Objectives
Ø To organize a fully functional counseling and testing center that would cater to the students and other members of the institution.
Ø To promote the services of the Guidance Center to the students, faculty members and employees of the institution.
Ø To establish a “catharsis center” where students, parents and faculty can pour their feelings in full confidentiality.
Ø To provide opportunities for the students to enrich their social lives through the development of skills in interpersonal relationship, with the end in view of helping facilities the maximum utilization of their academic potentials.
a. Counseling Services
The counseling service is designed to facilitate self-understanding and development through dyadic or small-group relationships. The aim of such relationships tends to be on personal development and decision making that is based on self-understanding and knowledge of the environment.
This is considered as the “hearth and soul” of the guidance program. This service aims to assist students in gaining deeper-understanding and awareness of one’s problems and the effective use of the decision process by formulating alternatives and projecting consequences of each that allow students to review critically what has taken place and makes provision for future meetings if they are needed.
Different approaches, skills and theories are implemented by councelors because people and situations are different. Sometimes one or the other is best, and sometimes the combination of techniques produces the most benefit. These counseling services are the following:
· Individual Counseling
· Group Counseling
· Family Counseling
· Counseling Special Cases
b. Testing/Assessment Services
The assessment service is designed to collect, analyze, and use a variety of objectives and subjective personal, psychological, and social data about each pupil. Its purpose is to help the individual to better understand herself.
In many educational institutions as well as employment offices, tests are probably the most widely used specialized techniques in guidance. Tests will be useful as a guidance tool if combined with appropriate planning for individual development. Tests provide “information in meaningful terms through quantitative description”.
These services cover the administration, scoring, interpreting and evaluating results of selected tests such as:
· Admission Tests
· Intelligence Tests
· Individual Intelligence Tests
· Group Intelligence Tests
· Aptitude Tests
· Interest Tests
· Personality Tests
· Projective Tests
· Special Tests
Information ServiceThe information service is designed to provide accurate and current information in order that the students may make an intelligence choice of an educational program, an occupation, or a social activity. Essentially, the aim is that with such information students will make better choices and will engage in better planning in and out of the school setting. Students must not only be exposed to such information but also have an opportunity to react to it in a meaningful way with others (Lunenburg, 2010).
c. Students Inventory Record
This is continuous process of accumulating, recording and utilizing information on each student for guidance and counseling purposes and for obtaining a complete picture of the individual.
d. Training/ Seminar/ Forum
These are programs designed to help students discover their innate ability and talents as well as develop their emotional intelligence. Symposium and Forum are organized as information program to tackle important life issues like Love, Dating and Marriage; Natural Family Planning; Abortion and Contraceptives Methods; Gender Issues and other relevant topics affecting the life of a person.
e. Placement and Career Services
The school assists the student in selecting and utilizing opportunities within the school and in the outside labor market. Counselors assist students I n making appropriate choices of courses of study and in making transitions from one school level to another, one school to another, and from school to employment. Placement thereby involves pupil’s assessment, informational services, and counseling assistance appropriate to the pupil’s choices of school subject, co-curricular activities, and employment.
f. Research Service
Research capabilities of the guidance center are conducted in conjunction with relevant educational studies like students’ delinquency problems, teenage pregnancy, faculty-student relationship and others. Researches help bridge the gap that currently exists between theories and practice in counseling. Result of the findings in research will serve as guideposts for guidance and educational planning.
g. Career and Life Planning
Career Development Program is a package of activities designed to develop skills in self-exploration, values clarification, career planning and decision0-making, and life goal setting.
h. Freshmen Enrichment Program
Freshmen Enrichment Program is package of activities for freshmen designed to facilitate adjustment into college life, enhance self-awareness and understanding, and develop the basic skills in coping effective with rigors of academic life. The components of this program include psychological testing and evaluation; study skills development; time management; stress management; and group growth sessions.
i. Referral
Special cases, which require service beyond the scope of guidance and counseling program, are referred to other agencies.
j. Linkages
The Guidance and Counseling Program also carry out collaborative activities with school and community-based organization.
k. Extension Services
Guidance staff functions and responsibilities go beyond the students. They extend themselves by helping others through training, seminars/workshop, or conduct research as they are often invited in occasions needing their skills and knowledge. In most instances, they render services for free.
l. Peer Facilitation
Peer Facilitators are trained to help the staff in the delivery of the guidance services, as well as extension services. On the other hand practicum students are provided the opportunity for on-the-job experience in the guidance field.
