AISCAP, as a non profit organization aims at collaborating with the formal National Board of Education to develop and create a National Model : A framework for school counselling programs and connect school counselling with current educational reform movements that emphasize on the holistic development of all students.

Its main objective will be to help school counsellors design and implement programs that meet the National Standards and establish school counsellin as an integral part of the academic mission of their schools.

Last but not the least it aims to move towards developing the National Standards for the school counselling professi0n to implement the goals deemed important by the profession, to promote its mission in educational reform and to ensure that all students have access to comprehensive school counselling programs as a part of their learning experience.

To empower, unite and support professional school counselors in their role to promote holistic development of students.

To build a climate for school guidance and school counselling programs in schools at a National Level and provide a tool or develop standards for effective performance of professionals as school counsellors.

AISCAP will facilitate professional development opportunities in areas of relevant issues to all members.

AISCAP will provide relevant and current information to enhance school counselor’s knowledge, skill and professionalism.

AISCAP will proactively obtain, evaluate, communicate and impact legislative policy that pertains to school counselors and child advocacy for child’s wellbeing.

AISCAP will promote professionalism and ethical standards in school counselling.

AISCAP will develop strategic partnerships with concerned stake holders to cultivate and enhance school counselling programs.

AISCAP’S NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR STUDENTS’COUNSELLING

A. Academic Development : Seeks to develop school counseling programs to

identify and implement strategies and activities to support and maximize each student’s ability to learn.

Helps students acquire skills, create knowledge, and develop attitudes that contribute to effective learning in school and across the life span.

Helps student’s complete school education in a multicultural environment taking into consideration all kinds of needs or learning patterns of different kinds of students.

Helps students understand the relationship of academics to the world of work and to life at home and in the community.

AISCAP’S NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR STUDENTS’COUNSELLING

B.CAREER DEVELOPMENT Seeks to provide the foundation for the acquisition of

knowledge, skills, attitudes, and apply that to make a successful transition from school to the world of work, and from job to job across the life span.

Help the students acquire the skills to investigate the world of work in relation to knowledge of self and to make informed career decisions.

Encourage students to employ strategies to achieve future career goals.

Help students understand the relationship between personal qualities, education, training and the world of work.

AISCAP’S NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR STUDENTS’COUNSELLING

C.PERSONAL/SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT Provides the foundation for personal and

social growth as students progress through school and into adulthood

Helps students acquire the knowledge, attitudes and interpersonal skills to help them understand and respect self and others.

Helps students make decisions, set goals and take necessary action to achieve goals.

Train students in understanding safety and survival skills for self and others.

AISCAP’S National Model: A Framework for School Guidance and Counselling Programs in Schools

School counseling programs are collaborative efforts benefiting students, parents, teachers, administrators and the overall community. School counseling programs should be an integral part of students’ daily educational environment, and school counselors should be partners in student achievement. Unfortunately, school counseling has lacked a consistent identity from state to state, district to district and even school to school. This has led to a misunderstanding of what school counseling is and what it can do for a school. As a result, school counseling programs are often viewed as ancillary programs instead of a crucial component to student achievement, and school counselors have not been used to their fullest. The question has often been posed, “What do school counselors do?” The more important question is, “How are students different because of what school counselors do?” To help answer this question, the Association of Indian School Counselors and Allied Professionals (AISCAP) aims to create A Framework for School Counseling Programs to ensure that the school counseling program is comprehensive in design and is delivered systematically to all students.

AISCAP’S National Model: A Framework for School Guidance and Counselling Programs in Schools

COUNSELLING PROGRAM SHOULD ENTAIL…

Individual PlanningAssists each student in setting

and achieving goalsSupports development of education plan that

personalizes learningSupports documentation of progress and achievement

of educational profile

Responsive ServicesCollaborate with and intervene on behalf of each

student whose immediate needs, concerns, or problems are distracting or impeding learning

AISCAP’S National Model: A Framework for School Guidance and Counselling Programs in Schools

COUNSELLING PROGRAM SHOULD ENTAIL…Record Keeping Record information in an objective, factual manner Identify clearly personal impressions, observations and

hypotheses as their view Describe behaviour, avoiding the use of undefined and/or

unnecessary adjectives Make and initial their own entries and record information

in a timely manner Note and initial any subsequent alterations or additions,

leaving the original entry legible and intact, and never erase, delete, or whiteout, etc.

Be brief, but ensure information is sufficient to support continuity of the counselling service

AISCAP’S National Model: A Framework for School Guidance and Counselling Programs in Schools

COUNSELLING PROGRAM SHOULD ENTAIL…Consultation, Planning and Coordination School counselors consult and plan collaboratively with

students, other educators, the school based student services team, parents, other community agencies and outside professionals in planning goals and effective strategies to promote the emotional, intellectual, social, academic and career development of students.

School counselors are also participants in the planning process.

Also they assist in the access to and coordination of school, district and other community services for students as specified by local protocol agreements.

Coordination includes information gathering ,case management, referral and liaison between home school and community.

AISCAP’S National Model: A Framework for School Guidance and Counselling Programs in Schools

COUNSELLING PROGRAM SHOULD ENTAIL…

Preventive Work- School counselors spend much of their time

developing and implementing plans and programs which are preventive in nature. Preventive work works at 3 different levels:

Primary level that focuses on preventing a problem from occurring.

