Section 33 - Role of the Counsellor

Purpose

The Vocational Counsellor is normally responsible for counseling and service co-ordination. Although agencies may vary in their delivery of services, the functions of service co-ordination are carried out to ensure that:

1. a comprehensive assessment is completed such that the participant's options are identified and a vocational plan is developed;
2. there is co-ordination of services to maintain participant movement toward identified goals as stated in the vocational plan; and
3. regular reviews and evaluation of the vocational plan are conducted and revisions to the plan are made as required.

Process

Co-ordination of the vocational process by the Vocational Counsellor involves the following sequence of steps:

1. Intake - to determine eligibility and/or referrals to other more appropriate services. (May be done by an Intake Specialist and/or Supervisor prior to assignment to a Vocational Counsellor).
2. Assessment - to determine the following:
   1. the participant's abilities, limitations, and special interests or aptitudes;
   2. his/her likelihood of benefiting from vocational services; and
   3. the goods and services required to assist in the achievement of his/her vocational goal.
3. Development of an Individual Vocational Training Plan - to identify and confirm the vocational goal, document the goods and services required and the sequential actions necessary to achieve the goal. The plan should be amended as changes occur.
4. Vocational Counseling - to provide the participant with encouragement, support, and problem solving assistance through a professional relationship with regard to making vocational choices and achieving the vocational goal.
5. Implementation - to provide the following:
   1. assistance to the participant in the implementation of the agreed upon activities through co-ordination of services in support of the vocational goal;
   2. initiation and maintenance of all required documentation throughout the service co-ordination process;
   3. assistance to the participant in identifying suitable employment opportunities and in establishing necessary employer contacts.
6. Follow-up Monitoring - to provide support to the participant during the transition to employment and for several months after employment has been obtained.
7. Closure - to determine the appropriate timing for case closure and to refer to other more appropriate services, if required.

The foregoing process may be modified in individual situations. Case closure may occur at any point in the process and normally occurs when the participant has successfully made the transition to the work force or determination is made that the participant is no longer eligible, able, or interested in pursuing a vocational goal.

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