TPC-Journal-V3-Issue3

137 The Professional Counselor \Volume 3, Issue 3 counseling implementation following the group leadership experience with the RPCVs. Students also reported an increased awareness of and appreciation for the service of RPCVs, including learning secondhand about internationally diverse cultures and the unique experience of the RPCVs as expatriates. The combined feedback from RPCVs and students, along with observed increase in students’ confidence and reported skills, may sug- gest that the culminating assignment did indeed maximize student learning. Resources for Partnerships Not every counselor education program is fortunate enough to have a fully operational training clinic where students from the university or members of the community can partake in a group counseling experience on campus. Students may be able to lead groups at other locations, including clinical mental health agencies, schools and other related counseling agencies (Stockton & Toth, 1996). A need exists for counselor educators to identify agencies that could utilize the skills and resources provided by group counseling students, and that would be open to having counseling students provide services to the agency volunteers or employees. The Peace Corps is certainly a prime example of this type of agency; whereby RPCVs often struggle with reentry issues (e.g., interpersonal concerns, career transition) and could benefit from structured psychoeduca- tional groups. Interacting with the RPCVs reportedly has been a humbling experience for students in the group counseling course, who recognize the talent and sacrifices that these individuals made to serve others. Students often stated that it was an honor to work with RPCVs during the group counseling course. There are a number of national agencies that, like the Peace Corps, may have a need for debriefing volun- teers and employees who have been through some life-changing event as a result of their work with the agency. By teaming up with such agencies, the partnership may become mutually beneficial for volunteers/employees of the agency and the group counseling students. A list of possible agencies and websites is provided for future partnerships with counselor education programs (see Table 1). By visiting these agency websites, counselor educators may find a local or regional office in close proximity to their university and establish a rewarding partnership for all. Table 1 Potential Agencies for Partnerships Agency Web site AmeriCorps http://www.americorps.gov / AmeriCorps VISTA http://www.americorps.gov/for_individuals/choose/vista.asp City Year http://www.cityyear.org Corporation for National and Community Service http://www.nationalservice.gov/about/programs/index.asp Job Corps http://www.jobcorps.gov National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) http://www.americorps.gov/about/programs/nccc.asp Peace Corps and Returning Peace Corps Volunteers http://www.peacecorps.gov / Senior Corps http://www.nationalservice.gov/about/programs/seniorcorps.asp Teach for America http://www.teachforamerica.org U.S. Department of Defense (including military branches and programs for military personnel, veterans, civilians and family members of those who serve) http://www.defense.gov