Nirantar: Continuing Education Programmes (CEP) Admissions

Certificate in Counselling Skills Programme

Location: Mumbai

Centre: Centre for Lifelong Learning

Intake: 0 (Including students from the Diploma Course)

Eligibility

Graduate in any discipline from a recognized University.

Medium of Instruction: English

Age: 25 and above

Entry requirements No previous training or experience in Counselling / Counseling Skill required.

Progression: Successful candidates may progress onto the Diploma in Counselling Skills Programme offered by Centre for Lifelong Learning, TISS given they fulfill the required criteria for progression.

Duration : 15 Weeks (One Semester, Part-time Programme - Wednesday, Thursday, Friday - 6.00 P.M. to 9.00 P.M. and Saturday 11.00 A.M. - 6.00 PM)

Description

**"Entry level admissions are for PG Diploma in Counselling with an exit option at Certificate and Diploma level"

Location : Mumbai, TISS Campus

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

Selected Candidates List

List of Selected Candidates

IMPORTANT DATES - 2022-22

The Centre for Lifelong Learning (CLL) was established on February 15, 2006, with the objective of providing training for adult learners in the areas of expertise in the Institute. The CLL was earlier known as Department of Extra Mural Studies, which was established in 1981.

It caters to two kinds of adult learners: (a) The Professional groups getting trained for their continuing education and (b) the general population from diverse backgrounds who are outside the formal education system or those who have not had the opportunity to access formal education system and want to access training or goal-oriented short-term vocational programmes.

Vision

By promoting the philosophy of lifelong learning, the CLL would maximise the capacities and potential of adult learners to contribute meaningfully as citizens to create a society that promotes and protects the values of dignity, equity, social justice and human rights.

Mission

Develop lifelong learning as a discipline of study and field of practice, and, engage with diverse populations of adult learners, irrespective of caste, gender, class, ability and age.

Objectives

1. To prepare and implement a comprehensive strategy for Lifelong Learning for diverse populations across the life span.
2. To devise and implement relevant certified academic programmes for a range of adult learners to move them towards responsible citizenship and to take on public leadership.
3. To offers cutting edge courses to meet the demands of adult learners seeking to work with vulnerable groups in society.
4. To network, collaborate and set up partnerships with public and private sector institutions for teaching, research and extension.

CERTIFICATE IN COUNSELLING SKILLS [ First in the Ladder based programme Read More ]

Rationale: This certificate in Counselling Skills Programme is designed to give learners the underpinning knowledge, skills, and competencies to use counselling skills ethically and safely in a variety of contexts and roles. The Certificate Course will offer an appropriate starting point for students, as well as professionals working in other helping professions to apply these skills at their workplaces.

Goal of the Programme: is to impart basic inter personal and counselling skills in learners to foster personal growth and professional development and enhancement of their helping roles in their personal and professional lives.

Objectives of the Certificate Programme: The educational objectives are as follows:

1. To develop awareness and sensitivity to social realities and context of the ecosystem of individuals and society.
2. To understand the difference between counselling practice as a profession and the use of interpersonal and counselling skills in other helping professions.
3.  To develop competencies for use of interpersonal and basic counselling skills ethically and safely.
4.  To develop awareness and sensitivity about the process of individual change and personal growth with regard to self and others
5.  To develop personal qualities and competencies to plan and engage in relevant helping and supportive interventions.

Learner Outcomes: By the end of the programme, the learners will be able to:

1. Demonstrate their understanding of the complexities of social realities of the individuals and society.
2. Describe the value, the purpose, and scope of the use of interpersonal- counselling skills in the context of ‘helping’ professions.
3. Establish and sustain the boundaries in the helping situation/roles.
4. Work empathically as a helper.
5. Demonstrate the ability to focus on the helpee’s needs and concerns and plan interventions   accordingly.
6. Reflect and use self-awareness in their helping work.
7. Demonstrate use of a range of interpersonal and counselling skills to facilitate the helping     interactions like listening, responding, paraphrasing, reflection, observation and silence.
8. Use feedback and reflections to enhance interpersonal and counselling skills with peers in the class.

This qualification is intended for candidates who want to:

1. Learn basic  interpersonal and counselling skills (listening and responding skills) in helping roles.
2. Find out more about counselling (this qualification won't teach them to be a counsellor, but may help them decide whether or not they want to train as one);
3. Improve professional and personal relationships.

Methodology: The course emphasizes an experiential style of learning. Central to counselling, skills practice is the idea that to understand the experience of the other one has to first understand 'the Self'. The course is structured so that students learn not only from what is taught, but also by actively engaging in the various exercices including self-emploration. Much of the learning will be in small groups and there will be an emphasis on the learner, where appropriate, sharing, and reflecting on their own experiences.  Since certificate in counselling skills programme is a value addition programme for the adult learners - as part of the learning students are expected to apply, integrate the learning to their existing place of work as helpers which during which they will be mentored and or supervised.

