Training and Development Service Unit
The Training and Development Services Unit is one of the service units of PsyCaD. The main purposes of this unit is:
- To undertake the training and development of intern psychologists.
- To help ensure students’ academic success through PsyCaD’s programmes and services.
- To provide psychological services to the public and the local community.
- To assist PsyCaD staff in developing their skills and to have planned career development by making training opportunities available to them.
This unit trains and develops counselling and educational intern psychologists in order to qualify for the Health Professions Council of the SA Board for Psychology’s examination. The unit for Training and Development keeps to the Board for Psychology’s stipulations about interns. These interns receive training and at the same time work across all service units within PsyCaD to provide psychological services to all PsyCaD’s clients. As such, PsyCaD is accredited by the Board for Psychology to train intern psychologists.
This unit is comprised of the Director: PsyCaD (Prof. H.G. Pretorius), the Team Leader (Ms. Trudie le Roux), a psychologist (Ms. Millicent van Rooyen), 12 intern psychologists and a work integrated learning (WIL) student assistant.
Internship training
This unit aims to provide a comprehensive service by training and supervising the intern psychologists to enable them to provide services to the other service units such as academic services, career services and psycho-educational services. They contribute to PsyCaD’s function of supporting students to enhance their success. By working in and across those service units they are addressing the diverse needs of students. They also provide psychological services to the broader UJ community. The interns follow a specific programme including: Orientation and training towards the work of PsyCaD; site rotations; therapeutic services; career counselling; 24 hour crisis line; group work; presenting workshops relevant to students’ needs, and more.
Career counselling
Interns offer career counselling to members of the public, prospective students and UJ students. They are involved in group career assessment and counselling as well as individual assessment and counselling. This includes intake interviews, administering psychometric assesment, feedback interviews and report writing.
24 Hour Crisis Line
Although the crisis line function fall within the Therapeutic Services unit, it is operated by the interns from this unit. The unit provides the training for operating the crisis line and provides group supervision of the interns on the crisis line.
Presenting workshops relevant to students’ needs
Workshops are also offered to students on topics such as HIV awareness, depression, trauma, sexuality, adjusting to university life, embracing diversity, dealing with exam pressures and relationship issues.
Assessments
PsyCaD is often approached to do various assessments. The interns therefore also regularly undertake scholastic assessments, including subject choices and school readiness. In addition, they also do psycho-legal assessments at the request of lawyers and advocates.
Training and development of staff members
The unit provides professional staff with training opportunities that enable them to retain their professional registration, as stipulated by the Board for Psychology. Training is planned to be relevant to the work and needs of the interns and other members of staff.
PsyCaD and community work
Communities often contact PsyCaD to assist them with some interventions related to a burning need in the community. When PsyCad becomes involved, the interns will explore the need. Based on their findings they will draw up a plan of action. They will then create a programme aimed at addressing the specific need. In this capacity they also are responsible for the administrative and organisational activies that go with such a programme. The interns will see to it that such a programme is executed and they will write a final report on it.
