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Thread: Nzqa v capl

  1. #1
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    Default Nzqa v capl

    I had my qualification assessed by NZQA as a level 5, although according to their criteria it would meet a level 6. For me, this had a huge impact on my being a 'qualified' counsellor or not in NZ.

    I have just completed my BA in Social Services, specialising in counselling, through CAPL and gained a level 7 qualification. CAPL will take into consideration your experience of working in your field and assess you on that aswell as your qualification.

    So, because I had worked for a few years as a counsellor, and gained 'on the job' experience, I simply had to prove myself by delivering a 4 hour presentation, that fulfilled the criteria for a BA.

    Please don't despair if you feel you've been assessed incorrectly, if you have experience plus your qualification contact CAPL and have a chat with them. I cannot recommend them highly enough

    http://www.capablenz.co.nz/

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
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    Default

    Interested to read your post as this is the area OH is hoping to find employment in. Now feels like another hurdle is in our path – but I guess emigrating is just a series of hurdles that have to be overcome.

    OH currently has a UK Level 5 Diploma in Humanistic Counselling from Chichester University and is therefore in UK terms a qualified counsellor. He is nearly at the end of the first year of his BA (Hons) in Humanistic Counselling and once completed will be a UK Level 7 qualification. Our understanding from the NZQF is that he currently has a Level 6 and will after his BA (Hons) be a Level 8 – though as it isn’t on the exempt from assessment list we would have to have it assessed, which may throw up the issue you describe?

    You say that only having a level 5 qualification had a huge impact on you being seen as qualified or not in NZ.

    • So is a level 5 qualification in NZ not seen as the level to allow you to practice as a counsellor?
    • Does the NZAC say you have to be above Level 5 to practice?
    • When did you have your qualification assessed – before or after you emigrated?
    • We have seen quite a few jobs for counsellors that don’t mention the need for a particular level of qualification – is there an assumption that you will be qualified to a certain level?
    • Have you been practising as a counsellor in NZ or was all your work experience from the UK?

    Any help and guidance gratefully received.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by mikeandcaroline View Post

    • So is a level 5 qualification in NZ not seen as the level to allow you to practice as a counsellor?
    • Does the NZAC say you have to be above Level 5 to practice?
    • When did you have your qualification assessed – before or after you emigrated?
    • We have seen quite a few jobs for counsellors that don’t mention the need for a particular level of qualification – is there an assumption that you will be qualified to a certain level?
    • Have you been practising as a counsellor in NZ or was all your work experience from the UK?

    Any help and guidance gratefully received.
    Hi Mikeandcaroline

    It's a tricky one when you 'know' you're a qualified practitioner in the UK, but unless you hold a level 6 NZQA equivalent in NZ you are not able to become a member of NZAC. The knock on effect from that is not being able to register with other service providers, to maintain a steady income. Because the training courses here are to a level 6, anything under that is not fully regarded as being fully 'qualified', which is why CAPL has been such a godsend.

    I was lucky as I found employment very quickly in the role of being a counsellor and a mental health service coordinator, so managed to bridge the two, whilst working towards my BA.

    As in the UK anyone can use the title counsellor, but and this is a BIG difference, cannot use the title or even the word psychotherapist in any way to refer to themselves or their service unless a registered psychotherapist here. Difficult when the training in the UK can encompass both.

    I had my qualification assessed before I left, but was so determind to make this work came over anyway And it did.

    Yes, I believe there is an assumption on the whole that a counsellor here will have at least a level 6 qualification, and there's a lot of assuming going on in general I have found in the culture.

    I am working in NZ and have been since we got here, as a counsellor. I'm not in private practice and loving it. To gain the BA I had to have expereince of working here also, to demonstrate an understanding of the culture here being one of a bi cultural nature and not multi cultural as in the UK.

    Please feel free to PM or email me if you'd like to know more of my journey. Good luck to you both in getting over here.

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