Distribution of Credit Hours:

Semesterwise Courses:

FC : Foundation Course or Dialogues On Development: 2 CREDITS (30 hrs)

Rationale: This course aims to orient the learners, who are from diverse - social, cultural and prprofessional backgrounds, to contemporary key concepts of social development. The course has been designed keeping in view the TISS vision for working for the promotion of sustainable, equitable and participatory development, social welfare and social justice through TISS' teaching programmes, research, and extension work.

Learner Objectives of the course:

On completion of this course, the learner will be able to:

1. Understand & Explain the concept of sustainable development
2. Discuss the Human Rights Framework & the National & International perspective on the same.
3. Discuss key compenents affecting development including class, caste and gender, globalisation and the politics of environment & climate change.
4. Explain the relation and the impact of these social, economic, political issues on individuals groups, and society at large primarily in the Indian context.

Course Contents:

Unit I: Understanding sustainable development: The Debate on economic Growth and Development : Trational welfare economics and the Capabilities Approach of Dr. Amartya Sen. Sustainable Development and Political Economy.

Unit II: Understanding Society – Human Rights, Perspective, Caste in India, Society : Its Evolution and Expression; Current challenges, regarding class & caste in India.

Unit III: Understanding Responsible citizenship: Brief History of the Indian Constitution, Federalism, Social Movements and Civil Society Struggles in India: State, democracy and Civil society.

Unit IV: Understanding Gender and Women in Indian Society: Construction of Gender, rethinking sex and gender. Legislation for protecting women and girl child.

Unit V: Globalisation: Liberal & Neo-liberal Paradigms. Is Globalisation in retreat?

Methodology: Interactive sessions using Lecture method, Discussions - large group and small groups – Teaching Videos / Films.

Mode of Assessment: Individual Assignment, Written Examination.

CCS 1 : Introduction to Counselling and Other Helping Professions: 4 CREDITS ( 60 hrs)

Rationale:

The aim of the course is to orient and explain to the learner what counselling is, its position in the helping professions; distinction from Clinical Psychology, Counselling Psychology ,Social Work, Psychiatry and rehabilitative work etc.; what is the nature and scope of issues that the counselling profession would address; who are the people who seek counselling, how is it different from advice sought through significant others or formal channels, like, the clergy among the Christians, and what do we seek to change (behaviour) or achieve when we counsel others will be addressed in the course. Therefore, clarifying course expectations and creating a backdrop for Certificate in Counselling skills is the goal of this course.

Learner Objectives of the course: On completion of this course, the learner will be able to:

1. Demonstrate their understanding of the meaning and scope of counselling skills, especially in relation to developmental counselling vis-à-vis Clinical Psychology, Social Work, and other helping professions and reflection on some of the terminologies used in the discipline.
2. Define the characteristics of a counselling and helping / supportive relationships
3. Clarify their understanding of the role and tasks of the Helper in varied contexts - Designing and Implementing Work Integrated Preventive and Promotive Mental well being at work settings using these roles.

Course Contents:

Unit 1: Introduction to counselling: Meaning, definition, scope. Types of counselling- development, preventive and facilitative. Functions of Counselling and Counselling skills - Preventive, Remedial and developmental - their helping / supportive role vis-a vis Preventive, Remedial and Developmental functions.

Unit 2: Difference between using interpersonal and /counselling skills and counselling practice- roles, ethical dilemmas, advantages and disadvantages.

Unit 3: Settings where interpersonal - counselling skills are used- School, NGOs, Hospitals, Corporates. Designing and implementing a work integrated mental well being interventions at their work settings using their supportive role.

 Methodology: Lecture method, discussion based method - Plenary and Small Group- activity based.

 Mode of Assessment: Individual Assignment, written exam.

CCS 2 : Establishing Boundaries for the Helping Role: 4 CREDITS (60 hrs)

Rationale:

The aim of the course is to enable the learner use the key concepts in understanding boundaries in counselling skills to facilitate the helping interaction in their professional situations/contexts in an appropriate and effective manner. It also aims to increase the learners ability to work with boundaries empathically, as a helper in their professional situations/contexts.  This course will emphasize the need tofocus on the helpee's person/subject/ needs and concerns inthe use the concepts of Frameworks and Boundaries of counselling theory and practice.

Learner Objectives: On completion of this course, the learner will be able to:

1. Demonstrate an increase in understanding on the concepts of Boundaries, Frames (framing) in interpersonal relationships.
2. Establish boundaries in their helping role with the helpee.
3. Identify own feelings in order to set them aside and focus on the person/subject/helpee in their    professional situations/context
4. Work with the person/subject/helpee to meet their goals in their professional situations/context.
5. Demonstrate a readiness to link the learnings of this course with the course on 'Theories and Processes in Counselling

Course Contents:

Unit 1: Relevance of establishing boundaries- Advantages and disadvantage Concepts of Frames, Maps and Territory and Boundaries

Unit 2: Setting boundaries as a helper - with regard to time, physical space, structure of the session (beginning, middle and end stage) Managing Healthy Boundaries.

