Basics of individual, group and community counselling (5 cr)

Objective

The students are familiar with the theoretical fundamentals of counselling. They are able to apply the principles of dialogue to counselling. They can plan, implement, and assess counselling and guidance work in a goal-oriented way, listening to the service users from early childhood to late adulthood. The students are able to offer guidance while considering the individuals’ needs in both individual and group counselling. The students understand the distinctive features of online counselling in social services. They are familiar with the possibilities of digital environments in social services and have a basic knowledge of online guidance.

Content

Basics of individual, group, and community counselling. Ethics in counselling. Principles of dialogical interaction. Different approaches to counselling. Distinct roles of professionals in counselling work. Goal-oriented counselling, planning and evaluation in the social context. Feedback as a part of the counselling work. Reflecting on one’s own work. Specific features and requirements of online counselling. Opportunities and challenges of digitalization in social services. Simple Finnish vocabulary and phrases used in online and face to face interactions with diverse service users. Simple Finnish vocabulary and phrases used in counselling and guidance work with diverse service users.

Location and time

NOTE: independent team work times are optional or agreed with the client groups,
full days are reserved to make the timetabling of team work easier and to enable flexibility.

9.1. 13:00 - 16:00 (MPA3007) ORIENTATION (Piekkari & KC)
10.1. 9:00 - 12:00 (MPA4018) Group guidance and counselling (Piekkari)
15.1. 9:00 - 12:00 (MPA5027) Group guidance and counselling
17.1. 13:00 - 16:00 (MPA3007) Group guidance and counselling (Piekkari)
22.1. 13:00 - 16:00 (MPA5025) Individual counselling (KC)
24.1. 12:00 - 15:30 (MPA3007) Group counselling (Piekkari)
28.1. 9:00 - 12:00 (MPA3018) Individual counselling (KC)
31.1. 9:00 - 12:00 Indepent team work
-"- 12:45 - 16:00 (Gathering at MPA2027) Group work facilitation rehearsal (Piekkari)
5.2. 12:00 - 16:00 Independent team work (OPTIONAL)
10.2. 8:00 - 16:00 Workshops in client groups/ Independent team work
12.2. 13:00 - 16:00 (MPA2019) Individual counselling / field work reflection (KC)
19.2. 8:00 - 16:00 Workshops in client groups/ Individual team work
24.2. 8:00 - 16:00 Workshops in client groups/ Individual team work
5.3. 12:00 - 16:00 (Gathering at MPB4022) FINAL SEMINAR (Piekkari & KC)

The course includes Sosiaalialan suomi (Finnish for Social Services) meetings, which Finnish language learners attend as part of this course
Schedule for Sosiaalialan suomi -meetings
14.01.2025 14.45 - 16.15 (MPA4010) Sosiaalialan suomi (EK)
21.01.2025 14.45 - 16.15 (MPA3007) Sosiaalialan suomi (EK)
28.01.2025 14.30 - 16.00 (MPA3007) Sosiaalialan suomi (EK)
04.02.2025 14.30 - 16.00 (MPA3007) Sosiaalialan suomi (EK)

Materials

McLeod, J & Mcleod J (2011). Counselling Skills, 2nd ed. (ebook)
Other material shared in the orientation and at OMA.

Teaching methods

Lectures,
group discussions,
flipped learning (reading reflections),
learning diary,
activating assignments at Oma
group method workshops,
practical facilitation exercices with client groups,
final seminar presentations with work life partners

Employer connections

Socio-pedagogical community work at Myllypuro urban neighborhood.
Collaboration with local primary, secondary and upper secondary schools and vocational training center, as well as with other organisations.
Preparation for Finnish Institute for Health and welfare funding application; informal data gathering and networking togehter with children, youth and teachers & councellors.

Finnish for Social Services meetings

Student workload

5 credits = 136 hrs of student´s work

Lectures and workshops 40 hrs (5 days)
Readings 20 (2,5 days)
Learning diary 20 (2,5 days)
Activating assignments 8 hrs (1 day)
Team work: Group facilitation project with client groups (+ preparation and presentation) 48 hrs (5 days)

Evaluation scale

0-5

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

Framework of evaluation is as an attachment in the Curriculum's description.

Assessment criteria, approved/failed

Framework of evaluation is as an attachment in the Curriculum's description.

Assessment methods and criteria

INDIVIDUAL COUNCELLING 50%
Learning Tasks and Assessment 20%
Readings:
Article or chapter reflections as assigned
Reflection forms due at the beginning of the class
Self-Assessment of Listening Skills (2)

Learning Diary: (30%)
A Learning Diary focusing on the student´s own reflections about communication, counselling and guidance, dialogue, its practices and its possibilities in different contexts of social pedagogical work.

The Learning Diary should
(1) demonstrate knowledge and understanding of counselling skills and dialogue in the context of individual and group counselling.
(2) be a substantial evaluation of the student´s learning process and learning outcomes.
(3) include a short (1/2 page at most) conclusion of your thoughts about what the core issues are for a social services practitioner in counseling work with individuals or communities.
(4) follow the writing guidelines and remember to list references in the text and at the end, so the reader is able to distinguish between the used sources and your own thinking. The length is approximately 5-6 pages of body text, not including appendices.

Attachments:
(5) 3 reflective readings of your choice as attachments
(6) both the pre and post-listening skills reflection as attachments


Work list
GROUP COUNSELLING 50%
Assignments at OMA (passed)
Final presentation (50 %):
This should include (see details in assignment description at OMA):
(1) Thoretical and methodological references of the group councelling and relevant to the topic.
(2) Clear description of the process and a critical reflection of the successes, shortcomings and recommendations for the continuation of the process.
(3) reflection on the student team work

ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION
Attendance in classes is 80% minimum. The grade will be lowered by 1 level for unreplaced absences. Assessment of class participation is ongoing. Teams collect a list of individual working hours (min. 48 hrs). This effects on an individual credit, if less than 40 hrs of team work or absences.