Download - “Looking Forward”
“Looking Forward”Investigating the counselling and support needs of non-traditional students in Irish third-level education
Trinity College Student Counselling Service2007
Overview Third-level students in the 21st
Century
Meeting needs through student counselling
The importance of researching ‘non-traditional’ students
Defining the ‘non-traditional’ student Mature students
Students with disabilities
Students from ethnic minority groups, including refugees
Students from the traveller community
Students from socially- disadvantaged backgrounds
Research Question
What is the current counselling provision for non-traditional students in third-level education in comparison to their traditional student peers?
Mature Students (23+ years) - Current Service Provision
02468
10121416
Third-level 1
Thirdlevel 2
Thirdlevel 3
Thirdlevel 4
Thirdlevel 5
Thirdlevel 6
Total
% in college % in counselling
Mature Students (non-CAO applicants) - Referral Rates at Trinity College Dublin
0
5
10
15
20
1998-1999
1999-2000
2000-2001
2001-2002
2002-2003
2003-2004
2004-2005
2005-2006
2006-2007
% referral rate from total student body% referral rate of mature students
Students registered with Disability - Counselling attendance
02468
1012141618
third level1
third level2
third level3
third level4
third level5
third level6
Total
% in college % in counselling
Mature Students in Counselling- Presenting Issues
010
2030
40
Presenting issues for Mature Students at UCC Counselling ServicesAugust 2004 to June 2005
Students with Disability - Counselling Service Provision
0 20 40 60 80 100
Physical
Sensory
Medical
Learning
Mental Health
IAUCC counsellors' self-rated experience of service provision (n=23)
Social Disadvantage- Current service provision
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
TCD UCC
% in college % in counselling
Finding out what students think - Qualitative research
“First year in college: the experience of mature students”
- Daire Gilmartin “The experience of students from
socially-disadvantaged backgrounds at third-level”
- Sonya Walsh
Research Questions
What are the training needs and practice guidelines required by student counselling staff in order to provide a quality service to non-traditional students in a third-level setting?
Counsellor training needs - IAUCC survey
0102030405060708090
100
RefugeeCommunity
Disability TravellerCommunity
SociallyDisadvantaged
Mature
(n=23)
Research Question
What are the counselling and support needs of non-traditional students in Irish third-level education?
Mature Students’ Needs - Qualitative findings
Choosing third-level education
“ There was no option, the option for me to come to college at that stage, after school, just did not exist…my parents wouldn’t have been able to afford it…I was so disillusioned”.
Mature Students’ Needs - Qualitative findings
Personal impact
“You’re trying to balance the subjects and the topics yourself. Finding that balance is difficult enough, but then you have to find the balance with your family, kids, friends, social life and that is really, really difficult”.
Mature Students’ Needs - Qualitative findings
Social Comparison
“…coming back to full time education from so long that you worry, and if you are heading in to your first year exams, that you’d be wondering were you up to it, were you up to the mark, could you make the grade in third level”.
Mature Students’ Needs - Qualitative findings
Coping and support
“...there’s a crowd of us. We’ve kind of formed a nucleus, there are other ‘matures’ who we’ve gotten to know…so we keep an eye”.
Mature Students’ Needs - Qualitative findings
Positivity
“I’m doing something for myself…I’m not trapped anymore. I feel like I’m working towards something as well. The goal is a Degree. Hopefully in a couple of years time…maybe who knows. I’ve got opportunities. I’m going to have choices”.
Social Disadvantage - Issues faced by students
Experiencing difference
“My Mam and Dad were very eager that I kind of got a new route, because they seen what they had to do and how they had to work…breaking their backs all the years”.
Social Disadvantage - Issues faced by students
The right to an education
“what matters is not the door you go in. It’s the door you go out”
Social Disadvantage - Issues faced by students
Future focus: the big picture
“it’s like my legacy to my kids. They will have a father who went to college…that will be another step up for them…something that I didn’t have and that will be passed on through the generations”.
Social Disadvantage - Issues faced by students
The meaning of education
“It’s given me the option…of just having what I want instead of having to settle for second or third”.
Social Disadvantage - Issues faced by students
Practical challenges
“I’m having to work. I’m in college Monday to Friday and I’m working probably one or two nights during the week and then Saturday and Sunday as well. I’m just finding it really tiring”.
Improving counselling services- some suggestions
Pro-active personal contact
Assisting time-management
Focus on relationships
Communication and information sharing
Staff training and liaison
Report Details
Available in electronic format (pdf) from:
http://www.student_counselling/tcd