Abstract
M.Ed.
This study focuses on lay counselling within a Secondary Township school context. The goal of the study is to gain insight into the experiences of Black parents who are counselled using traditional Western counselling models. In order to achieve this goal, a specific school was selected to conduct this research. Individual interviews were done with parents who were previously been counselled with their adolescent children within a school context. In addition, literature study was conducted. The school, from which this study was conducted, has a guidance team consisting of some teachers who are trained as lay counsellors. Often these teachers are confronted with problems encounter by learners, which often require that parents should be called for counselling. However, the educators are often confronted with challenges. Thus, the research findings revealed that using traditional Western counselling models with Black parents and their adolescent could be a source of conflict. Furthermore, the findings revealed that the concept counselling is perceived differently from a western perspective and from an African perspective. Consequently, the findings provided a basis through which guidelines for
counsellors and Educational psychologist were established. The research provides these guidelines as recommendations to be considers when working with families within a township school context As a researcher in this study, I am of the opinion that the guidelines can be a valuable tool and can enhance the process of counselling. In addition, I am of the opinion that families could be counselled within a school context.