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January 23, 1985

   

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atter |
lege Newsletter__

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It takes a special kind of person to
help young people develop good
behaviours and attitudes, says Gary
Tennant, coordinator for Douglas
College's Child Care Counselling
program.

As a full time instructor and resoure
person for the one-year certificate
program, Tennant sees his role as
helping people help others better.

The Child Care Counselling program is
an intensive eight month course which
puts special emphasis on helping
children between the ages of five and
eighteen cope with behavioural, emo-
tional and/or family difficulties.

But the course does not limit itself
there, he adds.

"Child Care Counsellors will often
work with children and ‘adolescents
with physical disabilities and develop
mental delays," Tennant says.

As the only program of its type in
British Columbia, Douglas College
has a strong mandate to put out top
notch graduates, and this translates
into every aspect of the ‘program
having high standards.

 

 

—— ee Ta

CHILD CARE COUNSELLING

Students start with a two day selec-
tion/orientation process, conducted
by their future instructors and
employees of the lower mainland
childcare facilities. During this
time, prospective students will learn
exactly what is demanded of them,
Tennant says.

Assessment is based on communication
and interpersonal skills, and an
understanding of the child care field
and the college will accept those
people most prepared for training in
Child Care Counselling.

But precious experience is not always
necessary, and former students have
come from a wide variety of back-
grounds, he says. ui

"Douglas College gives everyone a fair
shake," Tennant says. "Once the
program starts there are lots of
Opportunities to gain experience."

i

This comes in the form of the practi-

cum classes every Child Care

Counselling student takes. Working
for 32 hours a week in a supervised
setting, students put their new skill
to work within four weeks of entering
the program. vcs

 

 

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