Assessing Quality of Online Supervision of Trainee Counsellors: The Case of Counsellor Training Institutions in Zimbabwe

Abstract

Counselling is a health profession that calls for practical training. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, many students found it difficult to get  field placements unless they were already in health service jobs, which gave them the chance to meet clients in their organisations. The study set out to establish how students were supervised in the field during the COVID-19 lockdowns and how these assessments were  done in a restrictive environment. Interpretive qualitative research methods were employed to gather and collect data from the students  and the university supervisors. Unstructured interviews, interview guides and telephone interviews were used. The findings revealed that  students had to find their own way of getting assessed and some postponed their studies due to lack of placement in the appropriate  organisations. In some instances, online supervision was the only option for those who were hard to reach. WhatsApp video conferencing  became convenient for trainees attached to sites that had weak connectivity and those who lacked resources that would  enable connection to platforms such as zoom and teams. For those who got placement at their workplaces, the training was not as vigorous as it should be. Findings also revealed that training institutions were not prepared for global emergencies such as the COVID-19  pandemic. It is recommended that training institutions should find innovative ways for student supervision to continue flawlessly in this 4 th Industrial Revolution. There is also a need for institutions’ strategic plans to include resources and programmes in times of serious  national or global emergencies.