Community Support Worker

Start a Rewarding Career With the Community Support Worker Program

Dartmouth

Program Length:

41 Weeks

Program Hours:

900

Sydney

Program Length:

26 Weeks

Program Hours:

900

Upcoming Start Dates

Dartmouth:

Sydney:

October 1, 2024

March 17, 2025

Request Brochure

Start a Rewarding Career With the Community Support Worker Program

Community Support/Service Workers, help support people with varying levels of physical and/or intellectual abilities or individuals with mental illness. Your primary role is to help these individuals attain their goals to help them live fulfilling lives. Each day and each client provides new opportunities and challenges. As a Community Support Worker you might:

Assist with personal care
Provide support for errands like grocery shopping, appointments, and more
Mentor clients in their vocational programs
Coach the skills needed for daily activities
Advocate for clients in a variety of settings

The Community Support Worker program in Dartmouth and Sydney provides the knowledge and skills needed for this rewarding career. This program is taught over eight months and provides theory and hands-on practical learning. Our program will prepare you to work with clients with physical disabilities, intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities or other special needs. Each course is designed to prepare students for their careers. Students will apply what they have learned through group projects, papers, and presentations as well as work in two work practicums to apply what they have learned in the classroom.

Each Community Support Worker course is taught by instructors who have worked in the field. By using real-world examples, they are able to help students relate the theory material to their new careers. In addition to your diploma, students earn the following certificates:

First Aid & CPR Level C with AED
Food Handler Certificate
WHMIS and OHS

New Bursaries Available for Community Support Worker Students!

CBBC Career College is thrilled to announce a fantastic opportunity for soon-to-be students! Several bursaries, each valued at $5,000, are available for students about to enroll in the Community Support Worker (CSW) program at our Sydney campus this fall. This is a wonderful chance for students to receive financial support while pursuing their education and preparing for a meaningful career.

Eligibility Criteria

To be considered for this bursary, applicants must meet the following criteria:

Residency: Must be a resident of Nova Scotia.
Citizenship Status: Must have Canadian Citizenship or Permanent Resident status.
Enrollment: Successfully enroll in the Community Support Worker program at CBBC Career College’s Sydney Campus for the Fall 2024 intake.
Commitment: Sign a ‘Return of Service’ agreement with the Department of Community Services, committing to work in the disability support sector for one year upon graduation.

Want to Know if We're a Good Fit for You?

Join us every Thursday at 2pm AST to check out what CBBC Career College has to offer. Our group tours let you see our campus and learn about our programs and services up close. They're a great way to get your questions answered and figure out if learning with us matches what you're looking for. Don't miss your chance to explore and see if our place feels right for you!

Job Market

CSW’s work in a variety of home, adult vocational or community settings. Job opportunities can be found with agencies, organizations or the government or community day programs throughout Nova Scotia. This career offers flexibility as positions may be part-time or offer shift work.

Graduates may obtain careers as life skills instructors, vocational instructors, program supervisors or managers, community support workers, community service workers, casual support workers, developmental service workers, developmental support workers or human services workers and more.

Salary Information

Nova Scotia
Average Wage ($/hr) – $18.20
High Wage ($/hr) – $22.76

Canada Wide
Average Wage ($/hr) – $19.02
High Wage ($/hr) – $25.00

Source

Program Outline

Please click on the course title to see the course description.

This course provides an introduction to the basic philosophy and concepts of behavioural supports, as it relates to full citizenship and inclusion. Person-centred Planning relates to who makes up the team, setting priorities, setting goals, setting objectives, strategies, assigning roles, and monitoring and tracking hours. Students will recognize that behavioural supports come in many forms to address educational and social needs. Using the strategies for behavioural supports, we will focus on that which will make it easier for the person to achieve ongoing success and well-being on a sustainable basis.

This course will help the student develop the proper communication skills necessary to function in a professional business setting. There will be a review of grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation as they apply to business communication. Students will complete various exercises with the emphasis on improving basic skills in grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and apply them to writing assignments and tasks.

Our Career Management course will introduce students to and teach them how to apply the most effective strategies to achieve employment in the career of their choice. Topics that are covered: effective job search strategies, cover letter and strategic resume writing, interview preparation and effective interviewing skills. Students will also be introduced to online training in Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) so that they will have a better understanding of their role as regards safety at the workplace.

This module introduces the various forms of written communication required of Support Workers in care settings, and how Support Workers can approach care-related written communication appropriately and effectively. The learner will recognize the importance of documentation in the coordination and monitoring of care and will overview various forms of documentation. The learner also will develop written communication and documentation skills. Additionally, the learner will be introduced to the appropriate uses of technology by Support Workers both inside and outside care settings.

This module is designed to enable the learner to develop the skills required for the basic safety and cleanliness of the person’s care setting, whether a private residence or within another type of care setting, according to the scope of employment policies. It prepares the CSW to organize and complete daily care setting management tasks. The learner will also learn how to set priorities and develop time management skills. Focus on nutrition and the role of the Support Worker in meeting the dietary needs of individuals of all ages. The learner will understand the role of nutrition to health and well-being, will plan menus, and understand basic meal preparation practices.

Students will look at human development from the moment of conception, continuing through childhood, and finishing at the end of adolescence. The course will examine the changes that occur throughout these stages and how they impact our lives from a biological, environmental and social perspective. Students need to understand how the brain, the nerves, and the glands interact to control feelings, thoughts, and behaviour across the lifespan. This will allow students to better understand how impairment to these systems can affect persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities.

This course will provide students with the opportunity to examine issues related to adulthood and the gerontological years. Students will examine characteristics of aging unique to the disabled population. Strategies for supporting aged persons with disabilities will be explored, government plans for positive aging with disabilities will be reviewed, and dementia and palliative needs will be examined.

This module will introduce the learner to effective interpersonal communication practices for Support Workers. The learner will become familiar with different types of professional relationships and the appropriate forms of interpersonal communication that occur in work/care settings. The learner will assess their strengths and areas for improvement in interpersonal communications generally. The learner also will understand and practice communication strategies and approaches that support a person-centred approach in various care settings.

This 12-hour course is designed to introduce key concepts about creating, modifying, and enhancing a presentation using PowerPoint 2016. You will explore the PowerPoint environment and create a presentation. You will format text on slides to enhance clarity. To enhance the visual appeal, you will add graphical objects to a presentation and modify them. You will also add tables and charts to a presentation to present data in a structured form. You will then finalize a presentation and deliver it.

This 20-hour course is designed to provide you with the skills needed to work in Windows OS and MS Outlook. You will learn to use the tools and options available in the MS Windows operating system, manage folders and files, and work with simple applications packaged with the operating system. The Outlook course will provide you with the skills to compose and send emails, schedule appointments and meetings, manage contact information, schedule tasks, create notes, customize the Outlook environment, calendar, and mail messages, and track, share, assign, and quickly locate and organize various Outlook items.

As a student in this 40-hour course, you will learn the most important topics of Microsoft Office Word. No prior computer experience is assumed. You will delve into Microsoft Office Word to learn how to create, edit, and format documents and multiple-page reports. Once you have mastered this, you will learn to work with templates, themes, styles, and mail merge. Finally, you will learn advanced techniques, such as automating your work and using advanced online forms.

This 200-hour course is designed as a culmination of the program. Our Placement Department works with you to arrange a suitable placement with a local business, corporation, or a public or non-profit organization which conducts typical Canadian business practices in your field of study. In your Practicum term you could perform, or job shadow, or a combination of both, the skills and knowledge acquired in the modules within your program.

The instructor will provide specific guidelines so placement experiences are put into proper context. Requirements for placements will be reviewed, such as confidentiality, supervisor contacts, and evaluations. Students will actively participate in practicum seminars where they will share ideas and experiences with their peers through guided discussion and activities. Facilitated seminars allow students to exchange ideas for working with different groups and practice interpersonal skills to develop professional learning. Students will also have opportunity to develop and share resources to support their practicum placements.

Admissions Requirements

Standard Admissions Policy:

Grade 12 or GED
Admissions Interview

Alternate Admissions Policy:

Achieve a level 12 on Wonderlic Scholastic Level Exam (SLE)
Admissions Interview

In addition to the above, all applicants must provide:

Vulnerable Sector Check
Child Abuse Registry Check
Health Waiver

Language Requirements:
All students need to meet or exceed the language requirements set by CBBC Career College. Click here to learn more.

This program is an excellent fit for:

Someone who wants their career to make a positive impact.
Someone with a genuine passion for helping others and a desire to contribute to the well-being of individuals and communities.
Someone determined to build strong and meaningful relationships with both your colleagues and patients.

Why choose the Community Support Worker program?

The demand for Community Support Workers is often high, which can provide you with job stability and a range of career options.
Several different opportunities for employment, including self-employment, full-time or part-time.

Save time & money

Finish most programs and become job-ready in less than a year!
Get the skills you need to get hired with programs that cut the extras and give you the skills you need to get hired.
With career support for life with CBBC Career College, our experts will help find you employment no matter how long ago you graduated.
You don't need three to four years of school to enter the workforce with the skills to start a great paying career!

Your future is our priority

Start school NOW with most program intakes happening frequently (no need to wait!)
No waiting lists, even in our most-popular programs. We'll get you the job training you need to start your career ASAP.
We take a student-centric approach to learning, with small class sizes to empower you to collaborate with your peers and receive more attentive support from your instructors.

Career-relevant education

Our programs are programs aligned with real-world, in-demand occupations. We will get you job-ready!
Most CBBC Career College programs include practicum experience so you can hit the job search running with a great education AND experience.
We have real relationships with employers who are waiting to hire qualified CBBC Career College graduates!

What People Are Saying

I think the thing that has stood out to me the most in the program is how much the teachers care about your success and how they work hard to create a positive environment to learn in. It’s really amazing! They really encourage all the students to celebrate each other’s successes and help each other out. I really struggled with the decision of which school to attend, and I know that I made the right choice.

Monique Ryan

Cosmetology Program

What Our Graduates Are Saying

CBBC is the best decision that you can make for yourself. The education, the hands-on experience, and the amazing instructors make the time fly by. You learn skills that translate into real job experience. If you are looking to go to college, choose them! Once you become a part of the CBBC family, your dreams become realities!

Stephanie Melski

Medical Office Assistant / Cape Breton Regional Hospital Program Program

Community Support Worker

Start a Rewarding Career With the Community Support Worker Program

Start a Rewarding Career With the Community Support Worker Program

New Bursaries Available for Community Support Worker Students!

Want to Know if We're a Good Fit for You?

Job Market

Salary Information

Program Outline

Admissions Requirements

Standard Admissions Policy:

Alternate Admissions Policy:

Related Programs

This program is an excellent fit for:

Why choose the Community Support Worker program?

Save time & money

Your future is our priority

Career-relevant education

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Financial Aid for Community Support Worker Students at CBBC

NEW Bursaries Available for Community Support Worker Students!

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What People Are Saying

What Our Graduates Are Saying

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