Adolescents’ views on the provision of guidance counselling in an irish post primary school

The aim of this research study is to explore adolescents’ views on the provision of guidance counselling in an Irish rural post primary school. The Researcher will explore the students’ suggestions for improvements to the guidance counselling service (personal, educational or vocational) in the research school. The study will explore student’s experience of engaging with the guidance counselling service and their perceptions of the Junior Cycle Wellbeing Programme. The study will endeavour to answer the following questions. Is a Whole School Approach to guidance counselling implemented? Is the guidance service available and accessible to all students? Are there challenges for the guidance counselling service? Similar studies have been completed in relation to the delivery of Guidance from a WSA, post removal of the ex-quota guidance counsellor hours in 2012 by Hearne et al. (2016, 2017) and Hearne and Galvin (2014). Substantial studies were conducted on the provision of guidance counselling, in the context of the Irish post primary sector (DES, 2019; McCoy et al, 2014; Morgan and Hayes, 2011), studies have also been carried out on the provision of personal/social counselling (Cooper, 2004). However, this study focuses on the experiences of adolescents engaging with the guidance counselling service in the context of an Irish rural post primary school. Research into adolescent wellbeing has found that personal issues are affecting a number of young people (Martin et al., 2006; Dooley and Fitzgerald, 2012; HSE, 2015; NEPS, 2015). Adolescence is a critical developmental period where wellbeing is essential for psychological functioning, maintenance of positive relationships, learning, physical health and the ability to function in society in later life (Dooley and Fitzgerald, 2012). The IGC report there has been a reduction in personal counselling by over 51.4% (IGC, 2013). Therefore, this research study is timely and pertinent. A mixed method approach is used, encompassing interpretivism and positivism. Surveys were administered to TY students. The same cohort of students were then randomly selected and invited to participate in focus groups. Their opinions provided more in-depth qualitative data. This approach is intended to provide statistical and narrative data to allow the adolescents to tell ‘their’ story and explore the research topic.