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Co-Counsellors only section

Co-counselling in a small group

Conversation in a dining room

How is CCI Co-Counselling (UK) organised?

Co-counselling is a peer activity and so the appropriate sort of organisation is based on everyone being equal. In the UK this is achieved through doing without formal overall organisation. Things are organised on the basis of individuals and groups taking the initiative to organise them.

So what do you do?

These are examples of things that are organised by and for co-counsellors in the UK:

• Fundamentals of co-counselling courses
• Local networks of co-counsellors to co-ordinate activities and keep co-counsellors in touch with each other
• Regular meetings where people can have co-counselling sessions or "peer groups" of co-counsellors who meet regularly to support each other, have sessions or do whatever else they choose to do
• One day get togethers to co-counsel, learn further skills or do anything else that the participants choose to do
• Residential gatherings from two to seven days doing the same sorts of things as the one day events, often with a choice of several things to do at any one time. Also these events offer the experience of just being with other people who are working on their own self development and, in particular, learning how to relate well with others. Six or more a year
• Newsletters, e-mail lists and web sites to help with coordinating and informing people about activities
• On line groups for support or arranging and having sessions

It is entirely up to individual co-counsellors to what extent they take advantage of any of these. CCI co-counselling, by its nature, strongly supports people to be self directed which can include anything from self directedly deciding not to take part in anything to self directedly organising a major international event.

CCI activities are generally self funding, in other words each event or newsletter covers its own costs, and costs are generally kept to a minimum. No one is paid for organising CCI activities. The facilitation at gatherings is shared by the participants. Activities can range from a groups that meet together to work on an issue like bereavement or gender with everyone sharing the facilitation. Or there may be sessions facilitated by co-counsellors who happen to be highly skilled trainers or therapists.

Generally, CCI co-counsellors are welcome to CCI events anywhere in the world where they take place. International events, residential gatherings of around a week to which co-counsellors from different countries are particularly welcome, take place regularly in Europe, New Zealand and The USA.

Children: CCI does not and is not able to take formal or legal responsibility for looking after or safeguarding children. In general if children are allowed at co-counselling events they remain the responsibility of their parents or guardians in the same way as they would be at any social event that did not include formal childcare.

Some events do include provision for co-counsellors to bring their children. Sometimes there is formal childcare provision during mornings and afternoons when particular activities are taking place. Otherwise parents come prepared to take responsibility for their children throughout even when other participants (including other parents) organise some informal childcare.

People as young as 13 have trained to be co-counsellors and they would be entitled to attend co-counselling events in their own right (though, of course, younger teenagers would have to be accompanied at the event by one or more co-counsellor parents or guardians).

A venue used for CCI events - EarthSpirit Centre

another - Wiston Lodge

and another - Unstone Grange

and Launde Abbey, venue for the 2013 CCI European Gathering