As a practicing counselor, these are some of the activities I would consider putting in my guidance programme and further explain how I would execute them in my work.
Before highlighting the activities to be undertaken in this programme, one needs to understand what is meant by Life Skills. According to the World Health Organisation in the ministry of Education Teachers’ Curriculum Manual (2001: 28), Life Skills are defined as “Ability for adaptive and positive behaviour that enables individuals deal with the demands and challenges of everyday life”. Schools Guidance Services (1999: 2) added that “those skills needed by an individual to operate effectively in society in an active and constructive way.
In the traditional schools of different ethnic groups as highlighted above, life skills are still emphasized to help individuals understand themselves, function confidently and competently with other people and wider society – the world around them.
Ideally life skills like vocational, livelihood, practical and interactive skills to mention but a few, promote effective communication, good decision making, problem solving, self-awareness, creative thinking, coping with emotions and stress and interpersonal relationships.
The guidance programme of the day therefore, should adopt activities that include life skills to enable individuals respond to the demands of the society and their own needs. Hayes et al (1992) noted that career activities are not concerned with helping the student to find a suitable job in which he is likely to be successful but also preparing an individual for his total adjustment to adult life and its problems.
Specific concerns of clients such as poor study habits, poor performance, and lack of interest in school, drop-out and maladjustment are educational and academic matters that need a guidance attention. Also poor job satisfaction and motivation, low production, poor capacity for work are vocational while in ability to get aspirations,...