The University of Port Harcourt created a Counseling Centre that has been given the responsibility to cater for the psychological, emotional behavioural and human development needs of both staff and students which will comprise of full time and part time students of both graduate and undergraduate programmes, including Open Distance Learning Students, (ODeL). This is in line with federal government’s directive to all Universities to set up an independent counseling centre that will ensure the provision of psychological and other learning support services for both students and staff, in Nigerian Universities. The University of Port Harcourt’s emphasis on human development, as reflected in all her academic majors, is a deliberate action and to support the driving of the vision, the Counseling and Human Development Centre is established to provide an array of integrated services. The Counseling and Human Development Centre, University of Port Harcourt [CHDEC] approach will be to provide individualized services to members of the University community by assessing current situation of the individuals and integrating their past in order to help the individuals function more effectively in their academics and workplaces.
CHDEC will be guided by the code of ethics of Psychology and Counseling professions by promoting privacy and confidentiality of clients’ information obtained during counseling sessions. However, a consent form that their information be released to a third party for further intervention if the need arises will be signed by the clients. The Centre will collaborate with all the Faculties, University’s Health Centre, the Security Department, all Religious Groups, the Chaplaincies on campus, International Office, Exchange and Linkages office and Students Affairs Department, Departments of Educational Psychology, Guidance and Counseling, the Legal Unit, and Department of Mental Health respectively. A potential client can self-refer or be referred by anyone; including parents and guardians.
The Centre is poised to receive clients referred to her by the various stakeholders and promises to do their professional work adequately and aptly to the benefit and growth of the recipients. We are therefore making a clarion call to all and sundry to join hands to build the Centre.
CHDEC in its mandate to work in line with international practice and globally accepted standards saw the need to train certified counselors in relevant specialties to enhance quality of service. The centre runs post graduate programs in specialised areas of counseling psychology which is the need of the time.
The Guidance and Counseling Unit which has been a unit under the Students Affairs Department metamorphosed into University of Port Harcourt Counseling Center and finally, Counselling and Human Development Centre. It has been in existent and as old as its motherboard – The Guidance and Counseling department of the Faculty of Education. It actually started with the Head of the Department, Dr. Virgie Amadi of blessed memory who saw the need for students and staff to be counseled. The University bought into the vision but domiciled the unit in the Students Affairs Department until it became a Center. Arresting of the recent happenings of students taking sniper, committing suicide and other vices that had been on the increase, informed the administration to set up a center – University of Port Harcourt Counseling Centre. Those who administered the unit from inception in order of succession, were: Dr. Virgie Amadi (Counselling Psychologist), Mrs. Roseline Ebeniru (a Child Psychologist) of Blessed memory, Mrs. Matilda Nnodim (former Registrar) – Administrative Director of the Centre, she was the one that attracted the attention of the university administration to build the Centre, so that it can stand on its own. Prof. Rosemary O. Ekechukwu, (Counseling Psychologist) came on board to add professional touch. University of Port Harcourt Counseling Center which started in the year 2021 in the month of May was officially commissioned on Friday, 10th September, 2021 by the ninth Vice Chancellor of University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Owunari A. Georgewill and Prof. Rosemary Ekechukwu as the first Professional Director of the center. During the period under review, the center conducted her first Training of 300 level undergraduate Practicum students of Educational Psychology between July and August 2021. Also, the centre trained graduate students of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education for four (4) weeks -October 10th to November 10th, 2021.
In a bid to align with the NUC guidelines for the establishment of Counseling Centres in Universities and for more efficiency, the University established an NUC compliant centre called Counselling and Human Development Centre, University of Port Harcourt. It has a Professional as Director, Prof. Rosemary O. Ekechukwu, appointed by the 9th Vice Chancellor, Prof. Owunari Georgewill. The Centre was formally established on the 30th November, 2021. Since then, the Centre has continued to conduct Trainings for 300 level undergraduate Practicum students of Educational Psychology Guidance & Counselling Department, and Graduate Students (M.Sc. & Ph.D) of both University of Port Harcourt and Ignatius Ajuru University of Education. It also offers Counselling services to Students, Staff and even outsiders on referals. The running of Post Graduate programmes (PGD & M.Sc.) Ph.D was given Senate approval in April, 2023.
Our mission is to meet the needs of the various clients in school and non-school settings (the society at large) in the area of Counselling Psychology. This will be achieved through commitment to outstanding training of Counsellors with adequate theoretical background, techniques and skills to deliver widely accepted services of international standard.
To become the leading Institutional Centre in Counseling Psychology by producing post graduate graduates who can compete with international standards and advances in Counseling psychology and Social Work and other related areas.
We are a passionate educational institution dedicated to providing high-quality resources to learners of all backgrounds.
