Non-teachers involved in pastoral support?

[BitchyHen]

Is anyone involved in behaviour support, pastoral or mentoring who isn't a qualified teacher?
I work as a TA in a KS 4 PRU. I really enjoy the pastoral side of my job but I'm thinking about long term career development. How would I get involved in a pastoral role, what qualifications would be helpful and are there many of this type of jobs about?

our LEA ran a basic councelling skills course and nearly everyone on it was a non teacher working in a school. Most mainstream secondaries have a team of pastoral staff, one for each year group at least, student support is it called? look on your lea website for vacancies and see what qualifications they ask for, your experience at a PRU will stand you in good stead i think

Thanks Sausages a counselling course seems like a good next step for me. Those people I know who do a pastoral type job fell into the role from something else and seem to have carved out their own role within their school. No jobs available like this in my la but I will keep looking.