Welcome to Community Counsellor Training 

CCS & CCT

Community Counselling Service (CCS), based in Canterbury, was established in 2007 as a low cost independent counselling practice for all in the local community who wish to access talking therapy. 

Drawing upon the wealth of experience this practice has brought us, in 2015 we launched counselling education (as CCT), in the form of a Level 2 Award in Skilled Helping and Counselling Skills, a one year Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Skills and a two year Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling - the national standard for professional counsellor qualification. We regularly take on students who work their placement hours at CCS, so it has been a natural and thrilling progression to move into the training of counsellors. 

Since then we have gone on to add advanced course qualifications in L6 Supervision and L6 Child & Young Person Counselling (for qualified counsellors) and a L4 Life Coaching Diploma.

Details of all courses are on the various Training and Life Coaching pages.

---- Latest News Update  ----

Earlier this year we had been informed by our Awarding Body, Skills & Education Group (SEG), that they were going to replace the L4 Diploma Course with a new L5 Diploma. In March SEG told us that they have paused development of the L5 course, so the L4 Diploma remains as the professional qualification for counselling. We had already published plans to move to the L5 Diploma, so we are sorry to bring you news of this turnaround, which was out of our hands. Should SEG bring forward any new developments about courses we will, of course publish them here on the website. Meanwhile, the L4 Diploma remains the route to nationally recognised counsellor qualification, and is aligned with the SCoPEd framework. Please see the L4 page for full course details.

Academic Excellence backed by Practical Experience

We believe the benefit of studying with us here at CCT is that we can offer not only high-quality theoretical training, but also a very broad base of experience within which to learn. Tutors are all very experienced counsellors with thousands of hours of practice behind them; there is a range of tutors covering a variety of approaches to encompass the realities of counselling in the daily workplace; and there are possibilities for placement provision within the system in our very busy and exciting practice. 

Community Benefit

CCS is a Community Interest Company (CIC), meaning that any profit made is retained by the business to invest in its work in the community. In choosing to study with us, not only do you gain a solid qualification designed and delivered by passionate and experienced professionals, but you are also contributing to the ongoing development of the community counselling practice and thereby helping disadvantaged people throughout our area. 

Awarding Bodies

We are a recognised learning centre for Skills & Education Group (SEG) Awards and all our courses are awarded by them direct or through their Quality Licence Scheme. 

Face to Face

With the exception of the Life Coaching course, which is run totally online, all our training courses are face-to-face. We do reserve the right to use online training platforms when necessary, or if deemed valuable to the learning experience.

About Our Training

We understand very well about the difficulties, challenges, and great benefits of studying to become a counsellor. So we recognise the need for a fully supportive education which will enable you to achieve not just a qualification but gain valuable experience and personal development from studying within an organisation wholly committed to the practice and process of counselling.

SCoPEd

At CCT, we are committed to delivering courses of the highest professional standard. Our courses are carefully mapped to the SCoPEd framework, ensuring that the knowledge, skills, and competencies you develop are benchmarked against nationally recognised standards in counselling and psychotherapy. 

This alignment means your training with us is current, robust, and directly connected to the expectations of the profession — giving you a clear and supported pathway into practice. We believe in developing counsellors who are grounded, competent, and ethically aware, so that both you and your future clients can have confidence in your professional readiness.

So, welcome to our website and to your new pathway to a first-class counselling education - we look forward to hearing from you and working with you.