of counselling and coaching

CHC51015

Diploma of
Counselling
Opening Opportunities
At Open Colleges, we are
passionate about helping people
from all walks of life to achieve
their aspirations and dreams. For
more than 100 years, we have been
opening opportunities for people
across Australia. Today, Open
Colleges is blazing a new trail in
online and distance education
creating Australias leader in next
generation learning.

Why study with Open Colleges?

Freedom study where you want,
when you want
Our courses and learning
materials have been designed
specifically for open learning
Our trainers are industry
professionals with experience in
supporting open learning students
Our dedicated student support
team is there to help you every
step of the way
Our virtual campus OpenSpace
provides you with opportunities to
interact with trainers & students
Many of our courses are nationally
recognised & meet professional
licencing or registration requirements.
of community services

CHC51015

Diploma of Counselling
Start your journey in counselling and make
a real difference in peoples lives with Open
Colleges Diploma of Counselling.

Tailored to provide a good mix of theory and practice,

the course will train you in the most effective counselling C O U R S E D E TA I L S
theories, and will provide you with the skills you need to
work in the field of counselling, case management and Course Number E1202
social welfare. Delivery mode Online with Work
Placement
If you have a passion for helping people, and enjoy the
Course duration Max 24 months
challenge of changing lives, then counselling is the perfect
Assessments Knowledge tests, case
profession for you. studies, written reports,
Studying a Diploma of Counselling with Open Colleges you demonstrations,
portfolios of evidence
will get:
> A solid foundation in counselling practices across Qualification Diploma
a wide range of in-demand areas. Nationally
> A selection of specialised electives including Recognised Yes
mental health, family and domestic violence,
Awarded by ICM Training
problem gambling and loss and grief.
> Structured Workplace Learning, which allow you
CAREER OUTCOMES
to practice your skills, enabling you to start your
counselling journey. > Case worker
> A pathway into Charles Sturt Universitys Bachelor > Intake Counsellor
of Social Work or Bachelor of Social Science
> Counsellor
(Social Welfare) with credit granted for the
successful completion of the Diploma. POTENTIAL SALARY

You will be able to select the ideal counselling methods to Counsellors earn up to $67,000 per annum on
meet your clients needs, as well as gain an understanding average (source: www.payscale.com). However, as
of legal and ethical frameworks and how to work many counsellors are selfemployed, incomes may
collaboratively with other healthcare professionals. vary substantially.

You will also have the opportunity to learn more about

Gestalt Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Solution
Focused Therapy, Person Centered Therapy, Family
Therapy and Narrative Therapy.
Diploma of Counselling graduates will be eligible for a
Provisional Membership from the Australian Counselling
Association and able to seek employment as a counsellor,
intake counsellor or a case worker in either the private,
public or not-for-profit sectors.

Opening Opportunities
CHC51015 Diploma of Counselling

What you need to know

about this course
COURSE NUMBER E1202

How is the course delivered? What is work placement?

This is an online course with work placement. Work placement is a structured learning program
This means that you will complete your undertaken in a workplace. It involves undertaking
knowledge and initial skills development through set tasks and activities over time under the
online learning. You will also undertake a work guidance of a workplace superviser and Open
placement. This will allow you to master practical Colleges Workplace Assessor. To be assessed
skills and gain invaluable workplace experience in the workplace you will complete a logbook,
and contacts. complete a workplace portfolio and undergo
interviews with your Workplace Assessor.
What is online learning? A work placement can be a highly stimulatingand
OpenSpace is Open Colleges online campus. rewarding part of the course. It will enable you
Through OpenSpace you will: to participate in a real workplace and put into
> Access your learning materials and assessments practice the new skills and knowledge that you are
> Undertake and upload assessments learning in the course.
> Engage and interact with your Program The work placement also provides Open Colleges
Manager, Trainer and Assessor with an opportunity to assess the skills and
> Participate in student forums and find a knowledge you have developed through the
Study Buddy course in the workplace. This is called
> Access your assessment grades and feedback workplace assessment.
> Access Student Support Services
Open Colleges provides you with a detailed
Workplace Assessment Guide. This details the
What learning materials are
specific requirements of the workplace and
included with this course?
workplace supervisor to meet the needs of
Your learning materials are accessed through
the course.
OpenSpace. These include:
You are required to identify a suitable organisation
> Textbook readings
for your work placement. However, Open Colleges
> Learning content
can provide advice and direction through our Work
> Additional readings
Placement Support Team.
> Video resources
> Podcasts Please note that you may need to undertake the
> Discussion forums work placement at more than one workplace in
> Links to key online resources order to meet the requirements of the course,
depending on the nature and scope of activities
conducted at the workplace.
More information can be found in the Workplace
Assessment Guide.

