Oxford College’s Community and Developmental Service Worker program gives you the academic knowledge and practical skills needed for a professional career in community support settings. As a community and developmental service worker, you will administer and implement a variety of social assistance programs and community services. You’ll also assist clients to deal with personal and social problems.

Discover a rewarding career where you can change people’s lives for the better. As part of our program, you’ll gain practical experience through placements in community support settings.

Students will learn how to:

• Interview clients to obtain case history and background information
• Assess clients’ relevant skill strengths and deficits
• Assist clients to sort out options and develop plans of action while providing necessary support and assistance
• Assist clients in locating and utilizing community resources including legal, medical, and financial assistance, housing, employment, transportation, assistance with moves, daycare, and other referral services
• Prepare intake reports
• Counsel clients living in group homes and half-way houses, supervise their activities and assist in pre-release and release planning
• Participate in the selection and admission of clients to appropriate programs
• Assess and investigate eligibility for social benefits
• Meet with clients to assess their progress, give support, and discuss any difficulties or problems
• Refer clients to other social services
• Advise and aid recipients of social assistance and pensions
• Provide crisis intervention and emergency shelter services
• Implement and organize the delivery of specific services within the community
• Implement life skills workshops, substance abuse treatment programs, behaviour management programs, youth services programs, and other community and social service programs under the supervision of social services or healthcare professionals
• Assist in evaluating the effectiveness of treatment programs by tracking clients’ behavioural changes and responses to interventions
• Maintain contact with other social service agencies and healthcare providers involved with clients to provide information and obtain feedback on clients’ overall progress
• Coordinate the volunteer activities of human service agencies, healthcare facilities, and arts and sports organizations
• Maintain program statistics for purposes of evaluation and research