Work Environment
This occupation is typically found in the following Career Sector(s):
Videos on the Web
- Community Guidance Worker - from: Youtube Search
Most commonly reported Work Activities
- Training and Teaching Others Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
- Getting Information Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
- Coaching and Developing Others Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
- Organising, Planning, and Prioritising Work Developing specific goals and plans to prioritise, organise, and accomplish your work.
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems Analysing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
Working Life
- Career counselling approach to individuals to help them to understand and overcome their personal, social barriers affecting their educational or vocational situations.
- Supporting diverse groups in scoeity in terms of their ethnicity, ability, mental health recovery, justice, and residential status.
- Provide crisis intervention to students and clients when difficult situations occur.
- Confer with parents or guardians, teachers, administrators, and other professionals to discuss clients progress, resolve behavioral, academic, and other barriers, and to determine priorities for clients and their needs.
- Maintaining accurate and complete client records as required by law, policies, and administrative regulations.
- Prepare clients for later educational experiences by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks.
- Evaluate students' or individuals' abilities, interests, and personality characteristics using tests, records, interviews, or professional sources.
- Identify client needs and make appropriate referrals.
- Support clients with educational issues, such as course selection, class scheduling and registration, learning adjustment, study skills, and career planning.
- Provide special services such as alcohol and drug prevention programmes that teach clients to handle conflicts & challenges
Most commonly reported Work Tasks
- Observe and evaluate students' work to determine progress, provide feedback, and make suggestions for improvement.
- Present lectures and conduct discussions to increase students' knowledge and competence using visual aids, such as graphs, charts, videotapes, and slides.
- Supervise and monitor students' use of tools and equipment.
- Administer oral, written, or performance tests to measure progress and to evaluate training effectiveness.
- Provide individualised instruction and tutorial or remedial instruction.
- Prepare reports and maintain records, such as student grades, attendance rolls, and training activity details.
- Develop curricula and plan course content and methods of instruction.
- Determine training needs of students or workers.
- Supervise independent or group projects, field placements, laboratory work, or other training.
- Integrate academic and vocational curricula so that students can obtain a variety of skills.
Qualities - Community Guidance Worker
- You must enjoy working with people and helping them to make important decisions about their education, training and careers.
- Good communication skills are very important. You must be able to listen carefully and ask the right questions to find out about the client's interests, skills and values.
- Knowledge of assessment techniques such as psychometric tests and computer guidance systems is also useful.
- You will meet people from many different backgrounds, with different levels of self-confidence and experience of education.
- You should encourage self-assessment, avoid imposing solutions, and guide the client to come to their own choices and decisions.
- You will need strong negotiating skills, to represent the client's interests when you work with colleges or training providers.
- Community adult guidance is varied, so you will need to be flexible and well organised. You will need to be able to plan your caseload, and do administrative tasks such as writing reports and keeping records.
Interests - Community Guidance Worker
This occupation is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:
Social
The Social person's interests focus on interacting with the people in their environment. In all cases, the Social person enjoys the personal contact with other people in preference to the impersonal dealings with things, data and ideas found in other groups.
Many will seek out positions where there is direct contact with the public in some advisory role, whether a receptionist or a counsellor. Social people are motivated by an interest in different types of people and like diversity in their work environments. Many are drawn towards careers in the caring professions and social welfare area, whilst others prefer teaching and other 'informing' roles.
Creative
Creative people are drawn to careers and activities that enable them to take responsibility for the design, layout or sensory impact of something (visual, auditory etc). They may be atrracted to the traditional artistic pursuits such as painting, sculpture, singing, or music. Or they may show more interest in design activities, such as architecture, animation, or craft areas, such as pottery and ceramics.
Creative people use their personal understanding of people and the world they live in to guide their work. Creative people like to work in unstructured workplaces, enjoy taking risks and prefer a minimum of routine.
Enterprising
Enterprising people like situations that involve using resources for personal or corporate economic gain. Such people may have an opportunistic frame of mind, and are drawn to commerce, trade and making deals. Some pursue sales and marketing occupations. Many will eventually end up owning their own business, or in management roles in larger organisations. They tend to be very goal-oriented and work best when focused on a target. Some have an entrepreneurial inclination.
Entry / Progression - Community Guidance Worker
The qualification in guidance and counselling is a postgraduate course. To satisfy the entry requirements one must have a basic undergraduate degree NFQ level 6-8.
