NCFE Level 3 Award in Counselling

This course is intended for candidates who need to develop their counselling skills further and to understand the theoretical roots of counselling for use in an occupational setting. For many, this will be a further step towards becoming a counselling practitioner.

Entry Requirements

Most candidates will have completed a Level 2 course in counselling or counselling skills, though we would consider candidates without prior training who have experience of work in a helping role or profession.  Applicants will be invited to a group meeting and a brief interview.

Course Duration

Two terms, part time (one evening per week plus two Saturdays).

Content and Assessment

The course aims to:

• further develop the understanding of the counselling process and the skills involved,
• further develop students’ knowledge and understanding of two of the major approaches to counselling and their philosophical and practical assumptions about the nature of humankind,
• develop the skills of conducting a safe competent counselling interview with an individual client, from different theoretical perspectives,
• further understand the ethical dimension of counselling and the importance of working within an appropriate code of conduct, (e.g. the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy’s (BACP) Ethical Framework for Good  practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy),
• develop students’ understanding of the importance of self-awareness to a counsellor and strategies for dealing with matters of ‘self’ in the counselling process,
• relate learning to students’ own roles and work settings.

Assessment will be by submission of a learning portfolio and completion of an externally assessed assignment.

Progression

Counselling skills can be applied to a wide variety of situations and are highly relevant to a range of occupations and professions where interpersonal skills are important. Candidates may be planning to return to work, looking for a change in career, looking for new skills, or simply wanting to acquire and use counselling skills in a voluntary setting. Counselling theory helps to support and to ‘ground’ counselling skills’ practice by forming coherent models for understanding individual development and human interaction. Successful completion of this course would prove valuable to anyone considering applying for the FdA/BA (Hons) in Integrative Relational Counselling.