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Student Support

STUDENT LIAISON OFFICER

The College's Student Liaison Officer offers support to students in working with the College administration and facilitates student activities, societies, and the Student Council.

Disability Services

If you have any queries relating to disability you can contact Lorraine Deegan, Disability Officer, who attends the college in the Main Building on Thursdays.

The College welcomes applications from students with disabilities, medical conditions and special needs. The Disability Support Service provides advice, information and support to such students, who should notify the College of any special needs on the Application Form. The provision of this information will not adversely affect your application in any way.

Guidance & Counselling Services

Ballyfermot College of Further Education offers a professional Guidance and Counselling Service to all its students. This service is professional, full-time and condiential. Its aim is to help each student to get maximum benefit from his/her time in the College.

Guidance

As your course progresses, you will be faced with the necessity of planning your next move, whether it be to continue with your education at third level, either here or in the UK, or to go directly into employment. The Guidance Counsellors will help you with your decision-making, by discussing your options, providing course information, and helping with application forms for CAO(Irish third level), UCAS (UK third level) and other PLCs (colleges of further education). Assistance with time management, study skills, exam techniques, grant applications, etc. is also available.

Counselling

Your first year after secondary school can often be an anxious and stressful time, with lots of adjustments to make. Mature students returning to education may also have problems of adjustment specific to them:

  1. Academic or college related matters such as problems with specific subjects, study, motivation, organization, attendance, deferral and exams.
  2. Personal matters of any kind such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders, pregnancy, sexual issues, abuse, rape, sexual orientation, self-confidence and self-esteem, panic attacks, phobias, bereavement, suicidal feelings or thoughts, post traumatic stress and addictions.
  3. Relationship issues involving family, boyfriend/girlfriend, partner, classmates, housemates or workmates.
  4. Welfare issues in relation to finance, accommodation, childcare or social welfare.

People can have a variety of issues, and all are important to the person concerned. The Counselling Service is here to help with all of these problems, or indeed with any other issues or concerns which arise during your time in BCFE.

Confidentiality is an essential part of this work. No information will be passed beyond the Guidance and Counselling Service without the knowledge of the person concerned.

Relaxation sessions are available weekly in the college.

Names: Aine Monaghan, Julie Murphy

Health Care

Psychological Service

Claire Donoghue, a psychologist from City of Dublin Vocational Education Committee visits the College each week, and works with the individual students, when requested, on personal vocational and educational issues.

How, Where & When?

Each class group is allocated a specific Guidance Counsellor, who will deal with all the guidance and counseling needs of that group. Your guidance Counsellor will visit your class in early September to introduce him/herself and to give more information about the service. You can make an appointment yourself, by dropping in to your Guidance office, or through referral from your tutor.

For students under the age of eighteen, we require written parental consent before we can offer any service. This is by means of a Consent Form, which you will be asked to have signed by a parent or guardian.

Time of availability will be posted on the Careers Notice Boards and on the doors of the Guidance Counsellors’ offices.

A nurse will be available in the College this term.

A Health Care Scheme is also available.

© Copyright BCFE, 2007
National Development Plan City of Dublin Vocational Education Committee