Aim
We offer a full range of interventions and activities, which assist
pupils to make choices
about their lives. For second level pupils these choices are focused in
a developmental
way on three key areas:
- Personal
- Educational
- Career
Objectives:
At the end of the school year students will have experienced:
Guidance in educational and personal learning management.
Vocational exploration and information.
Individual and/or Group Counselling will have been available for all
students on
request and/or on referral.
Students will have access to information, which is appropriate for their
personal,
educational and vocational development.
Parents will have met with the School Guidance Counsellors at
Information evenings,
at organised Guidance Meetings and on request.
Students’ needs – with regards to the Guidance Counselling Service -
will be evaluated, and
in partnership with staff and the Principal/ School Management, planning
for the future will
be ongoing.
Information for Students:
As a student you will make significant decisions while still at school.
These choices are related to personal
and social issues, educational issues and career issues. Guidance
Counsellors are trained professionals with the
expertise and knowledge to help you make choices in the three important
areas outlined above. We do this
through individual consultation, guidance classes and other activities.
We do not make decisions for you. During your years in Castleknock
Community College we will undertake, with you,
some or all of the following:
- Help you to explore your feelings about your present life situation.
- Explore with you choices open to you and explore the consequences of
each choice.
- Help you to come up with solutions to any problems you may be
experiencing.
- Offer confidential counselling and/or advice on issues of a personal
nature.
- Give you information on various educational and training courses
and/or
employment opportunities.
- Organise classroom activities where you prepare a CV and Letter of
Application.
- Give you advice and help on study and examination techniques.
- Carry out Assessment and Aptitude Testing and Career Interest
Inventories.
- Explain to you, and your parents the CAO system and assist with
application.
- Give you information on studying abroad.
The Specific Responsibilities of The Guidance and Counselling
Department are as follows:
Counselling:
The Guidance Counsellor draws on knowledge and skills from his/her
training and experience,
to help pupils to make decisions, solve problems, change behaviours or
effect changes in their lives.
Counselling is offered on an individual or small group basis. The focus
of counselling may be
on personal, educational and career issues, individually or in
combination. The Guidance
Counsellor provides a caring context for counselling young people in
personal crisis.
Consultation:
The Guidance Counsellor engages in a two way process of consultation
with parents, teachers, school
management and referral agencies. Consultation may include advocacy by
the Guidance Counsellor on
behalf of a pupil.
Assessment:
The Guidance Counsellor uses a range of psychological tests for a
variety of purposes
e.g. prediction of academic performance, categorisation of occupational
interests, assessment of behaviour, educational and career planning,
personal and social development. Information from these
sources supplemented by school records and public examination results
enable the Guidance Counsellor to
assist a pupil in decision-making, problem solving, behavioural change
and life changes. Confidentiality will
be respected at all times.
Information:
The Guidance Counsellor helps pupils to acquire useful information to
assist them in
decision-making. This entails knowing what information pupils require:
identifying sources of useful
information; setting up systems for acquiring, storing and disseminating
information;
and showing pupils how to process and use information.
Classroom Guidance Activities:
Classroom guidance activities fall in to two main categories:
Skills enhancement e.g. decision making, job search, preparation for
work, study skills.
Information giving e.g. education, training and employment, opportunity
awareness
and pathways.
Referrals:
Referrals cover two types of activity:
- Referrals by the Counsellor: The Guidance Counsellor recognises that
an individual pupil
needs assistance from other qualified helpers outside of school and
organises the provision
of such assistance following agreed procedures with the school, parents
and local agencies.
- Referrals to the Counsellor: Teachers, school management and parents
may refer pupils to
the Guidance Counsellor. The voluntary participation in counselling of
the referred pupil
must be respected by all concerned.
Vocational Preparation:
This refers to the provision of experiences that promote the career
development of pupils
and prepare them for transition to work, training and higher education.
Examples of such experience are:
- Visits to workplaces, Training Institutions, Higher Education
Colleges, Careers Exhibitions
- Participation in presentations by visiting speakers
- Participation in Mock Interviews
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