Opening Opportunities
CHC51015 Diploma of Counselling

Specific work placement > Questions?

requirements: Contact our Enrolment Consultants on
1300 050 762 to discuss any questions you
> Duration: 160 hours (minimum).
might have regarding the work placement
> Workplace: requirements of the course.
You will be eligible to commence work
placement after successful completion of How is the course assessed?
modules 1 to 6. During the course, you will undertake:

The structured workplace learning must be > Knowledge tests

undertaken in an approved facility that > Case studies
provides formal counselling services. > Written reports
> Demonstrations/presentations
> Supervisor:
> Portfolios of evidence
Your workplace supervisor is required to have:
> At least 3 years experience within industry
and/or What about Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)?
> Hold a minimum qualification of the Diploma of We understand that you may already have many
Counselling or equivalent. skills and areas of expertise that you have obtained
> Recommendation: in different ways and these are recognised through
Open Colleges recommends that you consider our Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) process.
the work placement options in your local area Open Colleges has developed an RPL Application
prior to enrolling in this course. Kit for this course. The Student Handbook,
> Minimum Requirements: available on the Open Colleges website, provides
There are a number of statutory checks that more information about our RPL process.
may be required by workplaces, including: Alternatively, you can contact an Enrolment
> National Police Check Consultant to discuss your RPL options.
> Working with Children Check (or state
What about Credit Transfer?
equivalent),
If you have completed another nationally
> Signing of a Confidentiality Agreement
recognised qualification you may be eligible for
> Signing of a Code of Conduct
credit transfer. Contact an Enrolment Consultant
> Occupational Assessment, screening and
for more information.
vaccination against infectious disease
> Hold a current First Aid Certificate
What is the duration of the course?

The maximum duration for the course is 24
These requirements may vary by state.
months, including work placement. To complete
In addition, individual workplaces may impose
the course in this timeframe, we recommend
additional requirements on students
that you study a minimum of 16 hours per week.
undertaking work placement. You will be
This is a guide only the time taken to complete
responsible for the costs of any such
your course will depend on your level of skill and
checks or requirements.
knowledge.

> Insurance:
Open Colleges provides insurance cover for the
mandatory work placement you undertake
as part of your course. This insurance coverage
includes Public and Products Liability Insurance
as well as Student Personal Accident Insurance.

Opening Opportunities
CHC51015 Diploma of Counselling

What are the admission Computing requirements:

requirements for the course?
All Open Colleges courses include the
Education entry requirements following minimum computer and audio-visual
There are no mandated education entry requirements.
requirements listed within the CHC Community
Services Training Package for this qualification. Hardware and Software requirements
All users:
Minimum age requirements
> Microsoft Office 2010 or equivalent
You will need to be at least 18 years old to enrol in
> Broadband internet connection
this course.
> 2GB of RAM
English language requirements > CD-ROM or DVD drive
This course requires you to read comprehensive > Adobe Reader XI or equivalent
modules and learning materials, undertake a > Printer and associated software
range of written assessments and engage in online > Scanner and associated software
discussion forums and Structured Workplace > Digital imaging software
Learning activities. Furthermore, the course > File compression software
relies on the extensive use of oral and written
communication. Windows users:
> Microsoft Windows 7 or higher (Windows 8
Therefore, entry to the course requires English
recommended)
proficiency to Year 12 level.
> Ghz or faster processer (2GHz recommended)
If you have not successfully completed English at > Adobe Flash Player 10 or higher
Year 12 level, you can demonstrate equivalency in
one of the following: Mac OS users:
> Successful completion of a nationally recognised > Mac OSX v10.5 or higher (Mac OSX v10.6
training qualification at Certificate III level or recommended)
higher; OR > 1 Ghz or faster processer (2GHz
recommended)
> 2 years work experience in a role that > Adobe Flash Player 10 or higher
requires the use of written documentation and
communication.
Audio-Visual requirements
Open Colleges recognises that not all people You will need access to software to view online
are able to read, write and perform calculations videos and images. Software such as Adobe
to the same standard. See Language, Literacy Reader, Windows Media Player, Windows Photo
and Numeracy Considerations section for more Viewer etc. are available as a free download from
information on tools, resources and support the internet.
services provided to learners by Open Colleges.
As well as access to digital video recording device
and/or digital camera and associated software
to save and upload video and image files to
OpenSpace. Many mobile phone and smart phones
include this technology.

