In the past, my roles ranged from an English and history lecturer to a recently assigned student advisor at my institution. I’m astonished by the increasing cases of students with emotional health issues and anxiety, which leaves very little room for advice on their careers. I fear we might not be able to adequately address these mental health problems.
Since joining the field in 1998, I have recognised that having roughly one student advisor for 500 students was barely sufficient to meet the varied needs of the entire school population.
Towards the latter period of my advisor role, there was a surge in the requirements from referrals that came through our care unit’s meetings at Junior and Senior Cycle stages.
Nowadays, guidance advisors considered skilled enough to offer counselling in educational environments as part of the individual support to students are caught, as you’ve experienced in your maiden year, with a flood of referrals from teaching staff spotting increasing levels of mental health issues.
More and more trainees are now earning larger wages than university graduates. Does the prejudice against ‘earn while you study’ options started to recede?
Discrete to your knowledge, the Department of Education extends support to guidance advisors by professionally supervising their interaction with students every six to eight weeks. This support system is a vital pillar to ensure that you are offering the best quality counselling advice to students.
However, what does it imply to your role perceived as primary by students, teaching staff, and parents: guiding the juveniles through their scholarly journey in school, and into the next phase of their career path post Leaving Cert?
You’ve communicated to me that you’re working extended hours to manage all the responsibilities. Like me, you’re likely seeing Leaving Cert students right up to the end of June when your counterparts are comfortably slipping into their summer break as they complete their CAO preferences by the course selection deadline of the 1st of July.
Minister Foley recently made a declaration for a tender to seek service providers to give additional resources to enhance existing support structures in secondary schools. The aids and assistance formulated, she expects, will strengthen students, parents, and educational staff by impacting student aid teams and enabling staff in promoting holistic school approaches to wellbeing and awareness of mental health.
The urgent need for these aids cannot be overemphasised, particularly during a period of immense strain on HSE health services. Yet, it is still uncertain if they will suffice to address the burgeoning demand.