Want to learn counselling skills but aren’t sure where to start?
You’re in the right place!
With over 50 years of counselling experience and more than 10 years’ experience of delivering online counselling training, our expert team have shared what any aspiring counsellor or skilled listener should look for in an online counselling skills course.
How to choose a good counselling course:
1. Starting Point
With the huge number of online courses out there, you need to be clear on the best starting point for you. Are you a newbie to the counselling skills world or have you already had some training? What will you use your training for?
Are they to support you in your current role or for a volunteer position? Or do you want to qualify and practice as counsellor?
See the flow chart below to find the best starting point for you.
2. Accreditation and Regulation
Make sure the course is accredited by a recognised, awarding body. Awarding bodies ensure that the course meets all required standards, that the content is relevant and appropriate for the qualification awarded on completion.
Look for courses that are recognised by an independent qualification regulator, such as Ofqual. These bodies ensure that qualifications are valid and can be trusted.
Courses that are accredited and recognised by these organisations can be trusted to deliver what they say they do. You can have confidence in the validity of your qualification and the credentials of your tutor.
Some trusted awarding bodies for courses in counselling skills in the UK are:
Independent Qualifications Regulators in the UK are:
- Ofqual in England
- SQA in Scotland
- Qualifications Wales in Wales
- CCEA in Northern Ireland
3. Credibility of Provider
When investing in your education and training, it is important that you choose a credible provider to ensure your hard-earned money is well spent.
When choosing a credible online course provider in the UK, consider the following tips:
- Check Accreditation and Affiliations
Ensure that the course provider is accredited by recognised educational bodies or affiliated with reputable institutions. See above for trusted awarding bodies and independent qualifications regulator. You should find trusted providers and their courses on these websites.
- Read Reviews and Testimonials
Research reviews and testimonials from former students. Look for feedback on the quality of course content, tutor support and overall satisfaction. Many learning centres provide testimonials on their website. Positive reviews and high ratings are good indicators of a credible and reliable course provider.
- Evaluate Course Content and Tutor Credentials
Check the course syllabus, learning objectives, and materials to ensure they align with your educational and career goals. Choose a course that is accredited by a trusted awarding body, such as NCFE. Awarding bodies vet all training centres, providers and assessors to ensure they are working to the high standards set out by the regulating body. This means you can be assured that the tutors are suitably qualified, experienced and continually undergo quality audits.
4. Course Content and Delivery
The content of the course you choose is crucial. First you need to be clear on why you are taking the course and what you need from it. You may be looking to add to your skill set for your current role or for a volunteering position, or you may be aiming to retrain as a fully qualified counsellor. Whatever your goal, the content of the course is an important element to be clear about. Check with your line manager or course provider if there are any specific modules or course requirements that you should be looking for. Below you will see a handy infographic that breaks down essential course content for various end goals.
Look into how the course is delivered to ensure it will fit into your schedule. Usually, online courses are self-paced, or tutor led, or a mix of the two which is referred to as blended learning.
Self-paced consists of a learner platform with access to either pre-recorded lessons or online content consisting of reading materials, videos and online activities. Students work at their own pace and complete and upload assignments at their convenience. This option suits students who need flexibility to be able to fit their studies around their current work and/or responsibilities.
Tutor-Led courses often have scheduled, virtual classes led by a tutor often using some form of video conferencing, e.g. Zoom or Teams. Students may have to adhere to a set timeline to complete units and submit assignments. This option is less flexible, but students benefit from real time interaction and a more structured schedule.
Blended learning offers a mix of self-paced, and tutor led sessions. Students may have the option to watch recordings of sessions in their own time but are likely to have specific deadlines for assignments to complete the course in the required time frame.
5. Skills Practice Support
An important element of counselling skills training is Skills Practice. This is where you put your learning into practice in the form of skills practice sessions. For online courses evidence of these can be submitted as audio or video recordings along with an observation sheet, or through a remote or face-to-face session with a tutor. Support for these sessions is an invaluable addition to an online course but are hard to find. For some Level 4 Diploma courses it is also a requirement for some remote tutor-led learning included in the online course. Look for a provider who incorporates these sessions into their courses or has them available as an add on. When enquiring about a course, be sure to ask about what support there is available for the skills practice requirement of the course.
Conclusion
Choosing a good online counselling course can seem overwhelming with the myriads of options available. However, by focusing on the 5 essential steps detailed in this blog, you can make an informed decision that aligns with your educational and career goals.
Ask for help from a qualified and experienced counsellor
If you still have questions, please contact us! We are passionate about high-quality counselling training and would be delighted to assist, whatever your question.