Health Education, Advocacy and Community Mobilisation Module: 11. Counselling and Group Work in Health Education

Study Session 11  Counselling and Group Work in Health Education

Introduction

In Study Session 10 you learned about some of the teaching materials and educational methods that could be used in health education and health promotion activities. In this study session, you will learn more about specific health education activities and the educational methods that could be employed with individuals, groups and within schools.

Counselling is one of the educational methods most frequently used in health education to help individuals and families. During counselling, a person with a need (the client) and a person who provides support and encouragement (the counsellor) meet and discuss in such a way that the client gains confidence in his or her ability to find solutions to their problems.

Children seated on a bench outside their classroom. Beside them is a pile of vegetable.
Figure 11.1  Schools are the ideal place to teach about healthy eating. (Photo: Henk van Stokkom)

Groups can often do things that individuals could not do by themselves. They may be able to support their members in the practice of improving their health behaviour. School health education is any combination of learning experiences initiated by you as a Health Extension Practitioner in the preschool and school setting (Figure 11.1). Your work will be targeted to develop the behavioural skills required to cope with the challenges to health at school.

Learning Outcomes for Study Session 11