HOW YOU CAN HELP RELATE GUERNSEY
Are you interested in supporting relationships and helping us make a real difference in people’s lives? Find out how to become involved below;
Help Relate with Fundraising
There are lots of ways you can help Relate Guernsey on an occasional basis by volunteering. We often look for people with time to spare to help with anything, from offering expert support such as IT support, design skills, office skills, to chaperoning in the downstairs office during counselling sessions, or being willing to lend a hand at an event.
Check the volunteer.gg website for up-to-date information, or simply support us by ‘Liking‘ our Facebook page.
Become a Relate Counsellor
Being a Relate counsellor is an incredibly interesting and rewarding experience where you can make a difference to the lives of many people. Relate has around 2000 counsellors nationally, all of whom receive regular supervision and support throughout their training and practice.
Our counsellors and sex therapists help us to reach over four million people every year and receive regular supervision and support throughout their training and practice.
We offer excellent opportunities for personal growth and development, and provide courses in:
- Relationship Counselling Level 4.
- Relationship Counselling Level 5.
- Relational Training.
- Psychosexual Therapy
What makes a good relationship counsellor?
People come to counselling from many different backgrounds. Counselling is often a second or third career, and life experience is highly valued.
To help you understand what being a counsellor is really like, hear from some of our counsellors about what made them decide to start a career in counselling and what it’s like to work with clients.
How do I become a relationship counsellor
You will need a Level 3 Certificate in counselling and listening skills or counselling/listening skills training and experience working with an organisation such as the Samaritans or Childline for entry to the Relate CPCAB Level 4 Introduction to Relationship Counselling.
If you already have a counselling certificate at Level 4 (with evidence of around 30 hours of supervised practice) you can apply to enter the Relate CPCAB Level 5 Diploma in Relationship Counselling.
If you have a CPCAB Level 4 two-year Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling qualification or a Level 5 Diploma (or above) in individual counselling or psychotherapy (with evidence of 100 hours of supervised practice) you can apply to take the Relate Certificate in Relational Counselling.
As a qualified counsellor or practitioner we offer further training to deliver in specialised service area including Psychosexual Therapy
I have a degree, does this mean I am eligible for Level 4 or Level 5?
The entry level qualifications required for our Relate Level 4 Introduction to Relationship Counselling course is a Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Studies. These qualifications are important as they are practical and counselling focused rather than academically or purely theoretically focused.
Counselling is a relational activity which depends on personal qualities, self-awareness and soft skills such as the ability to build a trusting relationship, work with difference and diversity and to convey emphatic understanding. These aspects are not included or assessed in most degree programmes (including psychology degrees) and have to be learned and developed in a very different learning context.
If you have studied a counselling degree, with the opportunity to practice developing your counselling skills, then you can start at level 4. However, if you can evidence around 30 hours of supervised practice, then we can consider your application for Level 5.
Accreditation of Prior Experience and Learning (APEL)
As well as training our own practitioners, Relate recruits people who are already a qualified counsellor and have the required qualifications and experience to work for one of our mainstream services. If you are already a qualified counsellor, it may be that you already have sufficient qualifications and experience to work for us. Find our more about APEL here
What is the criteria for a clinical placement?
For the practise element of the training you will need to secure a student placement at a Relate Centre. Your supervision will be provided by them.
I am already a qualified counsellor in private practice, can I use my private practice as my placement?
No, this is not appropriate for a student relationship counsellor as there will be no assessment or referral process for appropriate casework. Students in relationship counselling are not qualified to assess cases until they have completed their Level 5 Diploma or the Relate Certificate in Relational Counselling.
How we can help you
If you are interested in finding out how to help us or how to become a counsellor please contact us soon.
If you are looking for information on our counselling services, how to donate or anything else please visit our HELP page