Working with Adolescents

This unit provides the student with the skills and the knowledge needed to work effectively with adolescents. Students study the concepts, theories and issues that are an essential part of understanding adolescent development. A major feature of this unit is to help develop in the student a familiarity with the major theories on adolescent development, to understand adolescent issues and needs from a psychological and sociological perspective, and to learn strategies that enhance communication and counselling skills in dealing with adolescents.

Learning Outcomes

• Use terminology and concepts for working with adolescents
• Demonstrate knowledge of the major theories on adolescent development
• Recognise sociological perspectives impacting on adolescent issues
• Identify adolescent issues
• Use communication skills for working with adolescents
• Determine and apply counselling strategies for working with adolescents

Content Areas

• What is Adolescence?
• Self-Concept and Identity Development
• Adolescence in Context: Social, Political and Structural
• Adolescence in Context: Employment/Training and the Influence of Media
• Values and Attitudes
• Sex ‘n’ Rock ‘n’ Roll
• Grief and Loss, and Abuse
• Mental Health Issues for Adolescents
• Adolescents at Risk
• Adolescents Anxiety, Depression, and Suicide
• Counselling the Adolescent
• Case studies and Review

Unit Duration and Workload

This unit involves a total of 36 hours of face to face delivery of self directed study including educator contact in flexible delivery modes, generating a further 54 hours of self-study per unit including research and related study activities, including assessment. This translates to 7.5 hours per week for the unit.