Information and Placement Application

MERCY GRIEF SERVICES Information and Placement Application

Mercy Grief Services is currently accepting applications for placement from final year Counselling Students.

Agency Profile

Mercy Grief Services (MGS) a specialist bereavement counselling service responding to the needs of individuals and families experiencing a ‘complicated grief issues’, following a death and who live in the western metropolitan region.

This service is committed to providing a skilled professional and accessible service. We strive to respond in a sensitive and compassionate manner, which empowers individuals and families to meet their needs around issues of grief.

As a specialist bereavement service MGS is also committed to working “on a variety of levels” to develop working relationships with other welfare agencies and CHS’s in the region.

Counselling is provided for individuals, couples and families. This service is available to any person working or living in the western metropolitan region grieving the death of someone.

Students on placement will have the opportunity to conduct one to one counselling and to co-facilitate support groups.

Students with life experience, compassion and comfortable supporting those experiencing grief are encouraged to apply.

The following requirements are essential in all applicants. Failure to demonstrate high levels of each attribute will result in the placement being cancelled:

 Currently completing counselling qualifications at ACAP

 Completion of ACAP modules – students applying for this placement should be final year students and have completed as many as possible of the units detailed in the below application form.

 Students must have previous counselling experience (volunteer work is fine)

 Students must be proactive, able to work independently and have the capacity to run groups

 Computer literacy – the successful applicant will be required to perform other duties as required

 Professionalism and clear adherence to boundaries - students are given clear instructions by staff as to what their role is with clients. This to be adhered to at all times

 Punctuality – clients are scheduled with reference to available staff and rooms. Late arrivals by students are disruptive to this schedule.

Eligibility for Placement:

of 5  Students must be final year students

 Students invited for interview by the agency must be available for interview. Interviews are to be scheduled between 10th and 21st October

 Students must complete the placement concurrently with ACAP clinical supervision.

 Students must commence placement prior to the term they enrol in to the first clinical supervision unit and on e the required day for the duration of the placement. Placement commencement date is 23rd January and days are to be negotiated with the Agency supervisor.

Application process:

To apply please complete the below application form and send this, your Resume, Working with Children Check and Criminal Check through to [email protected] no later than COB Thursday 6th October.

Please do not contact Mercy Grief Services directly.

For more information please contact the Student Placement department.

ACAP student number Family Name Given Name E-mail Address Mobile Phone Other phone Course Name

Please submit the following with your application:

 This cover page

 Your Resume, Working with Children Check and Criminal Check (or attach evidence of application)

 Completed questionnaire below detailing why you would like to be considered for this placement By applying to this placement I am aware of the following (please tick):

of 5  I am available to complete my placement at the agency from 23rd January – 25th August 2017.

 I will miss no more than 2 days of placement without a doctor’s certificate.

 I will attend placement on the minimum 1 day per week agreed with my Mercy Grief Services supervisor.

 I am aware of the behavioral expectations detailed on the information page and understand that failure to comply with these will result in the termination of this placement by either Mercy Grief Services or ACAP.

 If I am selected to be referred on for interview at Mercy Grief Services I will attend an interview to be scheduled between 10th and 21st October. As Mercy Grief Services make the final decision regarding which students are offered placements, there is no appeal.

 I will apply for a Criminal Record Check and Working with Children Check have it ready to upload when I register my placement. (If you have submitted your Criminal check to ACAP within the last 3 years you do not need a new one). You are obligated to inform us if the details of your criminal check have changed since you submitted it.

Date: Signature: Received by Student Placement Department / / Approved/ Not Approved / /

Please complete:

Previous Qualifications:

Institution Course Year of study

(e.g. ACAP) (e.g. Diploma of Counselling) (e.g. 2012 –)

1. Why do you want to undertake your placement at Mercy Grief Services?

of 5 2. What do you hope to gain from this experience?

3. What do you think would be the key professional or personal challenges of a placement with Mercy Grief Services?

4. What experience do you have which you think would be beneficial for a placement with Mercy Grief Services?

5. What experience do you have running groups?

6. Have you had clinical supervision as a counsellor or student counsellor? If so, please give details:

Related Units:

I have or haven’t completed the following units (Delete as appropriate):

Bachelor of Counselling Students Completed

COUN2001 Counselling in Loss YES / NO

COUN2931 Family and Relationship Counselling YES / NO

of 5 COUN2051 Mental Health Policy and Practice YES / NO

BESC3071 Group Work YES / NO

Graduate Diploma of Counselling Students Completed

COUN5211 Grief Counselling YES / NO

COUN5841 Family Counselling YES / NO

COUN5221 Mental Health Practice YES / NO

COUN5831 Groupwork Theory and Practice YES / NO

Master of Counselling and Psychotherapy Students Completed

COUN6201 Trauma and Grief Therapy YES / NO

COUN6131 Mental Health Counselling YES / NO

COUN6171 Group Therapy YES / NO

Additional Information

Please give any additional information, including other skills or experience that would be relevant to this application:

Student Signature Date