Counselling & Mentoring Skills Apprenticeship

We are excited to be able to bring you another new apprenticeship starting in April and is filling up fast!

The Certificate in Counselling & Mentoring Skills for Work with Children and Young People is an 18-month programme and consists of two separate qualifications:

• Level 4 Learning and Skills Mentor Apprenticeship
• CPCAB Certificate in Counselling Skills (Level 2)

You’ll learn how to build strong, supportive relationships within safe, professional, and ethical boundaries, while planning and delivering impactful mentoring sessions tailored to individual needs. Using proven models, effective communication strategies, and reflective techniques, you will help mentees grow in confidence and skills, providing meaningful feedback and guidance every step of the way. 

To enrich your mentoring practice, this programme also includes the opportunity to achieve a Level 2 Counselling Skills qualification. This adds an extra dimension to your training, helping you to:

• Meets Ofsted’s new inclusion focus – aligns with inspection criteria for supporting vulnerable learners.
• Early intervention skills – spot and address barriers to learning quickly.
• Creates an inclusive culture – fosters safe, supportive environments for all children.
• Proves impact – equips staff to show measurable outcomes
• Boosts inspection readiness – demonstrates strong practice with SEND and disadvantaged groups.
• Supports compliance – reinforces safeguarding and equality obligations.
• Strengthens collaboration – integrates mentoring into whole-school inclusion strategies.

By combining professional mentoring expertise with counselling skills, you’ll be uniquely equipped to provide both practical guidance and empathetic support, ensuring young people feel heard, respected, and empowered to progress.

Training Dates:

April – July 2026	September 2026 – April 2027	May 2027 – November 2027
Learning and Skills Mentor Apprenticeship	Learning and Skills Mentor Apprenticeship	CPCAB Certificate in Counselling Skills
Confirmed dates: 27th April – Twilight – 3:30 – 4:30pm 19th June – In person day 15th July – Twilight – 3:30-4:30pm	Confirmed Dates: 22nd September – In person day 1st December – Twilight 26th January – In person day February – Twilight (date TBC) 23rd March – In Person Day April – Twilight (date TBC)	Dates TBC 8 in person days 14 twilight workshops May: 2 x in person days plus 2 twilight workshops June: 1 x In person day and 2 twilight workshops July: 1 x In person day and 2 twilight workshops September: 2 x In person day and 2 twilight workshops October: 1 x In person day and 2 twilight workshops November: 1 x In person day and 2 twilight workshops N.B this is over 2 x Academic years)

Off The Job Hours:

All participants are expected to complete 184 of learning beyond the face to face training for the apprenticeship, but this will typically be through what you are doing in your everyday work that will be logged, for example, putting in place mentoring contracts, mentoring logs, communication with peers, colleagues about your development, recordings of mentoring sessions.

For the counselling element a lot of the assessment will be done during the in-person sessions, however you will be expected to maintain your own reflective logs and complete a written assignment and portfolio of evidence.

Assessment:

The Learning and Skills Mentor Apprenticeship is assessed externally by an apprenticeship end point assessment organisation – Highfield.

The Certificate in Counselling Skills will be assessed internally by the Tutor.

Learning and Skills Mentor Apprenticeship	Compile a portfolio of evidence, which typically includes 10 – 16 pieces of discrete pieces of evidence. Professional discussion underpinned by the portfolio of evidence. Observation of mentoring with follow up questioning (one will be live and one recorded mentoring session)
CPCAB Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills	Learning reviews one written assignment Two tutor observations (this is typically done during a session) Testimony records

Fees for the programme:

The programme is fully funded for schools who pay into the Apprenticeship Levy or are supported by their Local Authority. If your school does not pay into the Apprenticeship levy, please contact us, we may still be able to help.

The only cost to the candidate is the CPCAB candidate registration fee which is £182.00 and can be paid by the candidate or workplace of the candidate (please note this is 2026 pricing and there may be a small increase for 2027).

Timings for the programme:

Typically, the programme will be 18 months, however this will be flexible for each candidate depending on End Point Assessment completion and portfolio completion.

If you would like to register your interest, please complete the Expression of Interest form here: 

https://harrisapprenticeships.org.uk/expression-of-interest/

Or scan the QR code:

For more information please contact us: Apprenticeships@harrisinstitute.org.uk