Opening Opportunities
CHC51015 Diploma of Counselling

Skill requirements including enrolment, change of contact details,

To successfully complete this course, learners will OpenSpace support, assessment results and
require basic computing skills. This includes: certification. You can access the Student Support
Team in OpenSpace or by email or phone.
> Creating, saving and editing Microsoft
Office documents Learning Support
> Accessing and searching the internet The Learning Support Team is a dedicated
> Downloading and saving documents team of specialists that can provide you with
from websites a comprehensive induction to studying with
> Uploading documents through websites Open Colleges as well as specific support if you
> Participating in online discussions encounter learning difficulties during your studies.
Learning support resources, such as writing
Physical requirements guides, are available in OpenSpace. You can access
the Learning Support Team via your Trainer and
The Counselling role demands prioritising
Assessor or the Student Support Team.
situations and managing time, and could cause
fatigue and stress due to irregular working hours. Work Placement Support
As a counsellor, you may also have to manage The Work Placement Support Team can provide
physically threatening clients and be prepared to you with support, advice and resources if you
be responsible for your own safety, and the safety encounter difficulties in securing a workplace for
of others. your work placement. You can access the Work
Placement Support Team via the Student
Support Team.
Structured workplace learning
requirements Peer Support
As part of this course you are required to As a student of Open Colleges you can also
undertake Structured Workplace Learning, which access our Study Buddy system. This enables
includes securing a work placement. This may you to connect with other Open Colleges students
also involve needing to obtain a number of other studying your course that live near you. Students
certificates and statutory checks, at your own cost. find this is a great way to keep motivated and build
lasting friendships and networks.

More information?
What support services are available? The Student Handbook, available on the Open
During your studies with Open Colleges, you will Colleges website, provides more detailed
have access to a comprehensive range of support information on the support services available
services. These include: to students. We recommend that you read the
Student Handbook prior to enrolling with us.
Academic Support
Your experienced Trainers and Assessors are
available in OpenSpace to answer any questions
you may have regarding the learning materials or
assessments. Your trainer can also provide you
with advice and support regarding the overall
course.

Student Support
The Student Support Team is your one-stop service
centre for all student administrative issues

Opening Opportunities
CHC51015 Diploma of Counselling

What will I obtain on completion of Case Management Society of

the course? Australia and New Zealand (CMSA)
Upon successful completion of this course you Case Management Society of Australia and New
will receive a nationally recognised qualification Zealand (CMSA) is the national registration and
CHC51015 Diploma of Counselling awarded by regulatory body for Certified Case Managers, and is
Integrated Care & Management Training Pty Ltd also the peak body for professionals employed in
(Provider Number: 90197). case management roles within Australia and New
Zealand.
What further studies could I pursue? Open College students have unlimited access to
Students who successfully complete the CHC51015 CMSAs Tertiary E-Resource Library, which means
Diploma of Counselling may wish to go on to you will not only be able to gain a thorough insight
further studies in this field. into the core skill of case management in the
Other courses you may be interested in: health and community services industry, but also
have these learning resources to turn to when
> CHC52015 Diploma of Community Services
doing course assessments.
> CHC50413 Diploma of Youth Work
> CHC50113 Diploma of Early Childhood Education
and Care

Articulation pathway with Charles

Sturt University:
Open Colleges has formalised articulation with
Charles Sturt University. After graduation from this
course you may wish to undertake the:
> Bachelor of Social Work; OR
> Bachelor of Social Science (Social Welfare)

Planning to use this course as a

pathway to university?
When you complete this course youll be eligible to
apply for the Open Colleges scholarship at Charles
Sturt University.
The $2,000 scholarship is awarded exclusively to
four Open Colleges students per year who enrol in
the Social Science (Social Welfare) or Bachelor of
Social Work with Charles Sturt University. You can
use the scholarship however you like; to assist with
your tuition fees, to buy textbooks or to stock up
on supplies for your new course.
The scholarship is sponsored by Open Colleges and
is open exclusively to Open Colleges students.

