How our Counselling night classes create new career pathways and enhance existing job roles

Learners on our Level 2 Award in Counselling Concepts and Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Skills often fall into the latter category and we have caught up with two students, who are excited by the vocational opportunities their new qualifications offer.

Jade Marshall and Jessica Neary will complete their Level 3 studies in June, having progressed from the Level 2 course.

Educated to Master’s level, Jade has previously volunteered for the Samaritans, but her disabilities have meant full-time employment has proven difficult in the past.

With the support of York College tutor John Cooper, though, 39-year-old Jade is now considering whether counselling could be a career option for her, having had the costs of her course covered by the Adult Skills Fund via the York & North Yorkshire Combined Authority.

She also did a Beginners for Spanish course at College last year.

Jessica, meanwhile, studied A Levels in English Language & Literature, Psychology and Photography before leaving in 2018 to complete a degree in the latter at university.

She has now returned to Campus, though, as she seeks a new career pathway.

We also spoke to a third student – Alison Kippax – who, as a dentist works with Adult Special Needs and dental phobic patients and has discovered that the course has made a bigger difference to her daily interactions with people than any other course during her 25-year career.

Please read on to learn more about Jade, Jessica and Alison’s life journeys and experiences as adult evening class students at York College.

First up is Jade…

What motivated you to enrol on the Level 2 and Level 3 Counselling classes?

I like helping people and I don’t work, so I just wanted to find something that filled my time and kept my brain active. I’d already done a Spanish language course at the college, but I also wanted to do Counselling because it interested me.

What have you enjoyed most about the courses?

My teacher is great. John is very funny, inclusive and you feel really safe with him.

I have also enjoyed getting to know myself more. He encourages us all to be open, because he’s so open.

He tells us all about his personal issues, so we feel better doing that ourselves.

Any lessons in particular stood out?

I was very impressed by the 360 Cube (Immersive Room). We had three different counsellors talking to us about their therapy styles and it was really interesting, but John makes every class feel different. He mixes things up a lot.

What are the key skills you’ve acquired from the courses?

I’ve learnt how to be a much better listener and how to interpret people better. I’ve also improved my confidence a little bit.

What would you like your next steps to be?

I would like to go on to do my Level 4 and get qualified. I’m quite disabled, so it’s quite difficult really, because it takes a lot out of me doing everyday stuff, so I’ll have to think about that.

I have a mobility issue that means I need to use a wheelchair and I have a muscular disability that affects all my muscles, which makes me weaker and my speech isn’t so good. Anything requiring the movement of muscles is quite tricky for me and I really have to concentrate.

But I’d like to think counselling could be a job avenue that I could get into or it could even open the door to lots of voluntary work. I’ve been a Samaritan before, which is really what led me into this course, because I love listening to people.

What have you done education wise in the past?

I went to King James's School in Knaresborough and university in Newcastle. I also did a Master’s degree at the University of York.

My original degree was in English and my Master’s degree was in Renaissance Literature, which I loved because I just love reading and studying.

And, now, switching to you Jessica…

What motivated you to enrol on the Level 2 and Level 3 Counselling classes?

I’m currently working for Premier Inn, but I want to be a counsellor, so a change in career was the main motivator for me. I did a Photography degree at Manchester Met University, but feel this profession is more accessible.

It’s also a job that I feel would be enjoyable and one where you feel you can make a difference.

What have you enjoyed most about the courses?

It’s a space where you can feel really calm. Everyone is very inviting and it’s a place where you can be really vulnerable, but people are just by your side all the time, which is wonderful.

It’s a real community and the standard of teaching is absolutely fantastic. John is really engaging to work with.

Any lessons in particular stood out?

We have used the 360 Immersive Room. We had three different AI-generated heads to represent the three different therapies and explain what they do, which was interesting.

What are the key skills you’ve acquired from the courses?

Listening – but really listening and hearing what people are saying – is one of the biggest skills we’ve learned. Also, just having that ability to understand the difference between empathy and pity.

Empathy is not about remembering things about yourself – it’s about putting yourself into someone else's shoes.

What would you like your next steps to be?

I’m hoping to become a qualified counsellor after I’ve gone on to complete the Level 4 course.

Would you consider other adult evening classes at York College?

Counselling was my first evening class and I like it. It’s kind of like a winddown from the rest of the day.

I’ve also enjoyed getting back into learning. If I could be in education for the rest of my life, I think I would be!

What have you done education wise in the past?

I did Photography A Level at York College and went on to do it at university. One of the favourite things York College taught me to do was how to make books and I continued that into my university degree.

Alison chose not to be pictured for this feature, but wanted to add her views on how valuable the course has been for her - both in a professional and personal sense…

As a dentist working with Adult Special Needs patients and dental phobic patients, I started the Level 2 course thinking I would pick up a few communication skills but then I was hooked and carried on to Level 3 and the communication skills that I have learned have changed my working day.

Conversations that were previously difficult have become so much easier, benefitting both myself and the patients, resulting in deeper connections and more meaningful and successful outcomes. Running alongside the theory of counselling and the skills practice sessions, is the Personal Development part of the course which I was not expecting, and you need to brace yourself for this!

It has challenged my perceptions of myself and changed the priorities in my life. John’s genuine love for the subject shines through and his humour carries the class through it all.

I have worked as a dentist for more than 25 years and this course has made more difference to my daily interactions with people than any other course in my whole career. I only wish that I had done it earlier!

To learn more about York College & University Centre's Level 2 Award in Counselling Concepts, please click here

For further information on our Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Skills, visit here

Details on all our adult learning courses, meanwhile, can be found here

Want to discuss any of our degree, higher-level, vocational, T Level, A Level and adult courses or apprenticeships with our expert team of tutors and check out our state-of-the-art facilities? Then, please come along to our next Open Event. An overview of what to expect and upcoming dates is included here