Social Service Worker

Program Highlights

You will participate in respectful, empowering relationships with groups and individuals, and advocate for change when needed. Student experiences as a volunteer (200 hours suggested) before and while you are in the Fleming Social Service Worker program enhance your learning and increase your job opportunities.

First semester courses include the fundamentals required for social service work, concepts of social justice and power differences between peoples and communities. Second semester courses increase skills in counselling, social justice and diverse populations, program development and case management. Third semester courses concentrate on skills and knowledge required to work with groups, individuals and communities in such areas as mental health, addictions and partner and family maltreatment. The emphasis is on group and team work, ethical conduct and community organizing and advocacy.

Your final semester course puts classroom knowledge to work in a full-time field placement location with learning guided by both faculty and agency personnel.

At Fleming, you graduate with two additional training certificates widely recognized by agencies as "value added" to increase your employment potential: ASIST Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training, and NVCI Non-Violent Crisis Interventions skills training.

Why Choose Fleming

Fleming's Social Service Worker program is the only one in the Kawarthas--a good choice for local people, as well as those who want to take advantage of smaller classes and more individually focused learning. It's increasingly chosen by university graduates to build job-related skills and practice.

Aboriginal Emphasis Initiative
Fleming College's Aboriginal Emphasis Initiative is an inclusive approach to providing more understanding of Aboriginal peoples, communities and nations. You will have an opportunity to take courses designed from an Aboriginal perspective with emphasis on Aboriginal peoples, history, spirituality and culture.

All social Service Worker students take a first semester course on the histories, cultures and traditions of Aboriginal peoples; students may then choose to study a course with an Aboriginal Emphasis in each of semesters 2 and 3.

Work Experience

The final semester integrates learning and takes place in a work setting matching your learning needs and choice of location. You may require a current police records check, which is available from your local police department upon payment of a fee. You may also be required to provide a current Standard First Aid Certificate, a current Basic CPR Certificate (level C) and Proof of Immunization.

Is this You?

To succeed in this program and career, you need:

• emotional maturity
• empathy and compassion
• sensitivity to diversity (ages, cultures, gender)
• excellent interpersonal skills
• self-awareness
• good stress and time management skills

Career Opportunities

As a Social Service Worker, you will provide assistance, advocacy, skill development training and short-term, strength-based counselling in a variety of community-based organizations. You will work with a diverse range of people and personal circumstances, including:

• psychiatric survivors
• mentally challenged adults and children
• victims of violence
• seniors
• families living in poverty
• at-risk youth

Social Agencies that have hired Social Service Worker Graduates:

• Canadian Mental Health Association
• Hastings Centennial Manor Long-Term Care
• Associations for Community Living
• Broken Arrow Residential Treatment Services
• Kinark Child and Family Services
• City of Peterborough - Ontario Works

Graduates of the program are eligible to be  registered with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers.

Minimum Admission Requirements

OSSD with the majority of credits at the College (C) and Open (O) level, including:

• 2 College (C) English courses (Grade 11 or Grade 12)

When (C) is the minimum course level for admission, (U) or (U/C) courses are also accepted.

Mature Students

If you are 19 years of age or older before classes start, and you do not possess an OSSD, you can write the Canadian Adult Achievement Test to assess your eligibility for admission. 

* Students starting in January are required to attend classes over the summer semester.

Related Programs

Not quite decided on which community development career to pursue? Why not consider Drug and Alcohol Counsellor, or the Community and Justice Services program if you have a desire to help people improve their lives?

Additional Costs

Plan to spend approximately $1350 for year one and $700 for year two for books and supplies.

Transfer Agreements

• Athabasca University
• Griffith University, Queensland, Australia
• Lakehead University
• Ryerson University
• University of New Brunswick
• University of Ontario Institute of Technology

For more information see the Pathways to University page.