Unit rationale, description and aim
Youth workers regularly integrate counselling techniques into their practice to engage, support, and empower young people. A key aim is often to assist young people in re-engaging with education, employment, or community life. Developing strong counselling skills enables youth workers to guide young people in areas such as personal growth, social connections, and relationships.
This unit explores key concepts that support a collaborative approach to assessment, planning, goal setting, facilitation, and advocacy—ensuring young people receive services that meet their holistic needs. A youth-centred perspective is central to effective counselling and forms a core focus of the unit. This is supported by a creative and flexible application of knowledge and skills in practice.
Students will be introduced to key counselling skills and approaches relevant to youth work. The unit includes an exploration of micro-skills, theoretical frameworks, and culturally responsive techniques to assess needs and apply appropriate interventions across diverse contexts.
Campus offering
No unit offerings are currently available for this unit.Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
Identify common mental health, behavioural, and so...
Learning Outcome 01
Explain standards for setting professional boundar...
Learning Outcome 02
Critically evaluate personal values, biases, and e...
Learning Outcome 03
Apply counselling theories, including person-centr...
Learning Outcome 04
Content
Topics will include:
- What is counselling in the youth work context and how does it differ from other counselling contexts?
- Foundations of counselling
- Theoretical approaches
- Essential counselling skills
- Ethics, boundaries and professional practice
- Practical approaches
- Key standards required to set professional boundaries and maintain self-care
Assessment strategy and rationale
To pass this unit, students must achieve all learning outcomes and attain a final grade of 50% or higher, based on the cumulative points from all assessment tasks. A range of assessment tasks has been designed to meet the unit's learning outcomes and ensure the development of graduate attributes.
The following assessment tasks have been outlined to support these objectives:
The Essay encourages students to explore the practical application of counselling theories in youth work, developing their critical thinking skills.
The Case Study Assignment assessment evaluates students' ability to apply counselling theories and interventions to a real-life youth counselling scenario.
The Role Play Recording assessment, students will demonstrate practical counselling skills relevant to youth work through a recorded role-play. This assignment assesses students’ ability to apply counseling techniques, establish rapport, practice active listening, and demonstrate ethical considerations in youth work contexts.
Overview of assessments
Assessment 1: Essay Students will write an essay...
Assessment 1: Essay
Students will write an essay that analyzes the process of engaging young people and discuss how a specific counselling theory or method can be applied in a youth work setting to assist a young person experiencing vulnerability.
40%
Assessment 2: Case Studies Students will respond...
Assessment 2: Case Studies
Students will respond to case studies and apply counselling theories and interventions to a real-life youth counselling scenario.
30%
Assessment 3: Recorded Role Play In this assessm...
Assessment 3: Recorded Role Play
In this assessment, students will demonstrate practical counselling skills relevant to youth work through a recorded role-play.
30%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
The teaching and learning rationale for this unit on youth work counselling is to actively engage students in developing both theoretical understanding and practical counselling skills essential for working effectively with young people.
Through a blend of lectures and tutorials, students are introduced to key concepts and then given the opportunity to explore, apply, and reflect on these ideas in a supportive and collaborative environment. Active learning strategies—such as reading, writing, group discussions, role plays, and problem-solving—are used to promote deeper thinking and the ability to analyse, synthesise, and evaluate course content. Case studies and role-playing exercises allow students to apply counselling techniques in realistic scenarios, helping them build confidence and competence in practice.
This approach ensures students are not only absorbing information but are also developing the interpersonal and critical thinking skills necessary for ethical and effective youth work counselling.