Unit 3: Nature and limits of confidentiality for helping role within the established boundaries.

Unit 4: Applying establishing boundaries in their personal and professional contexts- difficulties or challenges in setting up and working in these boundaries. Factors leading to the challenges and or factors facilitating the set and work within these boundaries.

Methodology: Role-plays, Group discussions.

Mode of Assessment: Group presentations, Individual assignment, / written exam.

CCS 3 : Introduction to Interpersonal and Counselling Skills for Helping Professionals: 2 CREDITS (30 hrs)

Rationale:

The focus of the course will be to provide learners the knowledge, skills and the practice of skills for using core interpersonal counselling skills.

Learner Objectives: On completion of this course, the learner will be able to:

1. Explain the importance of the core conditions of warmth, empathy, and genuineness- authenticity   and unconditional positive regard in counselling practice.
2. Demonstrate use and an appropriate range of listening and responding skills to facilitate the helping interactions.
3. Employ appropriate use of open & close-ended questions intheir practice skills.
4. Demonstrate sensitivity in timing responses and staying with silence
5. Demonstrate use of a range of interpersonal and counselling skills to facilitate the helping interactions like listening, responding, paraphrasing, reflection, observation, and silence.
6. Demonstrate and use feedback and reflections to enhance interpersonal and counselling skills with peers in the class.

Course Contents:

Unit I: The self of the counsellor: Self Awareness & Interpersonal skills, Motivation to join a Helping Profession & Self Awareness, Brem's Four dimensions of Self-Awareness, working with diverse populatios. Practicing Idiographically : Multicultural and multiethnic considerations.

Unit II: The Helper- Helpee relationship: The Helping Relationship including cultural variables. Core conditions - Warmth, Developing Empathy, Genuineness and Unconditional Positive Regard for the helpee. Qualities of an effective helper.

Unit III: Core Interpersonal Counselling skills (A) - Effective Communication : SOLER, Four Listening Responses : Clarification, Paraphrase, Reflection, Summarisation, Barriers to Listening.

Unit IV: Core Interpersonal Counselling skills (B) - Four Influencing Responses: Questioning - open and close ended questions, Information Giving, Self-disclosure, Confrontation. Use of silence. Distinguishing between Listening and Influencing Responses and their appropriate use.

Unit V: Use of feedback and reflection skills: Proving constructive feedback (Situation, Behavior, Impact) to others for their growth as a helper. Development skills to assess personal development and identifying learning needs for the self.

Methodology: Learning Activities: Questionnaire, interview dyads, small group discussion, Role Plays, Teaching Videos.

Mode of Assessment: Group presentations and Written exam.l

CCS 4 : Use of Self-Awareness in a Helping Role: 2 CREDITS (30 hrs)

Rationale: Effective practice requires deep insight into one’s self both as a person and as a professional. Helping professions and counselling mandate the use of self-awareness as a tool for building and maintaining relationships as well as bringing about change.

Learner Objectives of the Course: On completion of this course, the learners will be able to:

1. Use self awareness to inform helping work in their professional situations/context
2. Encourage a continuous process of self-reflection and critical self-analysis.
3. Appreciate the role of the self in relationship building and maintenance.

Course Contents:

Unit 1: Understanding of Self: Factors that leads to formation of self. Acceptance of one self and loving oneself.

Unit 2: Practicing Assertiveness, Time Management, Team Work

Unit 3: Managing one’s own feelings: identifying one’s own feelings, setting it aside and focussing on the helpee.

Unit 4: Empathy: meaning of empathy, reflecting on difficulty and challenges of feeling empathy towards others (with peers, family members, colleagues in workplace etc)

Methodology: Role-plays, Group discussions short videos.

Mode of Assessment: Group presentations/Individual assignment, Reflections in the Learning review journal

CCS 5 : Issues of Ethics and Diversity in a Helping Role: 2 CREDITS (30 hrs)

Rationale: This course will provide framework to use counselling skills ethically and safely in their professional situations/context. Significance of this course lies in making the learners becoming aware of their personal limits in a helping role and be able to do referrals wherever appropriate. Also, extending helping support keeping in mind the issues of diversity while working with individuals and groups in their helper role.

Learner Objectives of the Course: On completion of this course, the learner will be able to:

1. Demonstrate gains in the understanding of key concepts and approaches to ethical frameworks
2. Appreciate the need and significance for ethical guidelines, framework in the context of helping role with diverse groups and do appropriate referrals to other professionals.
3. Apply ethical framework in the use of helping skills when working with individuals and groups.

