Counselling service extension urged

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33155, 20 February 1973, Page 12

Counselling service extension urged

An extension of counselling services in secondary schools and technical institutes is of utmost importance if the difficulties facing New Zealand youth are effectively to be helped, the student counsellor’ at the University of Canterbury (Mr A, R. Hornblow) said in Christchurch yesterday.

Mr Hornblow was commenting on his return from a study tour of student health centres and community youth counselling centres in Australia.

“In New Zealand, technicalinstitute students and many younger students are very poorly off as far as counselling services are concerned.’ There are many instances where the university counselling services have been giving unofficial help to othbr young people.’ “This is not always convenient as the technical institutes should have their own staff,” said Mr Hornblow. Secondary schools had a very important part to play in the provision of counselling services and the role of the classroom teacher was of particular importance. Many teachers might need courses in human relationships, said Mr Hornblow. “Young people can be taught the social skills of how to get along with their fellows. The schools obviously are the place to do this.”

Mr Hornblow emphasised that the attitude of the community towards counselling in the widest sense had taken a positive change over the last five years. “But we must always remember that the aim of counselling isn’t just to make people happy and feel good. It is to help them function more effectively as human

beings in their own unique way. In the educational context the counsellor must work with the teacher and the parent to develop skills in the student so that he can cope with life’s problems. Once he can cope then he is a much better member of society.” Mr Hornblow also attended the tri-ennial conference of the Australian and New Zealand Student Services Association in Canberra.