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School students today, especially middle school learners to secondary learners, are dealing with various issues like bullying, stress, anxiety, addiction, academic challenges etc. that can cause emotional turbulence, and in several instances, even more than that. Study reveals that depression in young population is increasing at an alarming rate, with approximately 1 in 5 students diagnosed as depressed and suffering from anxiety, and student suicide rates are at an all-time high of about five times higher than they were 50 years ago.
 

While there can be many reasons for such increase, one fact that surfaces is that learners belonging to various levels are in dire need of help. For many of them, trained and skilled school counsellors turn out to be a lifeline in regards tothe support and services that they provide. The issue, though, is that there simply aren’t enough counsellors, leaving most young people without the much-needed lifeline.
 

Traits of an efficient school counsellor
 

School counsellors need to have a background in psychology and educationand have to beempathetic listeners with the skills to make learners feel comfortable and mentally stable. School counsellors also play the role of excellent communicators who know the drill to gradually and steadily build relationships based on trust, work together with learners’ families, school staff and external agencies to support young people. School counsellors are organised, aware of student counselling techniques, have high professional standards and are committed to ethical record-keeping.
 

The Changing Role of the School Counsellor
 

Even some 10 to 20 years ago, the role of a school counsellor was quite different than it is now. The role of the counsellor has changed over the years and continues to transform. Although career planning is still a part of their job, most school counsellors of contemporary times are focused on preparing learners to meet the challenges they will face both intellectually and socially, so they can succeed both in their school life and beyond that. Counsellors also work with learners’ parents, caretakers and administrators to identify learnersnecessitating additional interventions and develop plans to help them.
 

How do you know if you can be a school counsellor?
 

If you are approachable, possess high ethical standard, and are able to remain calm and flexible in difficult situations, consider becoming a school counsellor.
 

How to become a school counsellor
 

Any school counselling courses offer customised ways for aspirants to complete their qualifications and join institutions as a school counsellor.
 

A noticeabledemand for trained professionals
 

A study reveals that the ideal student to counsellor ratio is 250:1. However, the ratio of learners to counsellors has increased to about 500 to 1 or even higher. Thisis simply uncontrollable, implying that kids might inevitably fall through the gaps or not receive the necessary level of support they deserve.
 

Job opportunitiesfor trained school counsellors will grow at a faster rate than any other occupations till 2026, with prospects increasing by 11%. Thisgrowth will largely be due to increase in student enrolment, but that is only a part of the scenario.
 

The actual fact is, with rising demands for school counsellors, having adequate and quality counselling services is established to improve student achievement and mental health. But in many places, economical crisis often leads tocounsellors being on the chopping block. Thisis often due to the misinterpretation that not every learner requires access to counsellors or that the counselling programs aren’t utilized or as important as other services. Because of the reason that school counsellors are sparse, stress and burnout are quite common in the field.
 

The positive thing is that in the wake of several high-profile incidents, including school shootings or severe racial instances or intense bullying, there has been a rising emphasis on students’ mental health and the realization that school counsellors are a crucial part of a healthy functioning school. Of late, several paper worksdealing with the increase in funding for mental health services, are under consideration. Also, several new grant programs are supporting the hiring of counsellors in institutions. The simple fact that the significance of school counsellors is being identified, makes this an ideal time for a counselling aspirant to consider a course incounselling.
 

Becoming a school counselloris a rewarding career in itself as it allows you to be a positive force in the lives of young people and play an important role in their success. As with any other career, school counselling,too, requires empathy and great listening skills along with communication and analytical skills, but the result is the ability to put students first and create a better school environment.