Level 2 Certificate in Counselling for Adults

This is the first step on your journey to become a qualified counsellor. With this qualification you’ll practise helping skills and explore basic counselling theory and ethics.

Personal development will play a big part as you reflect on your life experience and your place in the learning community. You’ll consider: What is important about difference and diversity? How are we different and how does it affect us?

Who is the course for?

• Those starting the first level of training as a professional counsellor.

• Those who want to learn counselling skills in other professional or helping roles.

• Those who want to improve their professional and personal relationships as part of personal development.

The course content is divided in to seven units:

• Use counselling skills ethically and safely.

• Establish and sustain the boundaries of the helping role.

• Work empathically as a helper.

• Focus on the helpee’s needs and concerns

• Use self-awareness in helping work.

• Use a range of counselling skills to facilitate the helping interaction.

• Use feedback and reflection to enhance counselling skills

Entry requirements

You will need to have a Level 2 qualification in English (GCSE, Functional Skills or equivalent) or have successfully completed an English comprehension test at Level 2 and successfully complete an enrolment interview.

What attendance is required?

We are running two separate Level 2 Certificate in Counselling courses (depending on student enrolment numbers). You could either study on Mondays 6-9pm or Thursdays 9.30am-12.30pm.

You will be expected to attend all of your timetabled sessions on time, unless you have agreed beforehand with your lecturer.

For qualification classes the expectation is a minimum of 85% attendance. If you arrive more than 10 minutes late for class, you may be asked to leave. If you are absent for three consecutive weeks without notice, you will automatically be withdrawn from the course.

How is the course assessed?

You will be assessed through a variety of methods (activity, group work, photographic and video) which will be presented through a portfolio of evidence and in conjunction with a final written examination. As a student on the programme, you will have weekly tutorials and receive feedback to discuss your progress and to set achievement targets.

All our programmes are planned around your individual learning needs, with every student having a timetable that clearly identifies the sessions that will be taught. You will be assigned a Programme Lead who will support you throughout your time in college.

What does this course lead on to?

This qualification can help in a wide range of jobs such as working with individuals and groups, advocacy roles, colleagues, as well as friends and family. If you want to continue training as a counsellor, it’s preparation to move on to Level 3 and beyond.