Short courses

No special prior qualifications are needed and people from all sorts of backgrounds attend SHEP courses. Some of the courses address the needs of specific groups, such as parents, men or women whilst others are open to all. An openness to change, a willingness to explore ideas and to engage in discussion will help you to get the maximum benefits from the course.

Each course consists of a two-hour session held once a week for ten weeks or a two-and-a-half-hour session once a week for eight weeks.

The cost may vary depending on funding available (e.g. ETB, Partnerships, other grant). Currently courses held in SHEP’s own venues range in cost from No Charge to €45 to €75. When an organisation requests a SHEP course, they will sometimes offer places to members of the community free of charge or for a minimal fee.

If you are an organisation looking to run a SHEP course the current cost for one of SHEP’s Community Tutors to facilitate a 20 hour course is €756. In addition a mileage allowance will be payable where it is necessary for tutors to travel a 15 mile round trip (or more) from their home. Your organisation will be responsible for providing a suitable venue and any refreshments required.

SHEP runs courses throughout counties Cork, Kerry. Limerick & Clare at the request of other organisations. Each Autumn, Spring and circa Easter SHEP itself initiates a number of short courses.

Up to sixteen people will be in the group. The group will be facilitated by a tutor who is a trained facilitator with lots of experience in creating a supportive atmosphere and in helping personal learning (Occasionally courses are facilitated by two tutors).

Courses commence during the terms Autumn, Spring and circa Easter (please see the upcoming courses for details of the next programme of courses). If you are interested you should, phone (021) 466 6180 for details.

Where a course is over-subscribed, subject to readiness, priority is given to applicants who:

1. Are in receipt of a disability or welfare payment
2. Are from a disadvantaged group/area (e.g. Direct Provision, early school leaver)
3. For whom this is their first time doing a course with SHEP
4. Have expressed their need (e.g. Development, Anxiety, depression, loss, trauma ….)
5. Are being referred by a practitioner (e.g. GP, Counsellor, OT, Health team …)
6. Are being referred from a community center or organization

Attention is then given to gender balance and date order of applications.

• Applications are only processed when submitted on a completed Application Form
• We will deal directly with all applicants – When a person makes an enquiry on behalf of another person, with sensitivity to the need for support, we advise that we need to speak directly to the applicant.

Applicants will be notified in advance (usually circa a week) regarding decisions about places, whether they have secured a place or if they are on a waiting list

Along with the above weighting, readiness of a person to participate is an important thing to consider when forming experiential learning groups. There are five aspects to consider when making decisions about readiness to participate and to continue to participate in an experiential learning course:

• Willingness and capacity to engage in a group.
• Willingness and capacity to begin to reflect on experience.
• Willingness and capacity to explore ideas.
• Sufficient wellness to participate in a group
• Sufficient ability to communicate in English

Where a person themselves, or the Project wish to check out readiness to participate on a particular course, the co-ordinator will arrange to talk this through and possibly meet, with the applicant

If you are an organisation looking to run a SHEP course the current cost for one of SHEP Community Tutors to facilitate a 20 hour course is €800. In addition a mileage allowance will be payable where it is necessary for tutors to travel a 15 mile round trip (or more) from their home. Your organisation will be responsible for providing a suitable venue and any refreshments required.

Up to sixteen people can be in a group. The group will be facilitated by a tutor who is a trained facilitator with lots of experience in creating a supportive atmosphere and in helping personal learning (Occasionally courses are facilitated by two tutors).

SHEP’s Community Tutors have completed SHEP’s Foundation Training and Facilitation Training as well as Specialised Practitioner Training for each course they are qualified by SHEP to deliver.

A Code of Ethical Practice for SHEP Tutors guides the delivery of community courses, along with a number of policy documents, which have been developed in recent years with the assistance of SHEP’s Training and Development Advisory Group.

SHEP’s Community Tutor Panel currently includes 72 Registered Community Tutors based throughout Cork, Kerry and Limerick. To view a full list of community tutors – >> Click Here <<

SHEP, 50 years in existence this year has been developing tailor made courses to assist individuals with their mental health and personal well being. The organisation in this time has developed its own unique facilitation approach based on social theory and best practice . Tutors require significant training themselves to facilitate and deliver a short course. For more information on the SHEP facilitation approach >> Click Here <<

A full selection of the SHEP short courses available for organisations, schools, corporations and community bodies ect. can be seen on the menu on the right hand side. If you feel the organisation you are involved with could benefit from running a SHEP course inhouse please reach out. For further information please contact the senior training officer – Liam McCarthy – liam.mccarthy@socialandhealth.com