NCPS Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Skills

NCPS Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Skills is Quality Checked by the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society (NCPS).
*This course alone is not a route to the Accredited Register, nor does it fully equip a graduate to practice as a qualified counsellor.

The NCPS Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Skills is a fast-track, quite intensive approach for people who are comfortable reading and writing independently on a weekly basis and contributing to group work. Counselling skills practice starts on Day 1. You may already be in a helping role, looking to explore a new career path or make sense of how to turn a life event into an opportunity to help others. This fast-track 12 week course aims to introduce learners to the use of counselling skills in everyday life and work, and to some of the theoretical approaches which underpin their use.

We also run an alternative Level 3 course, the NCFE Level 3 Diploma in Counselling Skills that goes at a slower pace allowing learners to explore topics in greater depth. Click here to find out which course is best for you.

• aim to equip learners with knowledge and experience of counselling skills that can play a functional role in everyday life and work
• are taught by two qualified and experienced counselling practitioners who also hold a teaching qualification.
• involve taught sessions, small and large group activities, discussion, and independent reflection tasks.
• involve written work that is internally assessed and externally verified. enhance career and life skills
• are a necessary part of training to become a qualified counsellor (Level 4).
• have comparable content and leave the learner with the same level of preparation for:
  • placement and/or further training in the workplace e.g., mentoring, assisting, advising.
  • further study in the helping professions e.g., Foundation Degree in Health and Social Care.
  • the study of a professional counselling qualification or a counselling course with a specific focus e.g., CBT, Working with Young People.
• offer a short cut as an internal student to interview for the Advanced Professional Diploma in Counselling Theory and Therapeutic Practice at Exeter College
• provide experience of using counselling skills; understanding of the different approaches used in counselling; understanding of the different contexts in which counselling skills can be used; appreciation of the significance of active listening and self-awareness
• have the same application process

The NCPS Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Skills will be run on the following dates:

Teaching and Learning Methods

The course is delivered by two qualified and experienced counselling practitioners who also hold a teaching qualification. Learning involves taught sessions, large and small group activities, discussion and independent research and reflection tasks.

Modules and Assessment

The Certificate is internally assessed and externally verified. Students are required to create a journal of evidence to demonstrate knowledge and skills acquired from each learning day.

Next steps: Training at this level is an integral part of the route to becoming a qualified counsellor. Completion of the Certificate in Counselling course offers a shortcut to interview for the Advanced Professional Diploma in Counselling at Exeter College.

Other options beyond this course include further training or placement in workplace mentoring or advice and guidance; a Foundation Degree in Health and Social Care; Counselling Courses with a specific focus, e.g. working with young people.

To find out more:
Telephone: 01392 400170 – Email: adultadvice@exe-coll.ac.uk

For both Level 3 courses, to promote a cohesive learning group and to ensure that all students get the most from the course, we ask all applicants to complete a short, written statement to accompany their application form.

Applicants will then be contacted to book a short in-person interview.

Applicants need to have an English Level 2 qualification (GCSE or equivalent) to be able to manage the written element of the course.

Please note: this is a very popular course and the interview is an essential part of the application process. We only offer places following a successful interview and therefore prioritise places for those who interview first. Booking in for the first available interview after you have submitted your application is essential to maximise your chance of securing a place.

Students often benefit from having completed an introductory counselling course or from having comparable learning or work experience. The Introduction to Counselling Skills one-day course at Exeter College is an informative lead-in to the counselling training journey as well as a beneficial stand-alone course in effective listening and self-awareness. It is an unassessed course, with no prior learning or experience required.

Learners will be given a College ID badge and have access to all College facilities, including Learning Resource Centres (LRCs) and computers.

Exeter Community Centre provides pleasant classroom environment and facilities.

All course textbooks are available in the College Learning Resource Centres (LRCs), though students sometimes wish to buy their own textbooks during the course.