People have always expressed a small set of needs and concerns related to being valued, to belonging, and with respect to future happiness. However, we each express these needs according to our life’s particular circumstances. Counsellors must therefore be able to hold unity and diversity in tension. While The Human Condition speaks of unity this unit engages diversity. As such, you will be introduced to how various forms of diversity influence counselling. Specifically, issues of age, socio-economic status, disability, sexuality, gender, neuro-divergency, and cultural/ethnic/religious diversity will be discussed. As part of this unit of study you will also gain an appreciation for human rights (e.g., UN statements and declaration(s)) and First Nations culture. Our hope is that by engaging diversity you will develop empathetic and effective ways to engage a variety of clients
Unit code: CO1006Z
Unit status: Approved (Minor revision)
Points: 18.0
Unit level: Undergraduate Level 1
Unit discipline: Counselling
Proposing College: School of Professional Practice - Counselling
Show when this unit is running| 1. | Name multiple forms of diversity and describe how they impact counselling. |
| 2. | Identify key issues, understandings, and expectations of members of various diversity communities. |
| 3. | Articulate a method of practice for a variety of clients which is ethical, empathetic, professional, and effective. |
| 4. | Name one’s own barriers to effective engagement with clients self-describing as members of diversity communities. |
Transformative Learning
| Type | Description | Word count | Weight (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skeleton Argument | For 5 different module “Activities” across the unit provide either: (1) a response of approx. 100 words to the question posed; or (2) a response of approx. 100 words to another student’s post. Each response will be marked as satisfactory or unsatisfactory. |
500 | 5.0 |
| Personal Reflection | For 5 different module “Reflection questions” across the unit provide either: (1) a response of approx. 100 words to the question posed; or (2) a response of approx. 100 words to another student’s post. Each response will be marked as satisfactory or unsatisfactory. |
500 | 5.0 |
| Portfolio | For one form of diversity develop a folio of useful documents valuable to your work with clients. These documents may include details of support/advocacy groups, relevant options for professional development, treatment/practice guidelines etc. Based on these documents briefly articulate a method of practice which is both empathetic and effective. |
500 | 20.0 |
| Essay | Choose a form of diversity that you wish to know more about. How is this form of diversity treated similarly/differently when considered from the perspectives of “lived experience” vs. the academic literature? As a counsellor how can you bring together both forms of knowledge to enhance your practice? |
1000 | 30.0 |
| Personal Reflection | For a form of diversity that you are uncomfortable with engage a text of lived experience. This may be an autobiography, an extended Youtube interview, attending an event with a speaker, or similar. What was surprising, disquieting, illuminating, or inaccessible for you when engaging with your chosen text? What are the implications of this new awareness for your counselling? The form of diversity chosen in this assessment should not be the same as chosen previously. |
1500 | 40.0 |
Unit approved for the University of Divinity by Prof Albert Haddad on 13 Oct, 2023
Unit record last updated: 2023-10-13 15:56:00 +1100