Small Steps in the Right Direction: Azam’s Journey to Becoming a School Counsellor

Let’s take a closer look at Azam’s journey.

As a learning mentor in a primary school, Azam was already focused on helping students with their mental health. However, he wanted to further his knowledge and skills to better serve his students and open doors for his own career growth.

“I chose to do Counselling and CBT because as a school mentor, there’s a lot of focus on mental health. I thought that by doing this course, I could help with that and be more effective. I also knew CBT is a really popular method nowadays, and would probably become more popular.”

Personal Growth and Tutor Feedback

The courses not only provided him with valuable insights into mental health, but also helped him improve his own confidence in his abilities.

“There was lots of praise in the tutor feedback from Lee, which helped my self-esteem. There was a written summary of how I’d done on each unit, and a scale for rating my references and understanding, so I was happy with all of that!”

Due to the flexibility of a distance learning course, Azam was able to make time to study alongside his job during school holidays and Sunday evenings. When he felt his responsibilities mounting during his level 5 course, he was able to take it easier and focus on them.

“With the level 4 I was very motivated and finished within 3 months. When I got to my level 5, I took it a bit slower. I still finished a few months before the deadline, but the pace wasn’t as quick as with the level 4. It wasn’t down to a lack of motivation, it was a busier time personally, with working and being married I needed to take it slower. It was good to be able to do that.”

We strive to make our learning system user-friendly and easy to access for our students, so it was lovely to hear that Azam found it to be simple as well! His personal tutor, Lee, was always quick on marking and feedback which Azam found helpful in progressing.

“The process was really easy, the website was easy to log in, and it was easy to access the resources and feedback, I found it really handy. One thing I was really pleasantly surprised about is how fast the work was marked, and how you get notified by email when it’s marked! It made moving onto the next unit painless.”

Getting the Promotion

As Azam breezed through the course, he found his work improving, and his ability to offer support to his students was setting him apart from his colleagues. After completing his level 5, he had a surprise waiting for him at work.

“I was working in a secondary school as a learning mentor with year 11. As soon as I finished the course, literally the day after, they offered me the role of school counsellor!”

When asked if he would recommend distance training and the Association of Learning to others looking to progress in their careers, Azam shared:

“I would definitely recommend the courses I took. I just think it’s very convenient and practical. I think the cost is good, and I’ve had discounts for loyalty on my second course, which helped a lot! I didn’t experience any complications, and everything was really straightforward. I liked the fact that there were no tight deadlines, and you have a whole year to complete your course. So it’s very flexible and worked for me.”

Small Steps to a Bright Future

When Azam decided to enrol on the Counselling and CBT Diploma Level 4, he had no idea that it would lead him to becoming the school counsellor. And it all started with a small step in the right direction. As Azam’s story shows, sometimes we think we need to make big changes in our lives to achieve our goals. But in reality, it’s the small steps we take that add up and get us where we want to be. By taking the courses and expanding his knowledge, Azam was able to further his career and help more students with their mental health. So if you’re considering making a change in your own life, remember that every small step in the right direction counts. Who knows where it could take you?