“Looking Forward” Investigating the counselling and support needs of non- traditional students in Irish third-level education Trinity College Student Counselling Service 2007

Overview  Third-level students in the 21 st Century  Meeting needs through student counselling  The importance of researching ‘non- traditional’ students

Defining the ‘non-traditional’ student  Mature students  Students with disabilities  Students from ethnic minority groups, including refugees  Students from the traveller community  Students from socially- disadvantaged backgrounds

Research Question What is the current counselling provision for non-traditional students in third-level education in comparison to their traditional student peers?

Mature Students (23+ years) - Current Service Provision

Mature Students (non-CAO applicants) - Referral Rates at Trinity College Dublin

Students registered with Disability - Counselling attendance

Mature Students in Counselling - Presenting Issues Presenting issues for Mature Students at UCC Counselling Services August 2004 to June 2005

Students with Disability - Counselling Service Provision

Social Disadvantage - Current service provision

Finding out what students think - Qualitative research  “First year in college: the experience of mature students” - Daire Gilmartin  “The experience of students from socially-disadvantaged backgrounds at third-level” - Sonya Walsh

Research Questions What are the training needs and practice guidelines required by student counselling staff in order to provide a quality service to non-traditional students in a third-level setting?

Counsellor training needs - IAUCC survey (n=23)

Research Question What are the counselling and support needs of non- traditional students in Irish third-level education?

Mature Students’ Needs - Qualitative findings  Choosing third-level education “ There was no option, the option for me to come to college at that stage, after school, just did not exist…my parents wouldn’t have been able to afford it…I was so disillusioned”.

Mature Students’ Needs - Qualitative findings  Personal impact “You’re trying to balance the subjects and the topics yourself. Finding that balance is difficult enough, but then you have to find the balance with your family, kids, friends, social life and that is really, really difficult”.

Mature Students’ Needs - Qualitative findings  Social Comparison “…coming back to full time education from so long that you worry, and if you are heading in to your first year exams, that you’d be wondering were you up to it, were you up to the mark, could you make the grade in third level”.

Mature Students’ Needs - Qualitative findings  Coping and support “...there’s a crowd of us. We’ve kind of formed a nucleus, there are other ‘matures’ who we’ve gotten to know…so we keep an eye”.

Mature Students’ Needs - Qualitative findings  Positivity “I’m doing something for myself…I’m not trapped anymore. I feel like I’m working towards something as well. The goal is a Degree. Hopefully in a couple of years time…maybe who knows. I’ve got opportunities. I’m going to have choices”.

Social Disadvantage - Issues faced by students  Experiencing difference “My Mam and Dad were very eager that I kind of got a new route, because they seen what they had to do and how they had to work…breaking their backs all the years”.

Social Disadvantage - Issues faced by students  The right to an education “what matters is not the door you go in. It’s the door you go out”

Social Disadvantage - Issues faced by students  Future focus: the big picture “it’s like my legacy to my kids. They will have a father who went to college…that will be another step up for them…something that I didn’t have and that will be passed on through the generations”.

Social Disadvantage - Issues faced by students  The meaning of education “It’s given me the option…of just having what I want instead of having to settle for second or third”.

Social Disadvantage - Issues faced by students  Practical challenges “I’m having to work. I’m in college Monday to Friday and I’m working probably one or two nights during the week and then Saturday and Sunday as well. I’m just finding it really tiring”.

Improving counselling services - some suggestions  Pro-active personal contact  Assisting time-management  Focus on relationships  Communication and information sharing  Staff training and liaison

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