Coláiste Bríde
Guidance and Counselling Service
Aisling McDonald
(Guidance Counsellor) |
Elaine McGinnity
(Guidance Counsellor) |
Welcome from the Guidance Department
A very warm welcome to the Coláiste Bríde Guidance Counselling Department.
The department comprises two guidance counsellors, Ms Aisling McDonald and Ms Elaine McGinnity. Our guidance counsellors are qualified members of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors (IGC), the professional body for guidance counsellors in Ireland.
Each guidance counsellor is responsible for specific year groups, which may include both Junior and Senior Cycle students.
A very warm welcome to the Coláiste Bríde Guidance Counselling Department.
The department comprises two guidance counsellors, Ms Aisling McDonald and Ms Elaine McGinnity. Our guidance counsellors are qualified members of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors (IGC), the professional body for guidance counsellors in Ireland.
Each guidance counsellor is responsible for specific year groups, which may include both Junior and Senior Cycle students.
Guidance in Second Level Schools
Guidance in schools refers to a range of learning experiences provided in a developmental sequence, that assist students to develop self-management skills which will lead to effective choices and decisions about their lives.
It encompasses the three separate, but interlinked, areas of:
Counselling is a key part of the school guidance programme, offered on an individual or group basis as part of a developmental learning process and at moments of personal crisis.
Counselling has as its objective the empowerment of students so that they can make decisions, solve problems, address behavioural issues, develop coping strategies and resolve difficulties they may be experiencing.
Counselling in schools may include personal counselling, educational counselling, career counselling or combinations of these.
The Aims of Guidance and Counselling
The guidance and counselling process aims to help students to develop an awareness and acceptance of their talents and abilities; to explore possibilities and opportunities; to grow in independence and to take responsibility for themselves; to make informed choices about their lives and to follow through on those choices.
The Work of the Guidance Counsellor
The Guidance Counsellor is involved in guidance and counselling related activities such as:
Making an Appointment with the Guidance Counsellor
The Guidance Counselling Department operates an open door policy. Students can request an appointment by meeting with the guidance counsellor assigned to their year group at any point throughout the school day. Alternatively, students can arrange an appointment by messaging their designated guidance counsellor in Teams.Parents and Guardians are welcome to contact the guidance counsellors to discuss matters in relation to their daughter, or to arrange an appointment.
Phone: 053-9234245
Email: [email protected]
Email: [email protected]
Students can also contact their guidance counsellor through Microsoft Teams.
Guidance Library
Students are welcome to borrow guidance related material from the Guidance Room Library, on request. For example, Higher Educational Institution (HEI)/Third level prospectuses for the Republic of Ireland (ROI) and the United Kingdom (UK)); Further Education Institution (FEI)/Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) prospectuses; Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) & Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) Handbooks; ETBI (Education and Training Boards Ireland) FET (Further Education & Training) Skills Box Career Charts (www.library.etbi.ie/skillsbox); IGC Directory of Leaving Certificate Entry Requirements, etc.
Guidance Team & Notifications
Senior students and their parents/guardians are encouraged to keep a close eye on the regular notifications and information available in the ‘Guidance Team’ each student is a member of.
Useful Guidance Websites
www.cao.ie
www.qualifax.ie
www.careersportal.ie
www.nfq.ie
www.nui.ie
www.ucas.com
www.examinations.ie
www.susi.ie
www.studentfinance.ie
Guidance in schools refers to a range of learning experiences provided in a developmental sequence, that assist students to develop self-management skills which will lead to effective choices and decisions about their lives.
It encompasses the three separate, but interlinked, areas of:
- Personal and social development
- Educational guidance
- Career guidance.
Counselling is a key part of the school guidance programme, offered on an individual or group basis as part of a developmental learning process and at moments of personal crisis.
Counselling has as its objective the empowerment of students so that they can make decisions, solve problems, address behavioural issues, develop coping strategies and resolve difficulties they may be experiencing.
Counselling in schools may include personal counselling, educational counselling, career counselling or combinations of these.
