Addiction Counselling Skills Certificate and
formerly the Substance Abuse Program
Community Counselling Skills Certificate
formerly the Counselling Skills Program
Are you looking for a counselling training program that can provide you
with excellent clinical skills and theoretical knowledge?
Are you considering a career change into the social services,
addictions, health or corrections field?
Are you already working in the social services field,
but are seeking professional and educational credentials?
Would you like to combine your work life with a training program
that can accomodate your working schedule.
VCC’s Counselling Skills Programs offer two Certificate Programs:
Addiction Counselling Skills and Community Counselling Skills.
Recognized and recommended by counselling professionals for over twenty years,
the VCC Counselling Programs offers a unique and transformative learning experience based on
twelve program outcomes that provide graduates with the required counselling and assessment skills
to work with all client groups.
These programs are taught by experienced clinicians successfully working in the counselling,
social work, corrections and addictions field.
Students become familar with current trends in psychology and counselling, are exposed to
leading edge practices in the social services,and develop a network of professional contacts
in their chosen fields.
*New this year are the introduction of the redesigned, renamed and updated new
cetificates. These program will continue to provide students with the information and skills
required to meet the professional competencies and standards of the field*
Typical Student Profile
The VCC Counselling Programs are intended for adults who may have some initial education,
training or experience in the helping field and who wish to enhance their skills, gain theoretical
knowledge or enter into the counselling or addiction fields.
For example many students:
- Have work experience as a helper and want formal training and
recognized academic credentials.
- Have decided, through volunteer work in the helping field to
work towards a career change.
- Have completed a degree in social sciences and believe that “hands on” training
in counselling skills will offer career advancement.
- Additionally, some students in the programs have personal experience with addictions
and, as a result, are pursuing careers in the helping field.
Employment
Students from this program have a 85% to 90% success rate in finding employment
in the social services or related occupations according to surveys from the
Ministry of Advanced Education.
Program Scheduling
Courses in the certificate programs are offered in the evenings (6:15 to 9:30) with a scheduled full day
Saturday committment required for most courses.
Program intake occurs three times per years: September, January and April.
The Certificate Programs can be completed in a minimum of ten months once all entry requirements
have been met...
OR students can spread their studies over three years and complete in a three year window.
Students can take one course pre term - attending school one night per week or take more courses
by attending school 2 OR 3 OR 4 evenings per week and reduce their time to complete their certificate.
Classes are offered three terms per year on Monday to Thursday evenings (6:15 to 9:30)
with one scheduled Saturday.
Check the VCC website for exact dates www.vcc.ca.
Students must have been accepted into the Certificate Program to register for any certifcate courses
with the exception of Basic Counselling Skills.
Tuition
Basic tuition for each certificate-including the pre-requisite course, Basic Counselling Skills is approximately
$4400. Students are encouraged to add Group Counselling Skills ($551) onto their program for professional
development purposes a total tuition of $4900. Textbooks and supplies are in addition approxiametely, $700.
Students may register and pay for each individual course on a term by term basis as they proceed through the
program.
