Are you motivated to make a real, meaningful difference in your community? Would you like to make a positive impact on the lives of those around you? Community Support Worker training can help you do just that, through the meaningful support you can provide to people with disabilities. In the words of community support work client Majeet Ghangass: “I want…
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There once was a time when I visited a radio station and asked the program director what she looked for in new employees. The message she’d given to all the new employees was: “Congratulations on graduating from your program. Now, forget everything you learned in school. It’s time to start over.” Learning all that encompasses the field of community support…
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After eight months in school, it’s finally over. It felt surreal being back in class for our last day. It felt like so much time had passed since I last saw my classmates, yet its only been one month. I learned so much during the practicum that going back to school for one final day seemed anti-climactic. It was good…
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Hello everyone! Thank you for continuing to follow my journey as a Community Support Worker student. If there are any specific questions you may have about what I’ve written about school or about working as a community support worker, please let me know. Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming! When I first started the month-long practicum, my mind would…
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In Canada, dual diagnosis refers to an individual who is affected by both a developmental disability and a mental illness. Diagnosing a mental health illness in a person who also has a developmental disability can take time. This is because the process takes the patient’s health, as well as their psychological, behavioral and developmental conditions into consideration. Outside of Canada,…
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I’ve identified three types of conflict that CSWs will encounter in the field. Conflict between support workers and the individuals they support, conflict between a support worker and a supervisor/another support worker and conflict between two individuals that we support. In order to create conflict-free zones in the workplace I suggest never arguing with anyone or better yet, just…
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First full week of practicum (CPE) = First full week of challenges Finally! The wait is over. After seven months in the Community Support Worker program we are able to do real hands-on work experience and really learn what it’s like to be a full-time Community Support Worker. Our one month practicum is a full-time shift from Monday to Friday…
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In some ways, everything we learn in school is in preparation of one potentially life-changing event. The courses we are taking, the practicum experiences all lead to one event, and that is the job interview. The job interview serves as the time and place where the knowledge and experience we’ve gained over the past several months can now be applied….
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Unfortunately, in order for change to take place, horrifying, dehumanizing behaviour must be shown and broadcasted publicly so everyone can see how ugly we treat people in our society and we can begin to discuss how to change what we collectively now see as being wrong. Before an October 2014 online viral video showing a woman walking around New…
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Day one of our first Independent Practice Experience (IPE) was a very exciting day. It was my first foray into the “real world” of community support work. Our first IPE day was very important for me because I learn better when I’m physically doing an activity instead of reading about it in a textbook. Some people prefer to learn visually or…
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