17 May 2012
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associate counsellor programme

                                                     

CATHOLIC MARRIAGE CARE SERVICE

ACCORD Associate Counsellor Training Programme 

ACCORD Catholic Marriage Care Service is a voluntary agency of the Catholic Church, providing a nationwide professional service to couples preparing for or seeking a deeper commitment within the sacrament of marriage. ACCORD Counselling is non-directive; clients take responsibility for their own decisions and behaviour. Clients are accepted, regardless of their social, religious or ethnic background, as being of unique worth and capable of self-determination and growth. Counsellors respect the beliefs, values and standards of their clients, their dignity and inherent worth as persons, and their ultimate right to self-determination, while having due regard to the rights, interests and well being of other relevant persons.

ACCORD is inviting graduate counsellors to apply to train as Marriage/Relationship Counsellors.  ACCORD welcomes applications from people who are warm, genuine, flexible and willing to support and carry out its vision and mission.

Vacancies are likely to arise in the following ACCORD Centres:

Armagh, Ballina, Ballymena, Castlebar, Charlestown, Donegal Town, Dundalk, Innishowen, Letterkenny, Nenagh, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Tralee.   There are no vacancies in Dublin this year.

Personal Suitability:

Successful applicants will demonstrate the following personal attributes:

  • An open and dialogic communication style
  • Maturity, self-awareness and groundedness
  • Good conflict management skills
  • Warm, flexible, open, nonjudgmental worldview
  • Desire & ability to work within ACCORD ethos and mission
  • Primary need in applying for the programme must not be for personal therapy or emotional support

 Academic Background:

Applications will be considered from graduates of an approved counselling training programme that included 100 hours of supervised client work and  that meets the criteria for accreditation by one of the main counselling accreditation bodies. Preference will be given to applicants who have delivered 100 hours or more of supervised counselling, post-graduation.

 

Course Content:

Training will consist of a series of workshops on the theory and practice of couple counselling as well as an introduction to ACCORD's Code of Ethics and Practice, Policies and Procedures.

 

 

Clinical Placement:

Trainees who meet the required standard mid way through the training programme will commence clinical practice in their assigned Centre. Trainees will be facilitated in consolidating the theory and practice of couple counselling throughout the remainder of the programme.  

Trainees will be required to do a minimum of 100 sessions of counselling in their designated Centre as part of their training and volunteer at least 60 sessions annually thereafter – the number of voluntary sessions required is subject to change at the discretion of ACCORD.  Trainees are also required to attend their ACCORD Centre's monthly meetings on an ongoing basis once clinical practice has commenced.

Assessment:

Participants will be assessed on both their academic and counselling skills throughout the training programme.

Cost

 

ACCORD is a voluntary organization providing a professional counselling service to all who request it, regardless of ability to pay.  Successful applicants have their course fees, supervision and essential professional development paid for by ACCORD. Trainees are required to contract with ACCORD to repay part of the cost of the course by providing professional counselling on a voluntary basis. If, for any reason a trainee cannot fulfill this requirement, they will be required to repay any outstanding fees.  All other costs are met by the trainee.

The following steps are involved in Application, Selection & Training 

  • Download and forward the Associate Application Form to the address below
  • Central Office will determine if Applicant's Centre of choice is willing to sponsor an Associate Trainee. If the applicant's chosen Centre does not have a vacancy or is unable to sponsor the applicant, the application does not proceed beyond this point.
  • Applications will be processed based on selection criteria. A panel of successful applicants will be formed from which  the highest scoring applicants will be invited to a Selection Conference
  • Following Selection Conference successful candidates will be placed on a panel from which the highest scoring candidates will be offered entry to ACCORD's Associate Counsellor Training Programme
  • The offer of a place is contingent on a satisfactory outcome to the Garda/POCVA vetting process

The Closing Date for Receipt of Completed Application Forms has been extended to 13th April 2012.  Applications to be returned to

Doreen Mulvaney

ACCORD Central Office

Columba Centre

 Maynooth

 Co Kildare

Tel: 01-5053118 email dmulvaney@accord.ie



Associated Downloads
Associate Counsellor Application Form 2012
[DOWNLOAD]