School based counselling provides confidential and professional support to young people at school. We offer you an insight into the reality and impact of school based counselling in action.
The Counselling Unit within the University of Strathclyde has been delivering, researching and evaluating school based counselling for over five years.
From this experience we conclude that:
- school based counselling has a great deal to contribute to the mental health and emotional well being of young people of school age
- it gives schools an added resource to help in their support of vulnerable and troubled young people
- it is a non stigmatising and accessible service that is well integrated into the Guidance and Pupil Support structures in schools
- it supports young people going through transitions
- the person-centred approach works particularly well given the wide range of needs of young people
The counselling room
Where counselling takes place is important; not only its location in the school but also the physical layout of the room can make a big difference. Yet finding and creating the right location in a school isn’t always easy.
Schools aren’t normally built with counselling in mind. That means there needs to be some creative thinking by both the school and the counsellor. Young people too can be involved in how the room looks and feels. The aim is to create a safe, confidential and relaxing space. The examples here show what can be done and counsellors write about what the room means to them.
Young people's experience of counselling
Hearing the voices of young people is what counselling is all about. Find out how how counselling helped these young people: