Social Service Worker Program at George Brown College

FULL DESCRIPTION

Social Service Worker(SSW) is an innovative two-year program designed to guide you in developing the knowledge, values and skills to work directly with a wide range of people confronting the full breadth of social issues and challenges. You will learn to identify and understand systemic barriers that can impede access to social and economic justice in today's society, and work with those most affected to break down those barriers.

Students will examine the expanding professional roles and responsibilities of Social Service Workers in large urban centres and within a rapidly changing society.

PROGRAM STANDARDS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The Ministry of Trainining, Colleges and Universities program standards apply to all Social Service Worker Diploma Programs delivered by OCAAT institutions.

The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

• Develop respectful and collaborative professional and interpersonal relationships that adhere to professional, legal, and ethical standards aligned to social service works.
• Record information accurately and communicate effectively in written, digital, verbal and non-verbal ways, in adherence to privacy and freedom of information legislation, in accordance with professional and workplace standards.
• Integrate a practice framework within a service delivery continuum, addressing the needs of individuals, families and communities at micro, mezzo, macro and global levels, and work with them in achieving their goals.
• Plan and implement accessible and responsive programs and services, recognizing the diverse needs and experiences of individuals, groups, families and communities and meeting these needs.
• Examine current social policy, relevant legislation, and political, social, historical, and/or economic systems and their impacts for individuals and communities when delivering services to the user/client.
• Develop strategies and approaches that support individual clients, groups, families and communities in building the capacity for self-advocacy, while affirming their dignity and self-worth.
• Work from an anti-oppressive, strengths-based practice, recognizing the capacity for resilience and growth of individuals and communities when responding to the diverse needs of marginalized or vulnerable populations to act as allies and advocates.
• Develop strategies and approaches to implement and maintain holistic self-care as a member of a human service profession.
• Work with individuals, groups, families and their communities to ensure that service provider strategies promote social and economic justice, and challenge patterns of oppression, discrimination and harassment, and sexual violence with clients, coworkers and communities.
• Develop the capacity to work with the Indigenous individual, families, groups and communities while respecting their inherent rights to self-determine, and to identify and address systemic barriers that produce ill-effects, developing appropriate responses using approaches such as trauma informed care practice.

CAREER OPTIONS

Social Service Worker graduates may work directly with people in social services or be involved in community development or social justice and allyship initiatives. They will be well prepared to work in diverse urban communities and with individuals, groups and communities confronted with a range of issues related to:

• mental health
• homelessness
• poverty
• substance use and addictions
• criminal justice
• crisis supports
• settlement and immigration
• social justice and advocacy