Six ways to give back to the counselling community

College counselling is a job that you get paid for. However, it’s also a mission and a passion, beyond just a profession and a vocation. 

Many of us are in this line of work because we are committed and passionate about guiding the younger generation to their next stage of life, and want to support each other in the process as like-minded colleagues. This means that sometimes we take on responsibilities and duties that we are not necessarily paid for – but will do gladly. 

Our job description delineated in the contract with our school does dictate much of our responsibilities and schedule – rightly so, as we have a duty to our students and representing the school, first and foremost. 

However, there are ways you can contribute your time to the larger college counselling community – responsibilities that you don’t necessarily get paid for, but are deeply worthwhile. Consider these ways to give back to the community. 

The bonus side-effect of engaging in these activities can be career boost and increased visibility, which may be useful if you are considering transitioning across schools eventually. 

But we advise our students not only to chase things because it looks good on an application, and prompt them to think about the deeper meaning. Similarly, we can engage in these activities not only for extrinsic benefits, but also for the intrinsic meaning. 

So what are ways that college counsellors can give back and grow as a counsellor, beyond your job description? 

1. Share your knowledge 

One way to share your knowledge and know-how is to write it down or to turn it into a presentation. 

THE Counsellor presents a wonderful opportunity for anyone to share their insights and best practices. Email Adi and Seeta with your ideas. 

Or refer to this article for ideas and tips on submitting successful conference proposals. Don’t forget to identify potential presentation partners before doing so. 

2. Connect with colleagues around the world

You can also share knowledge in online spaces. These can be Facebook pages (International ACAC, College Admissions Counsellors, or regional counsellor groups divided), the CAP Community, WhatsApp or WeChat groups or even LinkedIn. 

In these spaces, you can answer questions, engage with others, and share your thoughts and reflections. This is a good way to gain visibility and also get to meet others from around the globe whom you’d not have met otherwise. 

3. Connect with local colleagues

You don’t have to travel to another continent to hang out with other counsellors. 

Connecting with counsellors locally can be another great way to exercise leadership and create spaces for interesting conversation. Beyond starting a local WhatsApp group, you can organise socials or in-person professional-development opportunities. 

Or you can think about coordinating a citywide fair together, taking turns hosting it. Promise to bring students to each other’s fairs, thus developing a more formal organising consortium. 

Regardless of the activity, the in-person nature of interacting with local colleagues will be refreshing after spending so much time at a screen. 

4. Commit your time to valuable causes 

This article illustrates why counsellors make great volunteers. You can volunteer formally with an organisation such as Project Access or with an endeavour such as Second Chance. Or you can find informal ways to give your time, by offering pro-bono counselling, giving presentations and conducting mock interviews. This can also be a great way for us to interact with a different demographic from the students we normally work with. 

5. Mentor a colleague

If you feel like you are ready to mentor another counsellor – or you feel like you need mentoring – look at organisations that can connect you to others. International ACAC Mentor Year Programme connects mentors and mentees. If your school is an East Asia Regional Council of Schools member, you may get emails about mentoring opportunities, too. 

If you are a new mentee, here are some of the tips I prepared for an IACAC panel in September 2024.

6. Serve on committees and advisory boards 

Finally, you can serve on committees of college-counselling organisations (such as International ACAC), teams of conference organisers or advisory boards for universities. These are slightly more formal ways to engage with others, and may involve a selection process. 

Attend the conferences, ask individuals who are already serving in the teams and check online spaces frequently for these opportunities. And don’t be discouraged if you’re rejected after you apply. Rejections are a perfectly normal part of the process (as we tell our students), and there will always be another application open in the future.

Your college-counselling career should first and foremost take place in your school, with the students there. However, your career and commitment to the profession can be bigger than just your job contract in multiple fulfilling ways. I hope you are able to find your ikigai in college counselling by engaging in these activities beyond your immediate job.