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Community Support Worker – Social Services Program

Also see: Community Support Worker – Assisted Living

Social Service Worker

The growing need for assistance with pregnant teenagers, homeless persons, children with special needs, and those with substance abuse problems will maintain the need for these workers. Growth is also expected in the area of First Nations outreach and community development, especially for youth and those in rehabilitation. Employment opportunities are much better for those who have appropriate post-secondary education.

Community and social service workers administer and implement a variety of social assistance programs and community services (life skills workshops, substance abuse treatment programs and other community and social service programs). They assist clients in dealing with personal and social problems. They are employed by social service and government agencies, group homes, correctional facilities and other establishments.

Community and social service workers may interview clients to obtain their case histories and other background information. They may prepare intake reports, assess their clients and investigate their eligibility for social benefits. If necessary, they will refer their clients to other social services. Later, they meet again with their clients to assess their progress, give them support and discuss any difficulties or problems. Community and social service workers may work in schools as para-professionals assisting with children with special needs along side occupational therapists or provide respite for families with children with special needs.

This work is done under the supervision of social workers or health care professionals. They also can assist in evaluating the effectiveness of these treatment programs by tracking clients’ behavioural changes and responses to interventions. Community and social service workers maintain contact with other social service agencies involved with their clients to provide information and to obtain feedback on clients’ overall progress.

Note: CPR, First Aid, and Food Safe will be completed during the program.

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Entrance Requirements: Grade 12/GED or mature student status. Applicants must successfully complete the admissions interview and entrance assessments.

Prerequisites: Applicants for this program must also have excellent communication skills (composition), sign a criminal/medical waiver, obtain a satisfactory certificate of health from a physician, submit a criminal record search, and provide evidence of clear TB testing prior to acceptance. All must be done no more than 3 months before the start date of the program.

Total Program Hours: 1070 Hours.
Full-time Program Length: 50 Weeks (11.6 Months).
Clinical Placements: 100 Total Hours (4 Weeks) – Work Placement Overview.

Career Opportunities: Child and Youth Care Worker; Women’s Shelter Worker; Family Place Worker; Teen Pregnancy and Parenting Support Worker; Settlement/Newcomers Service Worker

Program may not be available at all campuses. Program content is subject to change.

Courses

AD001 – 10 hours
Foundations of Technologies

  • Computer basics/file management
  • Internet/email/keyboarding

CS102 – 40 hours
Adolescent Growth and Development

  • Adolescent development
  • At-risk youth issues

CS103 – 40 hours
Paraprofessionals in Education

  • Role of special equipment classroom attendant
  • Structure of educational system
  • Lesson plans, instructional aids
  • Classroom dynamics

CS104 – 40 hours
Assisting with ADLs and Safety (for the Paraprofessional in Education) (Comp/Inc)

  • Infection control
  • Feed, toilet and safely lift a child with a disability

CS200 – 40 hours
Human Services for Children, Youth and Families

  • Social service systems
  • Child abuse

CS201I – 40 hours
Counseling Techniques for Children and YouthI

  • Describe counselling process
  • Theories of counselling
  • Affective, behavioural and cognitive strategies

CS202II – 40 hours
Counselling Techniques for Children and YouthII

  • Process of play therapy
  • Counselling special issues
  • Peer / family / education support strategies

CS203 – 40 hours
Understanding Addictions

  • Critical incident reporting
  • Etiological theories
  • Substance abuse treatment

CS204 – 40 hours
Psychosocial Rehabilitation & Care Planning

  • Models of psychosocial rehabilitation
  • Supporting the family
  • Working with children & youth

 CS301 – 40 hours
Professional Skills for Fieldwork in Canada

  • Income security
  • Women’s and Aboriginal services

CS303 – 40 hours
Applied Behavioural Analysis

  • Autism
  • ABC Model (antecedents, behavior, consequences)

CS304 – 40 hours
Mental Health

  • Mental health/mental illness
  • Chronic pain/chronic illness
  • Involvement of family

CS400 – 40 hours
Aging with Chronic Illness and Developmental Disabilities

  • Changes associated with aging
  • Functional health
  • Social concerns/support systems

CS401 – 40 hours
Aging and Psychosocial Applications

  • Cognitive issues
  • Personality and ego development theories
  • Work, leisure and retirement issues

CS402 – 60 hours
Counseling and Support Techniques for Adulthood

  • Empathy skills
  • Problem-solving approach
  • Crisis counseling

CS500 – 100 hours
Practicum I – Child / Youth Care Services (Comp/Inc)

  • 4-week practical experience

CS501 – 40 hours
Self Care

  • Stress management
  • Self-awareness
  • Assertiveness training

CS502 – 40 hours
Families and Culture

  • Family types and systems
  • Multicultural issues

 CS600 – 100 hours
Field Placement / Practicum II – Adult Care Services

  • 4-week practical experience

EC100 – 100 hours
Child Growth and Development

  • Process of learning and maturation
  • Cultural, economic, and generational influences on development
  • Schedule F needed for child observations in child care centres

GE001 – 10 hours
Foundations for Success

  • Goal setting, note taking, problem solving, team work
  • Overview of policies & procedures

GE121 – 40 hours
Career Planning and Management

  • Interview techniques
  • Create an employment package

HCA204 – 50 hours
Healing 4: Hospice-Palliative Care

  • Communication skills used in caring for the dying and their family
  • Understanding Hospice and Palliative Care
  • Personal awareness and self reflection and self care
  • Practical skills used to help manage common challenges in end-of-life care

Practicum Training Information

  • Practicum may include any shifts other than day shift (i.e. evenings – 3 to 11 pm or nights – 11 pm to 7 am and possible weekends).
  • Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from designated offsite training and practicum sites.
  • Practicum training is conducted in shifts of a minimum of 5 hours per day for a total of 100 hours or 4 weeks.
  • Placement sites are subject to availability.
  • Practicum sites may require more current CRC and TB testing (to be done at student’s expense)