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The Guidance Counselling and Psychological Service (GCPS) is available to the educational community of Co. Louth Vocational Education Committee. That includes schools and centres, management, staff, students and their parents.
Individual counselling: This deals with three main areas and several samples of typical problem types are given with each:
Personal - worries about self, identity, home, social skills, bullying, addiction
Academic - concerns about qualifications, concentration, study skills
Vocational - planning for courses and careers, interests assessment, applications
The service is confidential except where there is any danger or risk of danger or where legal or ethical circumstances would require disclosure.
Group sessions: This could be a single class-period, a half or full day or a series of sessions. Examples of possible topics are:
- Assertiveness Skills
- Social skills development
- Minority culture/identity issues
- Stress management
- Study Skills
- Self-esteem/self-development
- Decision-making and planning
- Mental well-being
- Addiction Issues
- Drugs and Alcohol
- Bullying
- Anger-management
- Responsibility (Locus of Control)
- Money management
- Relationships
- Sexuality
- Awareness of Help Resources
- Discussion of self-disclosure and help-seeking
- Training of mentors
- Training of Peer-counsellors
Examples of areas of consultation or in-service
- Behavioural issues with students
- Sourcing of tests for specific purposes
- Enrolment testing, scoring and processing systems
- Discussion of ILPs for students/trainees
- Using ICT in your subject area
- The Quality School approach
- Choice Theory for Teachers
- The Importance of the ability to abstract
- Stress Management
- Time Management
- The Encouragement of Responsibility
- Learning Styles
- Use of standardised testing in the learning process
- Use of Curriculum Based Testing
- Evaluation of existing testing structures
- Liaison systems between secondary and primary
- Organised visits to observe new educational projects and developments
- Research or surveys
The GCPS also offers confidential counselling support to staff members of Co. Louth V.E.C.
- Consultation on cases
- Sourcing and learning new techniques
- Development of Counselling record system
- Development of a Guidance Plan
- Development of Classroom Guidance materials and resources
- Use of Tests in Guidance
- Use of IT in Guidance
- Development of a Guidance Committee (student volunteers)
- Mentoring and planning of training programmes
- Peer Counselling and planning of training programmes
- Counselling victims of bullying
- Helping students deal with inappropriate anger
- Reality Therapy approaches
- General assessments of students
- Educational Assessments
- Qualitative Assessments (case study)
- Consultations about individual students
- Training in the use of Literacy assessments
Examples of consultations or presentations
- Coping with Teenagers; general parenting skills
- Helping students with their studies
- Helping students with their careers
- Consultations about individual sons or daughters
Co Louth VEC Codes of Practice
- Code of Practice for dealing with Complaints of Bullying and Harassment in VEC Workplaces Click here
- Code of Practice for dealing with complaints of Sexual Harassment in VEC Workplaces Click here
Over the last few years the GCPS has produced a series of information bulletins known as L-Notes (Learning-Notes). These focus on a range of topics of general interest to educators and have a practical aim. Those L-Notes published so far may be downloaded from http://www.socc.ie/~blennon/LNOTES
Contact
Contact the Principal or Guidance Counsellor in your School or Centre.
In the case of psychological assessments referrals are made through the child's school with prior permission of the parents or guardians.
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SUPPORT & GUIDANCE
