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Realising Career Potential: Rethinking Disability

See how rehabilitation counsellors help people with disadvantage or disability realise their vocational potential.

1,290 enrolled on this course

  • Duration

    2 weeks
  • Weekly study

    3 hours

Discover how rehabilitation counsellors help individuals, employers and society

Unemployment - whether due to social disadvantage, chronic disease, injury or disability - is affecting an increasing number of individuals and communities across the globe.

This online course looks at the benefits of helping people with disadvantage or disability participate in work and society to realise their full potential.

Explore common misconceptions and stereotypes perpetuated by the medical model of disability and discover how Rehabilitation Counsellors support meaningful vocational decision making for all.

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Skip to 0 minutes and 6 seconds Do you have a disability or work with someone who does? Are you ready to challenge stereotypes and redefine the norm? Would you like to see a more level playing field for everyone in our society? If you have answered yes to any of these questions, join us in a global conversation as we explore the challenges and opportunities for people with disability. Hello, I’m Christine Randall. And I’m Vanette McLennan. Welcome to Griffith University and the world of rehabilitation counselling and disability case management. Whether it’s helping someone find and maintain meaningful work or assisting them to return to work after injury, rehabilitation counsellors work with people to maximise their participation and potential.

Skip to 0 minutes and 51 seconds Join the leading team from Griffith University as we investigate some of the big issues in disability participation today. If quality of life for people with disability is important to you, or you’re even thinking about taking the next step to become a rehabilitation counsellor or case manager, then this two-week course is for you. Register now for your chance to learn with passionate experts in the rehabilitation field at Griffith University and get ready to reimagine a world where barriers are broken down and possibilities become reality. Together, we can make a difference.

What topics will you cover?

  • Differences between the Medical and Social Models of disability
  • The damaging impact of stigma, stereotypes and misconceptions
  • Issues surrounding invisible disabilities, including mental health
  • The right for everyone to work and the role of the Rehabilitation Counsellor
  • The benefits for enabling participation for everyone in our society
  • Strategies to support a return to work following injury or disability
  • Support mechanisms, including assistive technology and workplace culture
  • Case study reflections to challenge traditional thinking about disability in the workplace

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Discuss how perceptions of ‘normal’ impact on the participation of people with disability in work and community
  • Explain the importance of access to meaningful employment for people with injury, disability and disadvantage
  • Reflect on real-life case scenarios in determining services and strategies to enable full participation of people with disability
  • Explore the role of the Rehabilitation Counsellor to help clients realise their career potential after injury or illness

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for:

  • rehabilition counsellors and allied health professionals in related disciplines, such as physiotherapy, exercise physiology, occupational therapy, human resources, social work or psychology
  • people with disabilities, work-related injuries or social disadvantage
  • professionals in government on policy relating to employment, disability and social welfare
  • professionals in trade unions and industrial relations
  • professionals in personal injury insurance.

No prior experience or qualification in rehabilitation counselling are required.

Who will you learn with?

Christine is the Rehabilitation Counselling Program Director at Griffith University. Her dream is for everyone to reach their potential and have a fair chance to participate fully in their own lives.

Vanette is a qualified and experienced Rehabilitation Counsellor and Course Convenor at Griffith Uni. Vanette is passionate about social justice, particularly in relation to rehabilitation and work.

I'm a Rehabilitation Counsellor and PhD student with Griffith University. I believe that a fulfilling career is a human right, and that employment is a valuable tool in overcoming inequality.

Who developed the course?

Griffith University

Griffith University was created to be a different kind of university—challenging conventions, responding to trends and pioneering solutions through innovative teaching and research.

  • Established

    1971
  • Location

    Queensland, Australia
  • World ranking

    Top 210Source: Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2021

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

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