Counselling

Overview

Guide those in need towards making their own choices and overcoming obstacles by helping them discover their strengths and fortitude.

Job roles & key responsibilities

Find out more about the key responsibilities and education requirements to pursue a career as a counsellor in the social service sector.

Counsellor

As a counsellor, you will work with families and caregivers to help individuals better understand their social and psychological needs. In this role, you can help clients develop their skills, access resources, and tap on support services for multifaceted issues such as poverty, disability, addiction, delinquent behaviour, and marital and mental health problems.

Key responsibilities

A counsellor empowers their clients so they can be self-sufficient and helps them discover their own strengths in resolving difficulties and challenges. This includes:

• Delivering counselling assessments and interventions.

• Maintaining professional, legal and ethical standards.

• Conducting practice-based research.

• Uplifting professional practice in counselling.

Education requirements

Counsellors are required to have postgraduate qualifications to practise as a licensed counsellor according to the international benchmark. While Singapore does not require counsellors to be licensed, the Singapore Association for Counselling does require postgraduate qualifications for individuals to be a registered clinical member with the Association.

Career progression

Possible workplaces

• Community Health Centres

• Day Activity Centres

• Day Care Centres

• Family Service Centres

• Halfway Houses

• Hospitals

• Mental Health Facilities

• Nursing Homes

• Private Practices

• Retirement Homes

• Senior Community Centres

• Special Education Schools

• Special Students Care Centres

• Voluntary Children’s Homes

Enhance your skills with the Social Service Institute

Discover the various programmes and courses by the Social Service Institute to enhance your skills in social services.