Topic 1

Introduction to Management of Guidance and Counselling Unit

Guidance and Counseling Unit

Everyone needs an ear to listen and a heart to understand Counseling is the heart of the guidance program which assists students to recognize their feelings, emotions, and attitudes for the development of their total being. The counseling relationship enables them to utilize their resources and environment opportunities through the process of selfunderstanding, planning, decision-making, and coping with problems relative to their developmental needs and to their vocational planning.

All students are encouraged to avail of the counseling service. It is important to know that there are people who care.

Four Components of Comprehensive Guidance and Counselling

A comprehensive guidance and counselling program includes four components. These components encompass services and programs ranging from school-wide developmental programs and services (primary prevention) to individual interventions, which include counselling, team consultation, and referral to specialized student services and community resources (secondary and tertiary prevention).

1. Counselling Counselling assistance supports and facilitates all students in developing and managing their individual personal/social, educational, and career goals and plans. The activities in this component include referrals, peer helping programs and individual, small group, crisis, and career counselling.

2. Prevention A comprehensive guidance and counselling program includes early intervention and responding to students who are experiencing immediate on-going problems, concerns, or crises which interfere with their learning. This component includes activities such as providing information, individual and small group counselling and guidance, consulting with staff and parents, and referral to other specialists or services. Primary, secondary, tertiary prevention plans and programs individual assessments, co-ordinated student support team activities, student advocacy, and transitional planning are also included in prevention work.

3. Developmental Guidance Education

Developmental guidance education programming focuses on competencies which all students should develop in order to achieve personal success and fulfillment, and to make a contribution to society. The content of developmental guidance programming includes expected student learning outcomes in three areas: personal/social development, educational development, and career development. This content is normally delivered through classroom teaching/learning units, group guidance methods, courses for credit (e.g., School-initiated Courses and Student-initiated Projects), and school-wide programs and projects.
Additionally, the activities in this component include integrated, developmental student learning outcomes, classroom-based guidance instruction and assessment, professional resources, postsecondary education and career resource materials and programs.

4. Consultation, Planning and Coordination

This component involves the administrative and management activities necessary to support the guidance and counselling program, as well as activities or services provided by school counsellors to support other guidance and educational programs of the school. This component includes consultation and collaboration with parents and community agencies and other support services, staff development, research, budgeting, community relations, and program evaluation.
Also included are activities related to program management and operations, data-informed decision-making, advocacy for guidancerelated classroom-based learning outcomes, needs assessments, time allotments and caseload management, calendar of activities and school-based planning.