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Difference between a social worker and a counsellor
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I am 21 & have a Counselling & Psychotherapy degree trained in person-centred counselling however i now have to undertake a diploma before i can 'practice' so am taking a year out until this sept to gather funds, it will cost me £2,000 for the diploma plus i need to take into account other costs such as having my own counsellor and superviser. To be a counsellor however you do not need a degree but will most likely need a diploma which involves skills work and placements. It will be worth it in the end for me because as i have always wanted to be a counsellor but i think the government could be offering more to help, for example person-centred counselling is not recognised as much as CBT on the NHS and there is hardly any help available in terms of funding (only a BACP bursary which is not given to many) even when i finish my diploma there is no gaurantee of a job and i feel it will be difficult to get my first job in the field. I did originally want to undertake social work but when i looked more about counselling i decided this was the career role for me.
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snowyemma, I guess many counsellors tend to be older?
what about private work, is that easily available?0 -
Social workers offer practical support, as well as emotional support and advice. They help you with current issues. Counsellors offer emotion support, but cannot advice you. They help you deal with your emotions for current and passed issues.
There is a high demand at present for qualified social workers. The salary is good starting (£22k or there abouts), and career progression happens very quickly.
I am about to start a role as a support assistant, which used to be known as a social work assistant.
I hope this helps.Baby Mazza due New Years Day 2013!0 -
Thanks all, we have asked the local university if her previous experience is good enough.
She volunteered at a youth centre in poland, speaks fluently polish and english, has a bachelor degree and master degree in tourism and also currently volunteers at a counselling volunteer centre (as a PA).
hence the confusion between counselling and social work, the counsellors there encouraged her to change her current work (factory worker) and aim for something a bit different and more rewarding for her.
We are in process of applying through UCAS (its quite rushed as deadline is 15th janruary) and I've downloaded all the bursary and info packs to apply if she gets the place etc. Exciting times indeed.
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Oldernotwiser wrote: »But very few actual jobs. Most counsellors are in private practice.
Ok will give you that, A 2 minute google and I found over 30 vacancies for Low intensity CBT practitioners/providors and a around 20 vacancies for Therapists, all paying over 30K pro rata for PT and over 32K for full time.
They are around, you just need to get creative in searching.0 -
Thanks all, we have asked the local university if her previous experience is good enough.
She volunteered at a youth centre in poland, speaks fluently polish and english, has a bachelor degree and master degree in tourism and also currently volunteers at a counselling volunteer centre (as a PA).
hence the confusion between counselling and social work, the counsellors there encouraged her to change her current work (factory worker) and aim for something a bit different and more rewarding for her.
We are in process of applying through UCAS (its quite rushed as deadline is 15th janruary) and I've downloaded all the bursary and info packs to apply if she gets the place etc. Exciting times indeed.
I'm sorry, but you do know that she won't get funding for this as she already has a degree?
Edit: See below for correction.0 -
Can you provide evidence for that?
I cant find any mention of having a degree in eligibility criteria. Every entrant to the Postgrad course would have a degree (by requirement)... Thats a start.
As for her previous Postgrad degree (MA tourism) cant see anything in eligibility criteria. If you can please point it out to me .
Pulled from their website for Postgrad eligility:
You must meet all of the following criteria:- You are entering or already studying on a social work course that has been approved by the General Social Care Council (GSCC), the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC), the Care Council for Wales or the Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC).
- If you are studying a joint discipline course which includes social work, you should apply to NHS Student Bursaries.
- You must not already hold a higher education social work qualification, including the Diploma in Social Work (DipSW).
- You are studying on a college based course and you are not receiving any of the following support from a social care employer:
- Any paid time off to allow you to attend your studies;
- Payment of all or part of your tuition fees;
- Payment from a practice learning provider for undertaking placement duties for them;
- Funds through the Department of Health Training Support Grant;
- Any other form of support to assist with your social work training
- You are studying on a college based course and if you are receiving a retainer, the retainer meets all of the following criteria:
- the retainer is offered as an incentive to engage in employment with the retainer provider once the receipient qualifies as a social worker, and not as support towards the receipient's social work training;
- the retainer must be paid back if the receipient does not complete their training or engage in employment with the provider;
- the receipient is not and will not be engaged in employment with, be contracted to, on a temporary assignment with or seconded to the organisation(s) providing the retainer, throughout the social work training;
- the retainer is not funded from the Department of Health's National Training Strategy Grant.
- You are studying on a college based course and you are not receiving funding from a publicly funded body. Note: funding through the Access to Learning Fund, Student Finance Direct, Government Benefit Agencies and bursaries from your HEI is excluded
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Sorry, you're absolutely right. I hadn't realised that you applied for the MA through UCAS, so I thought she was going for the undergraduate route.0
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no probs, you scared me lol. like someone saying bye bye to 6k lol :P (tuiton +grant)0
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