In this issue
Features
The bright side of life: some thoughts on developmental and defensive uses of humour
In these hard times, with many services closing, humour can be in short supply. Nick Barwick explores humour’s many uses
Looking back
Jean-Shefalie Hollis reflects on her work in a small specialist college
Making a difference!
The role of the Service Coordinator is little written about yet is vital to the smooth running of the counselling service for students and counsellors alike. Helen Rowland and Jenny Aster describe the role they both share and love
Challenges in working with hard-to-reach students in further education
Clients who do not attend can present a number of challenges, not least of which can be organisational. Enrica Balestra on the value of perseverance
Staff Counselling works, OK!
Mary Dailey on the current state of play of qualitative research into the impact of counselling on staff experience of work and the workplace
The impact of in-house counselling on academic outcomes
At a time of ongoing restructuring of student services in FE and HE, Patti Wallace, BACP Lead Advisor, University and College Counselling, reports on her findings to date
From morning coffee to lights out
Assistant Director of Student Services at Manchester Metropolitan University, Yvonne Harris, describes how she juggles her multiple roles in a single day
Solution focused brief therapy
Peter J Eldrid on the value of solution focused brief therapy in his work with students
Regulars
Notes from the chair
All articles from this issue are not yet available online. Divisional members and subscribers can download the pdf from the University and College Counselling archive.
From the editor
Welcome to the pre-conference edition.
This year’s conference theme, ‘a sustainable future: responding to the needs of students, staff and counsellors’, promises to pique the interest of everybody – as we try to do here in the journal too. After hopefully raising at least a faint smile in our article on humour, we offer food for thought on the service coordinator’s role in services fortunate enough to have them; the value of persevering with clients who may find attending difficult, if not impossible, at least initially; a taste of a conference workshop; a day in the life of one giddyingly busy head of service; the reflections of someone leaving our sector; and last but not least a research update.
For future issues we will be including themed issues and are therefore looking for contributions on the topics of eating distress, safeguarding and managing risk, and, hopefully, the four nations. If you know of any budding authors, colleagues or experts, who you think could contribute, please do get in touch.
My personal agenda is to gauge your views on the journal’s new look and what you would like to see more or less of. To this end, we include a short survey, inviting your views. Please do take a few minutes to complete and return it – it would be much appreciated.
Dani Singer
Editor