The Aims of Guidance and Counselling
The guidance and counselling process aims to help students to develop an awareness and acceptance of their talents and abilities; to explore possibilities and opportunities; to grow in independence and to take responsibility for themselves; to make informed choices about their lives and to follow through on those choices.
The Work of the Guidance Counsellor
The Guidance Counsellor is involved in guidance and counselling related activities such as:
- Planning and delivering the school Guidance Programme – The Guidance Counsellor has primary responsibility for the delivery of the school’s Guidance Programme, but a whole school approach is essential to realise this objective.
- Providing one-to-one personal, educational and career counselling.
- Teaching guidance classes at Junior and Senior Cycle.
- Assisting students in the transition from (a) Primary to Secondary school (b) Junior Cycle to Senior Cycle (c) Second Level to Higher/Further Education/training and employment.
- Organising trips to career events (e.g. Higher Options)
- Assessment using psychometric instruments and inventories, to link student’s aptitudes and interests to career options (e.g. Cognitive Ability Tests (CATs))
- Vocational guidance interviews (VGIs)
- Promoting research and ICT skills, so that students can be self-directed in their career exploration and development (e.g. Qualifax, CareersPortal)
- Study skills
- Subject choice for the Junior Cycle
- Subject choice for the Senior Cycle
- Supporting students in choosing subject levels appropriate to their educational abilities.
- Senior Cycle Programme Options (e.g. TY, Leaving Certificate, Leaving Certificate Community, Life and Work Studies (LCW) (formerly LCVP); Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA) Programme)
- Third Level application procedures (e.g., CAO; UCAS; National Tertiary Office (NTO))
- Further Education and Training (FET) application procedures (e.g. Post Leaving Certificate courses (PLCs)
- Third Level Access Programmes (HEAR; DARE; SETU Waterford Reach Access Programme)
- Third Level Outreach Programmes (e.g. Shadowing Days, Leaving Certificate revision workshops, Taster Days)
- Organising guest speakers (e.g. Third Level Colleges and Further Education Colleges)
- Providing information on grants, scholarships and bursaries (e.g., Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI); UCD Ad Astra Academy, etc.)
- Interview preparation
- Liaising with management, Student Support Team, subject teachers, Year Heads, Additional Educational Needs Coordinator (AENCO)/Learning Support, etc.)
- Dealing with internal student referrals (e.g. from Year Heads) and external student referrals to outside agencies (e.g. National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS))
- Tracking the destination of past pupils
- Presenting Parent/Guardian Information Evenings (e.g., Coláiste Bríde School Procedures & Guidance Counselling Department; CAO; Junior Cycle Subject Choice; Senior Cycle Subject Choice, etc.)
- Attending Parent Teacher Meetings, etc.
Making an Appointment with the Guidance Counsellor
The Guidance Counselling Department operates an open door policy. Students can request an appointment by meeting with the guidance counsellor assigned to their year group at any point throughout the school day. Alternatively, students can arrange an appointment by messaging their designated guidance counsellor in Teams.Parents and Guardians are welcome to contact the guidance counsellors to discuss matters in relation to their daughter, or to arrange an appointment.
Phone: 053-9234245
Email: [email protected]
Email: [email protected]
Students can also contact their guidance counsellor through Microsoft Teams.
Guidance Library
Students are welcome to borrow guidance related material from the Guidance Room Library, on request. For example, Higher Educational Institution (HEI)/Third level prospectuses for the Republic of Ireland (ROI) and the United Kingdom (UK)); Further Education Institution (FEI)/Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) prospectuses; Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) & Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) Handbooks; ETBI (Education and Training Boards Ireland) FET (Further Education & Training) Skills Box Career Charts (www.library.etbi.ie/skillsbox); IGC Directory of Leaving Certificate Entry Requirements, etc.
Guidance Team & Notifications
Senior students and their parents/guardians are encouraged to keep a close eye on the regular notifications and information available in the ‘Guidance Team’ each student is a member of.
Useful Guidance Websites
www.cao.ie
www.qualifax.ie
www.careersportal.ie
www.nfq.ie
www.nui.ie
www.ucas.com
www.examinations.ie
www.susi.ie
www.studentfinance.ie