Newbattle Abbey College

These courses are open to anyone with an interest in improving their communication skills or furthering their own personal development and would be particularly relevant to those already involved in working with people in a caring or helping relationship. This may also be an opportunity to return to study or think about studing for a degree part time or by distance learning.

Counselling Skills:

• Are essentially good interpersonal or communication skills
• Are based on active listening
• Involve using verbal and non-verbal skills e.g. paraphrasing, asking questions in a helpful way, summarising, attending and responding to speaker
• Insert the qualities of acceptance, genuineness and empathy into a helping relationship
• Are underpinned and informed by an understaning of counselling theory

Counselling Skills 1 to 4 (COSCA validated)

• Provides a COSCA (Counselling and Psychotherapy in Scotland) certificate 120 hour training programme in counselling skills. Is delivered by the University of Aberdeen Centre for Lifelong Learning over 4 courses, each of 30 hours duration, at Newbattle Abbey College. Subject to demand, daytime and evening classes are available.
• Contains four strands: skills, knowledge, self awareness and ethics
• Each course gives you 15 credits at degree level 1
• Uses experiential learning e.g. students practice skills in groups of three
• Is mainly designed for people in helping or caring professions
• Helps the individuals who complete it to develop and apply counselling skills to non-counselling settings
• Provides an excellent start point for those who wish to train as a counsellor or psychotherapist
• Can count towards CPD

Counselling skills can enhance performance in various interpersonal context which require people’s voices to be heard, including;

• Nursing, teaching and social work context
• Personnel work
• Welfare services
• Staff development and appraisal
• Management relations
• Residential and non-residential care

Class Times

You may choose to attend classes either on Monday evenings from 7.00 to 9.00pm or on Thursday afternoons from 2.00 to 4.00pm. You may choose one class time only. Classes will commence in the week beginning 14 September, 2009.

Tuition Fees

Fees for 2009/10 are £160.50 per course.

If you are in receipt of benefits or on a low income financial help is likely to be available. These courses are approved for fees assistance using Individual Leaning Accounts (ILAs). Please contact us for further information or visit the Centre for Lifelong Learning’s website at www.abdn.ac.uk/lifelonglearning

Getting There

Newbattle Abbey College is easily accessible by car and free car parking is available.

If travelling by bus, take the First Bus 95/x95/95A, sign posted Carlisle or Hawick. You should ask the driver to drop you off at the Newbattle Abbey College stop.

How to Apply

Further information and application forms can be obtained from the Centre for Lifelong Learning at the address below:

Centre for Lifelong Learning
University of Aberdeen
Regent Building, Regent Walk
King’s College
Aberdeen AB24 3BQ

Tel: 01224 273528

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