Counselling School of Excellence to help community

Key stakeholders from the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) and the Hervey Bay Neighbourhood Centre will meet this Friday (18 August 2006) to discuss a plan to increase counselling services in the Wide Bay region.

USQ Bachelor of Human Services (Counselling) Program Coordinator, Lauretta Wright, said the innovative partnership has received financial support from the State Government to establish a Counselling School of Excellence.

'The partnership recently secured $15,000 from the Queensland Government under an initiative called Building Links.

'This money is now being used to produce a business plan to develop a community-based Counselling School of Excellence, where students on practicum will provide high-quality and affordable counselling services, while receiving training and supervision from qualified USQ staff.'

The need for the school is particularly high in the Wide Bay area where there is a need to increase the number of professional counsellors.

'It is well documented that the local Wide Bay Burnett region is the most socio-economically disadvantaged region in Queensland, with the highest unemployment rate of any major region.

'The establishment of such a school will provide USQ graduates with tangible resources, including well developed and supported networks and increased local accreditation, which will hopefully lead to graduates seeking employment in the local area,' Ms Wright said.

As part of the partnership, USQ students will undertake placements at the Counselling School of Excellence from July 2007 and will have the opportunity to enrol in their counselling prac from Semester 1, 2008.
Manager of the Hervey Bay Neighbourhood Centre, Joyce Chorny, said the project is creating a significant amount of interest from local stakeholders.

'The community has been very responsive to the concept and we have had students asking about it.

'We are now looking at getting it up and running in six months time, so that we can ensure that there are trained professionals in the region for years to come.'

The Counselling School of Excellence will operate from Hervey Bay's new Community Centre.

WHAT: Stakeholders from USQ and the Hervey Bay Neighbourhood Centre meet to discuss the business plan for Counselling School of Excellence
WHERE: USQ Wide Bay Campus, Old Maryborough Road, Pialba, A Block
WHEN: Friday 18 August 2006, 1pm

Media Contact: Connie-Louise Alexander, USQ Wide Bay Media Contact
Phone: +61 7 4631 2977 or 0439 760 106