Higher Certificate in Community Counselling
(Minimum one year, maximum three years, 126 credits)
Aim
The purpose of the Higher Certificate in Community Counselling, designed at NQF level 5, is to train and equip lay counsellors to be knowledgeable and effective in making a difference in the mental health and well-being of individuals in a variety of settings, including churches, schools, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and faith-based organisations (FBOs).
Time Commitment
Minimum one year, maximum 3 years
No evening classes.
January and July intakes.
Mode of delivery
Offered in Distance Mode Only (as per CHE concession)
Accreditation
Registered as Cornerstone Institute (RF) NPC with the Department of Higher Education and Training as a private higher education institution under the Higher Education Act, 1997, Registration Certificate No 2001/HE08/006; SAQA ID 96413.
Higher Certificate in Community Counselling: Contact mode. Registered by the DHET. Accredited by the CHE as a 120-credit learning programme for higher education at NQF level 5. CHE reference: H/PRO96/K002CAN.
Admission Requirements
- A National Senior Certificate or National Certificate Vocational (certificate pass)
- A Matriculation Certificate or equivalent
- Mature age of 45 years can be admitted, determined by the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) portfolio of evidence provided
The Higher Certificate in Community Counselling is targeted at individuals who are looking to find career paths in NGOs in Psychology and Community Development related fields or work as lay counsellors in various settings.
Students who have completed the qualification should be able to:
- Know the historical development and current status of Psychology in understanding human behaviour
- Be familiar with marriage and family development and family issues as part of a developmental psychology framework
- Be familiar with the dynamics of crisis and crisis intervention strategies
- Identify issues young people face in the context of certain South African realities i.e. alcohol, teenage pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, violence, substance abuse and gangsterism
- Have an understanding of contemporary contextual social problems and have insight to intervention strategies that can be used to address these
- Describe personality functioning and have a foundational understanding of psychological disorders, its causes and treatment approaches
- Have an understanding of work in community mental health settings and the services that can be provided
Module descriptions and credits
For a description of each module, see ‘Module descriptions’ herewith above. Otherwise, get in touch with us via helpdesk for further inquiries.