Course Contents:

Unit 1: Use of Interpersonal- counselling skills ethically and safely in helping role: what is ethics, need for ethical framework, key aspects of ethical framework in a helping relationship.

Unit 2: Working within personal limits of ability: awareness of own limitations in terms of knowledge and skills. Enable the helpee to find additional sources of support where appropriate- by Identifying range of referral agencies along with the value and potential of appropriate referral.

Unit 3: Issues of Diversity: Identifying and acknowledging diversity in helper in the context of culture, profession, gender, socio economic status, religion, sexual preferences etc. Understanding the help a in these diverse contexts and responding to the helper’s needs accordingly.

CCS 6: Learning Review Journal - 2 credits (30 hrs)

Rationale:

Journal writing facilitates the concious practice of reflection and allows students to express feelings regarding their educational experiences, journals assist students with exploring different options for handling daily experiences. Use of a learning log has become an established part of initial and continuing professional development in helping professions especially counselling, psychotherapy. And expressive and reflective writing in this context is considered to be a significant part of the development of reflective practitioners.

Learner Objectives:

1. To introuduce the process of journal writing to promote reflectio, facilitating, critical thought, expressing feelings, and writing focused arguments.
2. Using Self as a tool and becoming more aware of self and mindful application - integration of learning from class in personal, work and social settings.

This is a regular exploration of student's learning - learner's own reflections on the input, discussions, experiences, insights gained and readings for the course - which the students starts right from the beginning of the course. The review needs to be written as soon as possible after each course / session. The has to be on one's own thoughts, feelings and responses rather than referring to handouts or repeating what the faculty said. Students will be able to evaluate their own self growth.

As outline for keeping the learning log will be given to the students which has to be filled after every class room input session and submitted weekly to the course Faculty. At the end of the course there would be a seminar to share the learnings.

Assessment: Reflections in the Learning review journal, and individual presentation in Seminar.

FP I - FIELD PRACTICUM - I - 2 CREDITS (60 Hrs)

The main goal of field experience is to provide the student with the opportunity to engage actively in professional tasks that complement and reinforce classroom learning.

Field Practicum - I is intended to complement curricular objectives of the certificate programme and are closely intergrated with classroom courses. Field experience provides for the acquisition of knowledge and skills in the process of supportive and developmental counselling.

A series of field works seminars and skills workshops will be held towards the end of the course in order to orient and expose participants to the various organizations they will be visiting

Objectives of Field Practicum I :

1. To acquaint students with the range of thematic issues and the range of interventions/settings of Counselling Practice.
2. Apply knowledge and skills gained through opportunities for direct intervention with diverse client groups.- under the supervisions of tutors in skill lab settings.
3. To help students get a firsthand experience of field realities and issues faced by marginalised group.
4. To develop initial skills of reporting and group discussion as part of the Field Practicum.

As part of the Field Practicum I - EDUCATIONAL VISIT/ORGANIZATIONAL VISIT are organized to governmental/non governmental agencies in urban and semi rural areas. Organizations are identified thematically. Students will get an opportunity to hear about the agency and its work, and visit the work area if possible.

Following the visits, the students meet to discuss the visit in a group discussion that will be facilitated by the faculty who accompanied the group on the visit. Then the students are required to write individual reports and do group presentations.

The Objectives of the Educational Visit/s are:

1. To expose students to the social/voluntary sector and State Initiatives
2. To expose and sensitize students to the core issues of areas of interventions.
3. To acquaint students with the range of thematic issues and the range of interventions/settings of Counselling Practice.
4. To familiarize students with organiztional structure, functions, staffing patterns, programmes and policies.
5. To help students get a firsthand experience of field realities and issues faced by marginalised group.
6. To develop initial skills of reporting and group discussion as part of the Field Practicum.

Grading Scheme

A grade point of 4.0 is the minimum requirement for passing in Individual courses, including in fieldwork/ internship/research project. A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 4.0 is required for passing in a Semester. Letter Grades and corresponding qualifying descriptions and grade point range are given below

Remarks in the Semester Grade Sheet

S1 - Supplementary – 1

S2 - Supplementary – 2

Re - Repeat Course / Fieldwork / Internship / Research Project

I - Improvement Examination

R - Re-evaluation

M - Mandatory

Op - Optional

Au - Audit

EC - Extra Credit

Semester Result Description

PP - Passed and Promoted (Passed in all courses, fieldwork/internship and research project)

FS - Failed and allowed to keep Semester (that is, failed in up to two courses or 4 credits)

FR - Failed and Repeat Semester (that is, failed in 3 or more courses or more than 4 credits)

[These rules are under review for Short Term programmes]

Fee Structure:

**"Entry level admissions are for PG Diploma in Counselling with an exit option at Certificate and Diploma level"