
• Collaborate with other mental health professionals to explore different therapeutic approaches to design trauma-informed mental health interventions.
• Collaborate with case workers and other relevant staff to discuss and support rehabilitation plans created for the homeless youth.

Development of Mental Health program

• Oversee the design of Urja’s mental health program including program plans and tools.
• Maintain a resource directory for mental health support for homeless youth and maintain communication with the resources.
• Facilitate the capacity building of the team on mental health to improve their capacity in working with homeless youth with mental health issues.
• Represent Urja on various mental health related meetings and platforms.

Reporting & Documentation

• Document all individual and group sessions and maintain records of the participants’ details and the issues faced by them.
• Prepare and submit monthly planning and reports of the mental health program and related activities to the organization's management.
• Maintain documentation of the mental health interventions for the purpose of research and advocacy.

Eligibility Criteria

Education: MA in Psychology with a specialisation in counselling/Social work and/or a Diploma in Counselling Psychology.

Experience: 3 years of experience in the field of counselling. Preferable if the person has had previous experience individual counselling with youth and survivor of trauma. Experience of facilitating activities on self-awareness, self-work.

Knowledge: Strong understanding of trauma-informed care, intersectionality, and the structural dynamics of caste, gender, and sexuality.

Skills: Strong listening and observation skills, Maintaining confidentiality, Time management and leadership skills Self-motivated

Languages: Strong communication skills in English, Hindi, Marathi.

Location: Candidate should be based in Mumbai.

Gender: Women over 27 years of age, particularly those from marginalized backgrounds, are strongly encouraged to apply.

What We Offer

A collaborative and vibrant team environment with opportunities for learning, reflection, and innovation in gender and social justice.

A meaningful role supporting survivors, influencing systems, and contributing to long-term social change.

Support for personal and professional growth, including self-reflection, behavioral development, empathetic leadership, and engagement in transformative work promoting equity and inclusion.

Job Type: Permanent

Pay: ₹25,000.00 - ₹35,000.00 per month

Work Location: In person