A Conceptual Framework for Teacher Counselors in Colleges

Working with a counsellor helps the student solve a variety of issues that they confront in their daily life, as the sessions in counselling are provided by trained professionals. In the absence of a trained counsellor, a teacher who has received training and practice in the relevant area can play the role of a teacher counsellor. The teacher herself has to undergo a phase of transition from teacher to teacher counsellor. Due to this pandemic situation, life has changed a lot. Researches done in this area shows that the mental health of the adolescent group is largely affected by COVID 19. Even if the present mode of education is online, a teacher counsellor can help a student if she is equipped with the various strategies followed in counselling. The skills which are required in the field of counselling can be achieved by attending courses as well as training programs conducted by universities, government, non-governmental organisations, or institutions. This enables a teacher counsellor to get equipped with the basic skills required for counselling. Also, at the same time, she should be aware of the professional code of ethics in the process of counselling. When the teacher counsellor passes through the transition from teacher to teacher counsellor, she should possess the capacity to understand the student’s needs and also be capable of maintaining a good rapport and relationship with the student. In this way, both the teacher counsellor and the student can work together to achieve the goals for change.

Impact of effective counselling on management of moderate acute malnutrition in a community

Background: Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) is defined as Weight for Height between -2SD to -3SD, and/or Mid Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) 11.5 cm to 12.5 cm. Effect of not treating MAM has a significant impact on Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) burden. Management of MAM is possible through supplementary feeding or Community centre counselling.Methods: Present study was a prospective case control study done in 2013-14 in 200 children in adjacent communities. Community in which intervention (dietary counselling) was planned, it was labelled as case group. For dietary counselling ‘structured group counselling’ method was selected in which at a time parents of six MAM children were involved. Counselling was done by a trained counsellor using all techniques proposed by IYCF. Counselling sessions were scheduled at 0, 1, 3 and 6 months.Results: 60% children of case group moved to improved or well- nourished nutritional status (p-value 0.00001). Amongst improved group, weight for height improvement is statistically significant (p-value 0.001), average weight attained is 2-3 kg in 6 months with average weight gain of 1.5-3 grams/kg/day. MUAC improvement was also found to be statistically significant (p-value 0.003), there was 47% improvement in case group with average MUAC gain is 0.6 cm to 1 cm in 6 months (0.13 cm/month). Also, there is early rise in weight for height then MUAC. Average duration to achieve target weight for height is 4.3 months in case group as compare to 5.3 months in control group.Conclusions: Structured and integrated group counselling using all counselling skills by a trained counsellor should be an integral part of managing MAM in community. Weight for height should be primary indicator in early phase of response as compare to MUAC in measuring impact of counselling.

‘Don't just listen: Tell me what to do!’

Counselling is not a well-understood concept. Many people who haven't undergone counselling believe a counsellor's role is to listen to a person tell their problem and then ‘help’ them by giving advice about what they should do. Children and young people struggle with the idea that a counsellor is not a human form of Google. It is not easy for them to hear that their problem is complex and that sometimes working out an action plan themselves, with guidance from a trained counsellor, offers better value to their lives in the long run. Kids Helpline is an Australian child and youth-focused telephone and online counselling service with a long-term view of what ‘helping’ looks like. The free-call 24/7 counselling line challenges young clients to see beyond the immediate gratification of receiving instantaneous ‘answers’ to problems, and to value more highly the process of learning problem-solving and decision-making skills, transferable from issue to issue over the course of a lifetime. This article seeks to highlight the early intervention and prevention role that child helplines play in young people's lives, encouraging and strengthening children and young people's early forays into exploring consequential thinking. The article describes the processes used by Kids Helpline counsellors to encourage children and young people to become action planners, and demonstrates young people's capacity to appreciate complexity and personal development.