How to Become an Outreach Counselor

By eHow Careers & Work Editor

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Outreach counselors raise awareness of issues by going out into communities and speaking with people at risk for certain social issues or diseases. These issues range from employment and continuing education to gang violence and AIDS prevention. Most people who become outreach counselors have some general skills plus specialization in certain areas.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Step1

Study for a bachelor's degree in sociology, psychology or health care. These subjects provide you with a strong background in treating and understanding the issues that people face today.

Step2

Look for a summer job at a youth camp while you are in college. Often, the children you work with at these jobs are the ones who are targeted by outreach counseling. You'll probably gain valuable experience working with people, and you'll learn how to talk about issues with children and teens.

Step3

Find a community group that deals with an issue you feel is important. For example, many inner cities have groups that deal with teenage pregnancy and parenting. Many volunteer positions can turn into full-time employment if you consistently do good work. At the very least, your consistently fine effort should earn you a glowing letter of recommendation.

Step4

Start your own grassroots outreach group. Find an issue that affects a large population of people, like teenagers and drug use, and develop ways to talk about the issue. In this case, your group would want to schedule meetings with students, teachers and parent groups to raise awareness of drug use and its effects.

Step5

Learn a second language. Many outreach groups are trying to recruit counselors who are bilingual. As the population of the U.S. becomes more diverse, groups are changing to adapt to the new cultures and ethnic groups.

Tips & Warnings

Not all positions for outreach counselors require a college degree. However, you should have at least a GED or high school diploma if you want to become a counselor.
There are many grants available for outreach counselors. You can also talk to your city council and ask for public funding to deal with issues like gang violence prevention.
If you become an outreach counselor, it is fairly typical to be working in a new area every few years. Many positions are funded by short-term grants that only last for 2 to 3 years.
You don't have to be a full-time outreach counselor. Many people volunteer on the weekends and during days off because they find outreach counseling meaningful and rewarding.
Working as an outreach counselor in some areas can be dangerous. If you're working on the streets, try to do all your work during the day and in public areas.