School Guidance Counselling in Nova Scotia
The Nova Scotia Department of Education has recognized that guidance and counselling should be offered as a multi-faceted total school program rather than as a position occupied by a counsellor.
Students, parents and staff are consulted to determine the guidance and counselling needs of students. These needs are then prioritized through collaboration with staff, students, parents, and other stakeholders and a guidance program is developed.
The program provides direction by assisting students to acquire knowledge, attitudes, strategies, and skills in the four program domains:
Personal: To understand and appreciate oneself
Social: To relate effectively to others
Educational: To develop appropriate educational plans
Career: To develop life and career plans
Within the four program domains, School Guidance Counsellors offer the following services:
Professional Services
- Provide services that support the personal, social, educational, and career development of all students.
- Collaborate with school staff regarding students’ academic, social, emotional and developmental needs.
- Counselling with individuals, groups and families.
- Critical incident response.
- Referrals to community agencies.
- Work closely with families.
- Member of the critical incident team at the school/Board levels.
- Maintain professional competence by taking advantage of professional development opportunities.
Guidance Curriculum
- Visit classes to offer group information and/or training sessions.
- Provide resources to teachers, parents, students, and other stakeholders to effectively deliver guidance-related curriculum.
Life/Career Planning
- Promote, plan, and implement prevention programs, career/college activities, course selection and placement activities, social/personal management and decision-making activities.
- Expose students to experiences that will broaden their career awareness and knowledge.
Program Management & System Support
- Maintain note taking, record keeping with respect to counselling case files and counselling roster, transcripts, and course credit checks.
- Be part of a professional learning community (i.e., PEBS, accreditation, program planning, etc.)
- Attend meetings related to guidance issues.
- Establish and maintain a guidance information centre.