Secondary level that focuses on early indictors of problems.

Tertiary level focuses on minimizing the immediate consequences of an existing problem.

AISCAP’S National Model: A Framework for School Guidance and Counselling Programs in Schools

COUNSELLING PROGRAM SHOULD ENTAIL…Educative WorkSchool counselors may also provide direct

instruction to students in areas such as peer helping, conflict resolution, social skills and life skills.

Their educational role also includes disseminating information to parents and other professionals.

They monitor and assess the services they provide acting as a resource for professional and curriculum development

AISCAP’S National Model: A Framework for School Guidance and Counselling Programs in Schools

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF A SCHOOL COUNSELLOR Student Progress Program Planning and Evaluation School counseling functions may include individual, group and class work

to provide both intervention and prevention services. The intention of counseling service is-

To respond to emotional, social, intellectual academic and career needs in a developmentally appropriate manner.

To provide an environment which is conducive to self-exploration in order to develop an awareness of personal uniqueness which is of primary concern in the counseling process.

To promote personal and social development appropriate to developmental stages.

To help students, through their families and the community grow in areas such as self esteem and individual responsibility and in skills such as decision making and social relationships

To support a students academic progress through a variety of interventions may include individual assessment ,goal setting. assisting with IEP, study habits and organizational skills.

AISCAP’S National Model: A Framework for School Guidance and Counselling Programs in Schools

ETHICS/CODE OF CONDUCT OF A SCHOOL COUNSELOR,AS RECOMMENDED BY AISCAP:

1.The Counseling relationshipa. Respect:: Counselors must at all times respect and honor the client.

They must work collaboratively with clients and within the abilities and circumstances of clients.

b. Responsibility: It is the counselors responsibility at all times to promote a healthy relationship based on honesty and trust with their client and work with the client towards client growth and development.

c. Confidentiality: The counselor client relationship is one of trust. Information shared and resulting from sessions with the client must be kept confidential.

However, the following may be treated as exceptions to confidentiality: (i) disclosure may be necessary to prevent possible danger to client or

others (ii) a counselor may need to disclose for legal requirements (iii) when a child is in need of protection. Before disclosure Counselors must discuss with client as to how, when,

and with whom information is to be shared. d. Counselor Bias and Beliefs: The counselor at all times must be

aware of their own biases and belief system and not allow the same to interfere in their client relationship. They should accept diversity in all spheres as a norm rather than an exception.

AISCAP’S National Model: A Framework for School Guidance and Counselling Programs in Schools

ETHICS/CODE OF CONDUCT OF A SCHOOL COUNSELOR,AS RECOMMENDED BY AISCAP:

2.Professional ResponsibilityA. Counseling Plans: To provide effective and organized services to the client

it is important that the counselor must have in writing concrete goals and action plans for their clients. These plans must be reviewed regularly to assess their viability and effectiveness

B. Records: Counselors must maintain accurate records and documentation of counseling plans, of I.E.P’s and sessions for and with the client

C. Support Network Involvement: Counselor must be open to involving all those who can provide support to the client during the period of counseling. However it is important to educate mentor and guide those involved in the support network

D. Informed Consent: In the event of any test being administered it is important to inform, educate and seek prior consent of the client or guardian.

E. Consulting with other Professionals/Referral: Counselors must seek professional help from allied services whenever necessary and under no circumstances administer services that are beyond their area of professional practice/ work

F. Respecting Client Privacy: Counselors must respect the client’s right to privacy and ask for private information only when it is of assistance to the counseling process

G. Responsibility to Parents/Guardians : Counselors must work towards establishing a collaborative relationship with parents/guardians and be sensitive to diversity within cultures and families

AISCAP’S National Model: A Framework for School Guidance and Counselling Programs in Schools

ETHICS/CODE OF CONDUCT OF A

SCHOOL COUNSELOR,AS RECOMMENDED BY AISCAP:

3. Personal ResponsibilityA. Professional Competence A counselor must have undergone formal training for

providing counseling services. Services provided must be within the boundaries of their competence based on their education, training, skills and appropriate professional experience.

B. Personal Values A counselor needs to be an individual with high personal

values of honesty, integrity and reliability C. Continuing Education  Counselors need to monitor their effectiveness and

recognize the need for continuing education to acquire and maintain a reasonable level of awareness of current scientific and professional information in their fields of activity.

AISCAP’S ALLIANCE WITH SCHOOLS AND OTHER PROFESSIONALS

Professional StaffCollaborative StructuresMaterials and Facilities

School & Counsellor will work together to establish a clear understanding of the purpose of the

counselling service, its codes of practice, and how it might function in that school;

a clear procedure for referring pupils; a respect for inter-professional boundaries; the need for on-going assessment through regular

meetings with Key Contacts and as appropriate pastoral staff/year heads, class teachers;

AISCAP’S ANNUAL EVENTS & MEMBERSHIP

ANNUAL EVENTS Monthly meetings. Annual conference. Education sessions and workshops on latest techniques in school

counseling Networking events that allow attendees to make valuable contacts

in their fields Quarterly case conferences

MEMBERSHIP Active Membership: Active members must be working as school

counselors. Affiliate Membership: Affiliate members include teacher

counselors and other school coordinators who serve as nodal counselors in the school

Allies Membership: Educational institutions and NGOs may become allied members.