|
|

 

In the fall of 1970, the Counselling
Department at Douglas College consisted

of four full-time and two half-time
counsellors, and one technician-clerk.
Working on three campuses, they gave basic
counselling services to the 1,492 students
then enrolled. In addition, they provided
vocational testing and scoring services,
leadership in the human potential growth
groups, and representation on four College
committees and councils.

Since then, programs and services provided
to both the students and the College have
expanded eightfold.

During 1971 and 1973, the department
enlarged its services to students by
initiating and developing a four-level
reading-development and study-skills
program; by developing English as a second-
language tutoring program involving
community volunteers; by implementing an
orientation program for mature students
attending the College; by operating a
Student Placement Service; by supervising
practicum students from UBC; and by
developing and instructing courses in such
areas as communication skills, human
sexuality, life-skills and career planning,
growth groups, psychiatric nursing, and
rehabilitation counselling.

To provide links with the other academic
and service areas of the College, the
department has developed a liaison system
with all teaching departments to-facilitate
information exchange. It has also served
on a large number of College committees,
and has conducted research projects on
probationary-student reports, day-care
needs, needs of handicapped students,
basic education programs, and student
characteristics.

Since 1971, Counselling has increasingly
served as a resource in the community by
providing consultative services in
counselling and reading skills to Haney

 

@PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE .

and Matsqui institutions, and to Richmond
school board; by annually visiting the 24
secondary schools in the College region

to acquaint graduates with the College's
programs and policies; by implementing an
on-campus orientation program for secondary-
school counsellors to increase their
knowledge of Douglas College; by participat-
ing on planning committees for community
programs and workshops; by acting as liai-
son with local-‘information centres and
associations, and in an advisory capacity

to LIP and OFY projects; and by providing
speakers and resource people for workshops
and special programs.

The director has represented the College
on the board of UBC Centre for Continuing
Education; at a manpower conference held
by the Secretary of State; on the board of
directors of the Association of Adminis-
trators for Continuing Education; on the
provincial B. C. Medical Centre board; and
on the special advisory board to the
Commissioner of Education.

Concurrently with all this expansion of
services and community outreach, Counsel-
ling's priority still is the students and
their individual needs. During the 1972-73
College year, counsellors, educational
planners, and reading consultants held
3,169 interviews with students in the areas
of educational-vocational planning and
personal counselling.

To cope with this rapid broadening of
services, the department has augmented

its personnel by one counsellor, two read-
ing consultants, one programmer, two
educational planners, a stenographer, and
a placement clerk. In addition, it has
made more extensive use of student ‘aides
in peer counselling and in animator roles.

In a new venture this year -- on Surrey
campus -- Admissions, Continuing Education,
and Counselling were linked by their
physical setting to co-ordinate relevant

continued...