Opening Opportunities
CHC51015 Diploma of Counselling

Modules and Units

Once you are enrolled in this course, you will receive access to the first module, which contains the first set of
modules for the course. When you have successfully completed those modules, youll be given access to the next
module.

Modules Unit Code Unit Title

Module 1: CHCCSL001 Establish and confirm counselling relationship
Provide intake counselling legally
and ethically CHCLEG001 Work legally and ethically

Module 2: CHCDIV001 Work with diverse people

Working with diversity CHCDIV002 Promote Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultural safety

Apply specialist interpersonal and Therapy covered: Person

Module 3: CHCCSL002
counselling interview skills Centered Therapy
Build the relationship with the client
CHCCSL003 Facilitate the counselling relationship and process
Research and apply personality and Therapy covered: Gestalt
Module 4: CHCCSL004
development theories Therapy
Research and apply counselling theories
CHCCSL005 Apply learning theories in counselling

Module 5: CHCCSL006 Select and use counselling therapies Therapies covered: Gestalt
Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural
Use counselling therapies to support
Therapy, Person Centered
people experiencing loss and grief CHCCCS017 Provide loss and grief support Therapy

Module 6: CHCCSM005 Develop, facilitate and review all aspects of case management
Manage case plans for the delivery Assess the needs of clients with problem Therapy covered: Narrative
of problem gambling services CHCGMB001
gambling issues Therapy

CHCCCS019 Recognise and respond to crisis situations

Module 7:
Support victims of domestic violence Recognise and respond appropriately to Therapy covered: Family
CHCDFV001
domestic and family violence Therapy
Support counselling clients in decision- Therapy covered: Solution
Module 8: CHCCSL007
making processes Focused Therapy, Cognitive
Support people with mental health issues
CHCMHS001 Work with people with mental health Behavioural Therapy

Module 9: CHCPRP003 Reflect on and improve on own professional practice

For full course competency details visit www.training.gov.au

Opening Opportunities
Opening Opportunities
Studying with
Open Colleges
Support
Open Colleges provides you with Access the student support team using the
the freedom to study where and online enquiry feature. OpenSpace also provides
when you want. We understand a detailed searchable database of Frequently
Asked Questions, so that we can provide you with
that our students are constantly responses to many of the common queries. You
juggling multiple priorities, so our can also contact the student support team by
unique learning approach has been phone on 1300 650 682.

specifically designed to enable

you to fit education and training
I have always been interested in the process
around your lifestyle.
of helping other people overcome barriers to
personal progress. This course has allowed
After you enrol with Open Colleges you will be me to help others in their personal and
provided with access to OpenSpace our virtual professional growth.
campus. Here are some of the key features and
benefits of OpenSpace: Kylie Roebuck,
Counselling Student
Access
Access your learning materials, assessments,
videos and additional online resources wherever
you have an internet connection. You can also
download your study guides, workbooks and
assessments so that you can study wherever and
whenever it suits you.

Connections
Connect with your trainers and assessors and
other students. You can participate in the lively
student forums, link up with a study buddy or
engage with your trainer. OpenSpace
is also where you will submit your assessments
and receive your grades.

Knowledge
OpenSpace is your link to Gale our extensive
online library. Through Gale you will have access
to millions of academic, magazine and newspaper
articles from around the world.
How to Enrol
Enrolling with Open Colleges is easy:

Enrol online today. Just visit our website, select

your course and click Enrol Today
OR
Enrol by phone. Just call one of our friendly
Enrolment Consultants on 1300 853 033

Need more information?

We appreciate that choosing the right course is
important. If you would like to discuss your career
or course options, please do not hesitate to call our
Enrolment Consultants on 1300 853 033 or email
enquiry@opencolleges.edu.au with your questions.

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