The Guidance Counsellors work with the Senior Leadership Team, Year Heads, Tutors, SEN Team and all teachers in the school. The role can be categorised into three distinct but interlinked areas:
- Personal and Social counselling
- Educational counselling
- Vocational / Career counselling
Counselling is a key part of the school guidance programme and is offered on an individual or group basis as part of a developmental learning process and at moments of personal crisis. As Guidance Counsellors, we endeavour to create a safe, caring and supportive environment for our students. Counselling may include personal counselling, educational counselling, career counselling or combinations of these. As Guidance Counsellors we are bound by the Code of Ethics of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors.
We help our students to make informed choices in the personal, social,educational, and vocational areas of their lives. We engage with students from First to Sixth Years in a variety of ways, across a wide range of experiences which including the following:
- One to one counselling and guidance
- Careers classes
- Support with Subject Choice
- Study Skills workshops
- College Campus Visits
- College Summer Schools
- Careers Nights
- Guest speakers (College, Careers and Mental Health)
- College Awareness Week Activities
- Mock Interviews
- Psychometric
- Testing (For example: Aptitude and Careers Interests)
- Incoming First Years
- Trinity Access (TA21) activities
- Parent Information Nights
- Mentoring Programmes
- Internships
- Partnership and referral to outside support agencies such as Jigsaw, CAMHS and Pieta House etc.
- Mental Health support and Education
Some of the Personal and Social Counselling issues presenting are:
- Transition to Secondary School
- Bereavement
- Anxiety
- Body Image
- Family Issues / Social Media
- Sexuality
- Trauma
- Bullying
- Family Break Up