Requirement

REQUIREMENTS APPROVED IN THE 2007 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Requirement 1:

Professional membership in HKPCA should be called “HKPCA Certified Counsellor.” Application to become a “HKPCA Certified Counsellor” has to be examined and endorsed by the HKPCA Council. Membership should be renewed annually and be subjected to adherence to HKPCA Ethical Guidelines and stipulations related to continual professional education.

Requirement 2:

The minimum academic level for professional membership in HKPCA should be a Master’s degree in counselling or in a counselling-related field (or its equivalence).

Requirement 3:

In order to qualify for professional membership in HKPCA, the individual should enroll in a master-level degree program (or its equivalent) with a clear “theory” and “practice” component.

3.1. The total number of contact hours in the academic program, including both the theory and practice components, should aggregate to 320 hours: The following domains should be adequately covered (i.e., substantially covered in named courses) in the “theory” component: - Compulsory domains: Counselling theories and orientation, helping process and skills, counselling ethics. - Other required domains (at least 3 of the 5 domains): human growth and development, social and cultural foundation, measurement and appraisal, program evaluation, and group work.

3.2. There should be a practicum component in the academic program where students have the opportunity to practice and receive regular supervision. The total number of contact hours and supervision hours are specified in Recommendation 4.

Requirement 4:

To qualify for professional membership in HKPCA, the individual should have accumulated a total of 450 hours of supervised practice of which 150 hours must be subsequent to the completion of training (that is, after graduate training at the level of a master degree in a counselling-related field or its equivalent). In addition, a total of 100 supervision hours must be accumulated, of which 50 hours must be subsequent to the completion of graduate training. At least 30 percent of the supervision hours have to be individual-based (that is, one-on-one supervision).

Requirement 5:

A “Grandfather Clause” should be set up to allow special individuals who have made an important and unusual contribution to the counselling profession in Hong Kong to become “Certified Counsellors”. The following guidelines are to be observed:

5.1. A two-year time period for the validity of the “Grandfather Clause.”

5.2. In the “Grandfather Clause,” individuals can be considered to become “HKPCA Certified Counsellors” through two possible paths:

5.2a. The applicant should possess a master degree in a counselling-related field (or its equivalent) and have 20 or more years of experience in providing counselling at the time of application (but without the documented supervision experience).

5.2b. The applicant is nominated by the HKPCA Council to have made an “exceptional contribution” to the field of counselling.

Requirement 6:

The Membership Committee of HKPCA should be charged with the responsibility to review applications for professional membership and the development of a system for applicants to follow, with the assistance of the HKPCA Administrative Office. The Membership Committee could decide to re-structure its composition, with approval by the HKPCA Council, so that its members could efficiently and credibly manage and review future applications for regular and professional membership status.