View article

The conditions for becoming adult have changed perceptibly for young people in the course of social modernization processes. Adolescents find themselves in increasingly complex and contradictory areas of life which offer them more choices of action, but also require of them more self-organisation and more decision-making processes in uncertain conditions. The adolescents primarily at risk of failing due to the changes in learning-and development-related tasks are those denied access to necessary coping resources. Owing to the profound effects of social change (for example, changed forms of family life, increased educational pressure) it can generally be assumed that young people have an intensified counselling need. Against this background, the present paper examines which new requirements for action arise in the institutionalized counselling of adolescents. In regard to this, hints are provided in the results of an evaluation study by the present author, within the scope of which adolescents were interviewed about their counselling experiences. Finally, counselling approaches are described which can contribute to facilitating access for young clients, and to structuring counselling in a more suitable way for adolescents (peer counselling).