|
The Counselling Training Process
What does LifeLine do?
LifeLine Christchurch aims to reduce
personal distress and enable positive change, through readily available
telephone counselling.
As life becomes more complex, traditional supports may not be available
for people in times of need. Lack of transport, illness, family
commitments and unfamiliarity with a new society can mean that many
people are socially isolated. LifeLine
provides a professional, free and confidential service offering
help, support and information. We deal with many kinds of personal
problems; psychological, emotional, marriage and family, people
who are lonely, ill or depressed.
What to Expect from Training & Counselling at LifeLine
Telephone counsellors face a rigorous selection and training programme,
to maintain a professional service. Responding to people in need
is one of the most challenging tasks you could ever do, but it is
also one of the most rewarding.
We look for people prepared to work hard at learning the sophisticated
skills of quality telephone counselling; people prepared to make
a firm commitment; people who believe in service: people who fit
with LifeLine's philosophy of acceptance,
compassion and caring; people who understand the importance of caring
for themselves as the foundation for counselling and caring for
others; people who believe in people.
LifeLine believes that being part of
our service is a two-way benefit. We expose our trainee counsellors to growth
and development, teach new skills, challenge them to change, support
personal endeavours and affirm success. We work alongside to help
them become an empowered, responsible mature adult with a strong
sense of identity. In return, as a volunteer, LifeLine
asks for time, energy, enthusiasm, intellect and commitment.
The Training Course
The initial weekend has a focus on self-awareness and this
continues throughout the weekly sessions which follow. Weekly sessions
concentrate on different micro skills, i.e. active listening, summarising,
questioning, exploration, challenging, practices & assessment.
Reality practice and role simulations are features of training.
There is skill revision throughout the training. The sessions are described on the right » »
Commitment
You are invited to commit to:
- Two years learning and developing as a volunteer LifeLine counsellor after the training. (Up to 19 hours per month of telephone counselling - which includes an overnight shift).
- Attendance at a monthly training and support group
- Attendance at three on-going training workshops per
year
- Additional skill development and training as required
These requirements will allow you to maintain your competency as a counsellor, develop your skills further and maintain the professional standards and ethics necessary within the counselling profession.
Cost
There is a $65 fee for the counselling training manual (300 pages) and administration costs.
The training, costing approximately $1700 per person, is provided free of charge in exchange for your volunteer time as a counsellor. If
you leave before volunteering 2 years, we will ask you to pay a proportion of $300, as a contribution towards the costs of training you as a counsellor.
Counselling Training & Beyond
Once a counsellor is qualified to provide telephone counselling
eight training opportunities are provided throughout the year for
ongoing development. Counsellors with six months telephone counselling
experience can also go on to train in email counselling or as a
tutor to assist with training.
"Great Experience. This training should be a part of counselling / psychology training for all universities because this learning and environment is vastly superior to any course at university - either undergraduate or postgraduate level."
- eight weeks into the training (6/5/2007)
to read more testimonies
click here
Certificate Of Counselling
The certificate has four levels and is awarded at the annual LifeLine celebration of our volunteers. Click here to read more.
Career Development
LifeLine offers excellent opportunities
to develop your interpersonal skills in a professional work environment.
Experience at LifeLine is often used by
social workers, psychologists and counsellors-in-training to gain
real-life experience that can complement their academic study and
can be used to increase their chances of getting employment and into limited entry
post-graduate courses.
Counsellors report that LifeLine has
provided them with strong communicate skills and professional boundaries
that significantly improve their personal life and help them in
their career.
|
