This course aims to provide emotional support skills to workers in the service industry with jobs that require them to work directly with people on an individual level, such as hairdressers, beauticians, and more. To maintain a positive relationship in the service industry, workers are faced with the inevitable task of supporting their clients in the problems and experiences they may feel comfortable sharing with them.

Empathy, affection, and care are all forms of emotional support that the clients may need. According to research, the most effective strategy for engaging customers is to go beyond customer satisfaction and connect with them on an emotional level, which plays a larger role in meeting deeper emotional demands. Following this training, participants will be more aware of how to assist their customers on an emotional level while maintaining appropriate boundaries, valuing self-care, and being able to refer to other professionals.

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

  • improve their listening and assist colleagues and/or clients at work;
  • accompany with others while containing their emotions;
  • know when and how to refer patients for additional assistance;
  • build a sense of familiarity among their staff and consumers.
  • People whose work requires them to listen to and support colleagues and/or clients.
  • Service providers who have direct contact with their clients and spend a significant amount of time with them.
  • Service providers who want to strengthen their interactions with their clients and colleagues.
  • Employers who seek to foster a sense of familiarity among their employees and customers.

Target Audience Age: 18+

It is not necessary for attendees to have any academic background in the psychological sector.

This session aims to provide more awareness to service providers regarding the importance of emotional connections when developing relationships with customers,  encouraging customer loyalty and a good overall reputation.  

The learning outcomes of this session are:
  • to define ‘emotion’ and be conscious of how one interacts with their own feelings.
  • to be aware that a person can communicate by expressing their emotions.

In this session,  participants learn about listening, supporting, and validating feelings as helping skills. By simply being present, participants learn how to lay the groundwork for additional support and assist one another.

The learning outcomes of this session are:
  • Learning how to be present with people physically, emotionally, and mentally.
  • Learning how to help a person feel accepted, understood, and not judged.

The crucial skill of empathy is tackled in this session. Participants learn to be aware of the fundamental requirements for providing assistance, showing unconditional positive regard and empathy while being congruent.  

 The outcomes of this session are:

  • Becoming aware of the importance of empathy.
  • Being sincere, genuine, and honest with their customers.
  • Adopting a perspective of complete acceptance and love, whether for oneself or another.

This session will delve into the practice of upholding boundaries. Setting boundaries at work allows us to foster safe connections while being aware of our interactions with others and ourselves.

The outcomes of this session are:
  • Being able to practice self-care by establishing healthy boundaries.
  • Being aware of the various boundary types that preserve a good relationship while protecting participants from their customers.

During this session,  participants learn when to refer someone to professional help . Participants learn the difference between respecting the customers’ confidentiality and when it is necessary to disclose certain information for the benefit of their well-being.

The outcomes of this session are:
  • Learning and being able to differentiate between various helping professionals and services available;
  • Being able to guide and refer people to more specialised help when needed.

 

The course is delivered in 5 sessions (10 contact hours) over 5 weeks. The 2 hour weekly sessions are held on Mondays between 6:00 pm and 8:00 pm. at Ta’ Mlit Pastoral Centre. Free parking facilities are available.

Mondays: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
DateLecture Title
21st AugustRecognising the Value of Strong Emotional Bonds with Customers
28th AugustLearning how to listen, contain, and validate customers’ feelings.
4th SeptemberHow to Demonstrate Empathy while Listening to Customers
11th SeptemberLearning to maintain healthy boundaries while remaining emotionally connected to customers.
18th SeptemberKnowing when, where, and how to refer someone to a professional.
Certification:  

This course has three exit certificate options: 

  1. Certificate of Attendance

To obtain a Certificate of Attendance, students must attend all the course contact hours. 

2. Certificate of Participation

To obtain a Certificate of Participation, students must attend all the course contact hours and pass the short multiple-choice online exam. 

3. Certificate of Achievement 

To obtain a Certificate of Achievement, students must: 

  • attend a minimum of 80% of all course contact hours;  
  • successfully complete the course`s assessments (short multiple-choice exam & case study analysis)

Teaching and Awarding Institution: Pastoral Formation Institute

Qualifications: Every application will be considered on its individual merits. The Pastoral Formation Institute accepts a wide range of qualifications, and we always try to judge applications on the basis of academic potential. We do consider a very wide range of academic, vocational, and professional qualifications, as well as work and other appropriate experiences and skills.

Language: Primary level understanding of Maltese and English.

Digital: Knows how to access the internet and use a word processor.

 

Application Form