The Guidance Department is led by Ms. Sharon Mc Grath and Ms. Rita Mc Cabe. Castleknock Commuinty College continues to be the highest feeder school in the country to NUI Maynooth and is also highly ranked for Trinity and DCU. Large numbers of Senior Cycle students attended Open Days in these colleges and in other institutions throughout the year. Sixth Year students attended the Higher Options seminar in the RDS in September. A large group of Sixth Year students also participated in a specially organize Technology Trip to the Engineering and Architecture faculties in the DIT in October. Students from Fifth Year also attended an Open Day in St. Vincent's University hospital.

Mock interviews for Sixth Year students took place in November. This year the Department invited Mr. Derek Quirke, a specialist training consultant to conduct the interviews. He provided students with invaluable professional advice on their CVs and interview techniques. The Department also hosted numerous other Seminars and events throughout the year, including a Study Skills Seminar for Junior and Leaving Certificate students presented by Study Focus Limited. Guest speakers from DCU and ITB hosted a Business Seminar for Sixth Year students and Dr. Paul Corcoran for NUI Maynooth gave a talk on science to Senior Cycle students. A talk on hospital-based careers was also hosted by St. Vincent's University hospital. Other highlights, included a talk on careers in the Defence Forces, Apprenticeships hosted by SISK and PLC and Pre-Arts and Science courses hosted by Dunboyne College of Further Education.

One of the high points of the year was the annual Careers Evening for Senior Cycle students and their parents hosted by the Department. This event proved to be extremely popular once again and was attended by many Third Level Institutions including Trinity College, UCD, DCU, NUI Maynooth, Institute of Technology Blanchardstown, DIT, and numerous PLC course providers. The Defence Forces, An Garda Siochana, FAS, Failte Ireland and SISK were also in attendance as was the Upper Bann Institute who were showcasing their honours Degree programme in Furniture Design. In conjunction with the Careers Evening the Assistant Registrar of NUI Maynooth, John Mc Ginnty gave a talk to parents on "An Introduction to the CAO" and Educational Psychologist Patricia Timoney spoke to parents "On Surviving your Adoloscents". Both speakers were very well received and were a wonderful complement to an extremely successful event.

As part of the College's induction programme for First Year Students Ms. Sarah Jane Gunne, new to the Department this year, met with students in small groups to monitor and help them in their transition from primary to secondary school. The Department also administered invaluable interest tests throughout the year such as PROBE with Second Year students and Eirquest and DATS with Third Year students. The Department also piloted a new interest test called Centigrade with TY and Fifth year students. This test links students interests with relevant courses at third level.

The Department also continues to offer students individual one to one counselling and careers advice service as well as access to an extensively resourced Careers Library. Particular importance is placed on the needs of our Sixth Year students all of whom are provided with as many individual appointment with a Guidance Counsellor as they need during the year. If you have any queries regarding the Guidance Department please feel free to contact us.

School Guidance and Counselling Department

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, skills and attitudes from his/her training and experience, to help pupils to make decisions, solve problems, change behaviours or effect changes in their lives. Counselling should be 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:

Ø 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. Guidance counsellors need to establish links with appropriate sources of help and have a system o monitoring results.

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

Guidance Programme Planning:

The Guidance Counsellor assists the Principal/school management and relevant staff in drawing up the school guidance programme and in reviewing it's operation