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First-year school counsellor in training professional experience in NSW: A qualitative study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 June 2020

Michael A. Fajardo*
Affiliation:
School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia School Counselling Service, NSW Department of Education, New South Wales, Australia
Laura Hudswell
Affiliation:
School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia School Counselling Service, NSW Department of Education, New South Wales, Australia
Shirley Lu
Affiliation:
School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Ryan M. Saunderson
Affiliation:
School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia School Counselling Service, NSW Department of Education, New South Wales, Australia
Harriet Hulme
Affiliation:
School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia School Counselling Service, NSW Department of Education, New South Wales, Australia
*
*Corresponding author. Email: michael.fajardo@sydney.edu.au
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Abstract

The professional experience of school counsellors in training in Australia is subject to different supervisor-supervisee relationships and school settings. The current study explored the first-year New South Wales school counsellor in training professional experience via an adapted qualitative content and framework analysis approach. Participants were students undertaking their first professional experience as part of the Master of Teaching (School Counselling) at the University of Sydney. The most common descriptive reflections explored professional psychological learning, followed by system- and process-related knowledge of the school setting. Emergent themes highlighted that professional experience prepared students for the role, which varied based on supervisor and school setting, and helped the students form professional identities via observing rich ethical and professional practice. Future professional experiences may be enriched with explicit reflections, peer-to-peer learning and support to foster working supervisor-supervisee relationships.

Type
Practitioner Paper
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

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