Level 2 Counselling Skills – Evening: September Start

Course Overview

This course is designed as an introduction to counselling skills and into some of the counselling approaches that underpin these skills. No prior experience, or training, in the field of counselling is required. The course is for those, that want to use counselling skills in everyday life, incorporate into their work, or are considering embarking on formal counselling training as an intended career change.

Entry Requirements

No formal entry requirements but prospective learners should be aware, either by interview or other suitable methods, that the course involves experiential learning and self-awareness exercises, which will be demanding of the self in interaction with others.

What the course covers

This course allows candidates to make a more informed choice as to whether or not to embark on a demanding vocational training towards a possible career in counselling or an allied career, for example, welfare advice work, where counselling skills would be useful. It is also intended for those who wish to develop their understanding of counselling in order to complement other qualifications, for example, health and social care, teaching and community work.

This course is appropriate for those who are:

• returning to study
• seeking a career change
• undertaking voluntary work
• enhancing career prospects through extra qualifications
• thinking of training as a professional counsellor
• seeking development of enhanced social skills

The NCFE CACHE Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills aims to:

• to give candidates a ‘taste of counselling’, its concepts and methods
• to provide the candidate with an introduction to basic counselling skills, and the beginnings of an understanding of counselling practices and their ethics
• to enable candidates to learn to identify basic counselling skills defined within this specification to enable candidates to either, learn some basic underpinning theory of counselling, or learn how basic counselling skills are applied to a defined situation
• to enable candidates to appreciate the importance of self-development.

Aims and Objectives

The course consists of 4 units:

Unit 01: Using counselling skills

Unit purpose and aim(s): This unit is a basic introduction to counselling concepts. The aim is to provide candidates with a rudimentary knowledge and understanding of the profession of counselling and how it differs from other helping activities, and they will also have gained some elementary knowledge and understanding of counselling skills. The unit also introduces the candidate to counselling concepts, and to the ethos and methodology of counselling. Candidates will have acquired knowledge and understanding of the profession of therapeutic counselling and will also have gained some knowledge and understanding of its basic counselling skills.

Aims: On successful completion of this unit, the candidates will: have gained insight into counselling and its ethos understand and use some basic counselling skills.

Unit 02: Introduction to counselling skills theories

Unit purpose and aim(s): This unit is a basic introduction to the roots of counselling theory. The aim is to show how theory underpins some of the skills identified and practised in unit 1, and to provide a rudimentary understanding of the three main areas of counselling theory, and how they begin to relate to counselling practice.

Aims: On completion of this unit, candidates will:

• have a basic understanding of the three main areas of counselling theory: Psychodynamic principles, Humanistic/Person Centred approaches and Cognitive Behavioural approaches
• be able to make some links between counselling theory and counselling skills.

Unit 03: Diversity and ethics in the use of counselling skills

Unit purpose and aim(s): This unit candidates will be introduced to the concepts of diversity and ethics and their importance in the counselling skills. The aim is to show how an ethical framework relates to the use of counselling skills and to learn about discrimination and of anti-discriminatory practice

Aims: On completion of this unit, candidates will:

• Identify an ethical framework and key aspects
• Understand how the ethical framework informs own use of counselling skills
• Have gained an insight of how the ethical framework informs own use of counselling skills.
• Identify key legal aspects of anti-discriminatory practice and how diversity impacts on the counselling relationship.

Unit 04: Counselling skills and personal development

Unit purpose and aim(s): This unit candidates will have an opportunity to reflect on their personal development and identify potential sources of support.

Aims: On completion of this unit, candidates will:

• Understand how to develop self-understanding by identify own values, beliefs, and of the barriers of communication.
• Identify own personal qualities and skills in relation to a helping relationship, and of the importance of self reflection.
• Identify an ethical framework and key aspects
• Understand how the ethical framework informs own use of counselling skills
• Have gained an insight of how the ethical framework informs own use of counselling skills.
• Identify key legal aspects of anti-discriminatory practice and how diversity impacts on the counselling relationship.

Teaching and learning strategies:

This will consist of a variety of lectures, group exercises/discussions, role play/skills practice and journal.

Units are assessed internally and subject to internal and external verification.

Fees and funding

Please note:

• Students aged 16 to 18, or those aged 16 to 24 who have a valid EHCP, and are studying Further Education courses are not normally charged course fees
• Adults may need to pay a fee depending on their personal circumstances. This will be assessed against the relevant Funding Body eligibility criteria at point of enrolment

If you don’t qualify for fee remission, the fees for 2026/27 will be:

£360* (plus registration fee to be advised at enrolment)

Fees are for 2026/27 entry and apply to students eligible for home fee status enrolling to funded programmes. The fees quoted are subject to personal circumstances and will be confirmed at the time of your enrolment, depending on eligibility criteria. For more information about financial support for students, please click here or email studentfinance@nescot.ac.uk

*Exam fee included