Diploma Fieldwork
The Diploma in Counselling and Communication (and the Graduate Diploma in Counselling) includes a 200-hour Fieldwork component. Fieldwork provides students with the opportunity to gain practical experience in their chosen field of interest in Counselling, Coaching or Facilitation prior to graduation.
SACAP offers its Fieldwork and Practicum students a choice of over 100 sites, each of which affords the student the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills in a particular field including:
- Community Mental Health
- Family Counselling
- HIV/AIDS Counselling
- School Counselling
- Trauma Counselling
- Coaching
- Facilitation
Activities
Activities undertaken by students include observational learning, counselling and case management, group facilitation, working with children, facilitation of life-skills and psycho-education — depending on the nature of the placement and the students’ area of interest. Students are required to write comprehensive reports that facilitate learning and are supported through regular supervision and feedback sessions. A final written assignment and oral presentation, together with supervisor feedback assess student competence.
The Fieldwork component also includes:
- Workshops — The Skills Development Workshops are designed to enrich the students’ knowledge and further develop their skills by exposing them to case studies, practical sessions and fishbowl activities. These workshops are a precursor to the actual field placement and builds the students confidence and assesses their readiness to work with clients in an organisational setting.The Cultural Diversity Workshop brings an awareness of cultural sensitivity to the field , explores different cultural perspectives around mental health and mental illness and provides practical tools when practicing cross-culturally.
- Supervision — Students are required to attend a prescribed number of supervision sessions (individual and group). Supervision is a forum for constructive feedback and further skills development and is designed to support the students through the applied elements of the fieldwork.
