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Course 02

Counseling Strategies for Pre-Employment Transition Services

Module 2.1: Providing Individual Counseling to Adolescents with Disabilities

Upon completion of this module, learners will be able to:

  • List the challenges that youth with disabilities face today
  • Identify the underlying philosophy or spirit of Motivational Interviewing
  • Identify the foundational skills of Motivational Interviewing
  • Identify the "special sauce" of Motivational Interviewing

Module 2.2: Group Work with Adolescents with Disabilities

Upon completion of this module, participants will be able to:

  • Explain why group work is valuable for youth and VR counselors
  • Identify the purpose and intended outcome
  • Explain the VR counselor's role
  • List the learning objectives for youth with disabilities
  • List steps to prepare for and conduct a group session
  • Identify ways to tailor group work for youth with disabilities
  • Recognize successful outcomes of group work

Optional Skill Enhancement Exercises

SEE Career Exploration with Youth with Disability and Parent

Objective of Exercise

To increase the confidence and competence of VR professionals in their counseling youth with disabilities and parents by providing them opportunities to practice applying their knowledge and skills.

Competency Measurement

Participants will be observed for the following demonstrations of competency:

  • Engaging: Ability to build rapport.
  • Focusing: Gathering information and focusing on what is important to the youth and parent.
  • Evoking: Sharing information to facilitate change and decision-making.
  • Planning: Encouraging planning for the next steps.

SEE Group Work

Purpose of Exercise

Upon completion of this module on Facilitating Group Work with Adolescents with Disabilities, participants will be able to formulate and process life-skill development through group work, so they can effectively provide career planning and preparation experience.

The exercises in this activity include two 1-2 hour synchronous role-play sessions focused on facilitating group work with adolescents with disabilities.

The scenarios will be specific to discussions with a group of young people with disabilities about work-based opportunities and their specific vocational interests. In the first session, you and your colleagues will introduce the topic with the intention of sparking interest. The second session allows you to use your skills to go deeper into the topic with the group.

Learning Objectives

Competency Measurement

Participants will be observed for the following demonstrations of competency:

  • Addressing apprehension in group members
  • Reviewing goals with the group
  • Specifying group norms or rules
  • Setting limits
  • Promoting a positive interchange among group members

© 2023 - Accessible Innovative & Relevant Training for VR Counselors.

This project is funded through a grant award from the US Rehabilitation Services Administration in Innovative Training (H263C190013). It was awarded to the WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY RESEARCH CORPORATION, the faculty of the West Virginia University Department of Counseling and Learning Sciences, Clinical Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling program; Reed College of Media; the University of West Georgia; and UWGLive. All materials are products of the grantee and do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the US Department of Education and no official endorsement should be inferred.