Employers place importance on the right personal qualities. Relevant life and work experience are also highly valued. You may have gained this in an area such as: teaching, youth and community work, social work, and probation work or personnel work.
Relevant courses are available at institutions throughout the country. Information on course details and entry requirements can be obtained from the individual colleges.
Sample Education and Training Pathways
A number of courses are available throughout the country that focus on learning and skills that may be useful for this career. The examples and links below may guide you in your research.
Further Education (FET)
Further Education & Training (FET) Courses are delivered by local ETBs, ranging in duration from several weeks up to 20 months. Courses are designed to meet the labour market needs and often include a large element of work experience.
Example search terms include: teaching, youth, community work, social work, probation work, personnel work.
Search for FET Courses
PLC Courses (FET)
PLC courses are full-time courses, one or two years duration, with awards at Level 5 and 6 on the NFQ. They are offered nationally in Schools and Colleges of Further Education.
Example search terms include: teaching, youth, community work, social work, probation work, personnel work.
Search for PLC Courses
Higher Education CAO (Undergraduate)
Higher Education courses at Levels 6 to 8 on the NFQ, delivered in Universities and Technological Universities & Institutes. Courses run from 2 – 5 years and places are allocated on a points-based system, processed by the Central Application Office.
Example search terms include: teaching, youth, community work, social work, probation work, personnel work, HR.
Search for CAO Courses
Higher Education (Postgraduate)
Postgraduate courses are courses at Levels 9 and 10 on the NFQ and usually last 1 – 2 years full time, or longer if a PhD or part time. Entrants typically require an undergraduate award (Level 8).
Example search terms include: career guidance, counselling.
Search for Postgraduate Courses
Dublin City University (DCU)
MSc in Guidance Counselling
2 year part time (contact DCU directly regarding entry criteria)
University of Limerick (UL)
MA Guidance Counselling & Lifespan Development
2 year part time (contact UL directly regarding entry criteria)
Maynooth University (MU)
Certificate in Adult Guidance, Theory and Practice
1 year part-time (contact MU directly for more information and entry criteria)
Post Graduate Diploma in School Guidance Counselling
1 year part time - SCHOOL ONLY (contact MU directly for more information and entry criteria)
Master of Education - School Guidance Counselling
1 year part time - SCHOOL ONLY (contact MU directly regarding entry criteria)
Post Graduate Diploma (Arts) in Adult Guidance Counselling
2 year part time - FURTHER EDUCATION ONLY - (contact MU directly regarding entry criteria).
Recognizing Foreign Guidance Qualifications
NARIC Ireland provides advice on the academic recognition of foreign qualifications by comparing them, where possible and appropriate, to a major award type and level on the Irish National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ). A comparability statement for each qualification listed is available for download on the NARIC website.
Professional Development
Professional development (CPD) courses are specialised training, formal education, or advanced professional learning that improves skills, professional knowledge, competency, and overall effectiveness in the professional world.
Institute of Guidance Counsellors
National Centre for Guidance in Education
Check the Useful Contacts tab on this page to see if there are any professional bodies listed who may provide training related to this career.
Pay & Salary - Community Guidance Worker
Salary Range (thousands per year)* €36k - €54k
Salaries vary based on employer, location, duties, role, and conditions.
Data Source(s):
SICAP/ Pobal / Forsa
Last Updated: July, 2024
Labour Market Updates - Community Guidance Worker
Note: The following information relates to occupations that include: Vocational; industrial trainers and instructors; Careers advisers; vocational guidance specialists; Driving instructors.
This information has been derived from the Solas National Skills Bulletin (2023).
Employment growth was below average over the five-year period, with little growth since 2020. It should be noted that career guidance professionals working in the second level system are most likely captured in the secondary teaching occupations. Employment permits issued in 2022 were all intra-company transfers and related to roles outside of the education sector.
Useful Contacts - Community Guidance Worker
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Activelink
- Activelink, 2-4 Merville Road, Stillorgan, Co. Dublin, A94 E3F8, Ireland.
- 01-6677326
- [email protected]
- Click Here
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Social Entrepreneurs Ireland
- Lower Ground Floor,11/12 Warrington Place, Dublin 2, Ireland
- 01-6853191
- [email protected]
- Click Here
