| Effective Term: | 2025/05 |
| Institute / School : | Institute of Education, Arts & Community |
| Unit Title: | Counselling for Individuals and Families |
| Unit ID: | CHSUG3002 |
| Credit Points: | 15.00 |
| Prerequisite(s): | (At least 30 credit points from ANY subject-area at 2000-2999 level) |
| Co-requisite(s): | Nil |
| Exclusion(s): | Nil |
| ASCED: | 090515 |
| Other Change: | |
| Brief description of the Unit |
This unit allows students to develop attitudes, values, knowledge and skills required of beginning community and human services practitioners in order to work effectively with individuals, families and groups. Drawing on key theoretical models / frameworks such as person centred, solution focused, strengths based, cognitive behavioural, and narrative approaches, students will develop an underastanding of integrated or eclectic approaches to counselling in Community and Human services practice. Students will also develop frameworks for self-reflection, self-care and mindfulness in the context of their work. The unit content is designed to encourage students to consider core Community and Human Services values and ethics when working with individuals and families |
| Grade Scheme: | Graded (HD, D, C, P, MF, F, XF) |
| Work Experience Indicator: |
| No work experience |
| Placement Component: | |
| Supplementary Assessment:Yes |
| Where supplementary assessment is available a student must have failed overall in the Unit but gained a final mark of 45 per cent or above, has completed all major assessment tasks (including all sub-components where a task has multiple parts) as specified in the Unit Description and is not eligible for any other form of supplementary assessment |
| Course Level: |
| Level of Unit in Course | AQF Level(s) of Course | | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | | Introductory | | | | | | | | Intermediate | | | | | | | | Advanced | | |  | | | |
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| Learning Outcomes: |
| Knowledge: |
| K1. | Develop an understanding of core interpersonal communication skills which inform and underpin professional practice in the Community and Human Services field. |
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| K2. | Examine the key theoretical models / frameworks that inform and underpin professional Community and Human Services practice with individuals. Families and groups |
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| K3. | Critically reflect on the complex interplay between values, ethics, and morals, both personal and professional, and their impact on professional practice in the Community and Human Services field |
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| K4. | Explore strategies for critical self-reflection, supervision, self-care and mindfulness |
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| Skills: |
| S1. | Develop increased capacity for self-awareness and critical reflection about own values, ethics and morals, as well as reflection on professional values and ethics, and how these impact on professional practice in the Community and Human Services field |
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| S2. | Develop professional practice strategies to work ethically and effectively with individuals, families and groups from diverse backgrounds. |
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| S3. | Critique role plays of counselling scenarios by applying relevant theoretical and practice frameworks |
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| Application of knowledge and skills: |
| A1. | Apply key theoretical models or frameworks to engaging and effectively working with individuals, families and groups |
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| A2. | Identify appropriate theoretical models/frameworks of professional practice, and demonstrate their application in simulated settings |
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| A3. | Develop skills to critically reflect on practice as well as through the constructive feedback provided by University lecturers and peers |
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| A4. | Engage with fellow students in a collegiate and collaborative manner which reflects core Community and Human Services professional values |
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| A5. | Demonstrate the capacity to articulate the relationships between ethics, values and morals , both personal and professional, and their impact on professional practice in the Community and Human Services field |
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| Unit Content: |
Topics may include: Integrated approaches to direct practice in the Community & Human services field Critical reflection of ethics values and professional practice Revision of core counselling skills/professional Responsibilities for Practitioners Counselling in Community and Human Services Practice Relationship based practice Trauma informed practice Crisis Intervention Person Centred approach Solution focussed approach / Strengths based approach Cognitive behavioural approach Narrative approach Working with Children Working with Adolescents Working with Families- A Psychodynamic Model Group Work Working with individuals |
| Graduate Attributes: |
| Federation University recognises that students require key transferable employability skills to prepare them for their future workplace and society. FEDTASKS (Transferable Attributes Skills and Knowledge) provide a targeted focus on five key transferable Attributes, Skills, and Knowledge that are be embedded within curriculum, developed gradually towards successful measures and interlinked with cross-discipline and Co-operative Learning opportunities. One or more FEDTASK, transferable Attributes, Skills or Knowledge must be evident in the specified learning outcomes and assessment for each FedUni Unit, and all must be directly assessed in each Course.
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| FED TASK and descriptor | Development and acquisition of FEDTASKS in the Unit | | Level | FEDTASK 1
Interpersonal | Students will demonstrate the ability to effectively communicate, inter-act and work with others both individually and in groups. Students will be required to display skills in-person and/or online in: • Using effective verbal and non-verbal communication • Listening for meaning and influencing via active listening • Showing empathy for others • Negotiating and demonstrating conflict resolution skills • Working respectfully in cross-cultural and diverse teams. | Level 3 - Student works independently with limited guidance or works within self-determined guidelines appropriate to context | FEDTASK 2
Leadership | Students will demonstrate the ability to apply professional skills and behaviours in leading others. Students will be required to display skills in: • Creating a collegial environment • Showing self -awareness and the ability to self-reflect • Inspiring and convincing others • Making informed decisions • Displaying initiative | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 3
Critical Thinking and Creativity | Students will demonstrate an ability to work in complexity and ambiguity using the imagination to create new ideas. Students will be required to display skills in: • Reflecting critically • Evaluating ideas, concepts and information • Considering alternative perspectives to refine ideas • Challenging conventional thinking to clarify concepts • Forming creative solutions in problem solving. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 4
Digital Literacy | Students will demonstrate the ability to work fluently across a range of tools, platforms and applications to achieve a range of tasks. Students will be required to display skills in: • Finding, evaluating, managing, curating, organising and sharing digital information • Collating, managing, accessing and using digital data securely • Receiving and responding to messages in a range of digital media • Contributing actively to digital teams and working groups • Participating in and benefiting from digital learning opportunities. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 5
Sustainable and Ethical Mindset | Students will demonstrate the ability to consider and assess the consequences and impact of ideas and actions in enacting ethical and sustainable decisions. Students will be required to display skills in: • Making informed judgments that consider the impact of devising solutions in global economic environmental and societal contexts • Committing to social responsibility as a professional and a citizen • Evaluating ethical, socially responsible and/or sustainable challenges and generating and articulating responses • Embracing lifelong, life-wide and life-deep learning to be open to diverse others • Implementing required actions to foster sustainability in their professional and personal life. | Level 3 - Student works independently with limited guidance or works within self-determined guidelines appropriate to context |
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| | Learning Outcomes Assessed | Assessment Tasks | Assessment Type | Weighting | | 1. | K3, K4, S1, A3, A5 | Reflection on values and ethics, and morals. Development of self-awareness and critical reflection skills | Reflective Journal | 15-30% | | 2. | K1, K2, K3, K4, S1, S2, S3, A1, A2, A3, A4, A5 | Recall and reflect upon key knowledge from weekly unit materials and readings | Online and direct activities related to the unit content | 15-30% | | 3. | K1, K2, K3, K4, S1, S2, S3, A1, A2, A3, A4, A5 | Development of core interview and assessment skills and application to a case scenario | Role Play (Video resource) | 35-45% |
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