Social Service Worker

Prerequisites: COMP-0662Technology in the Workplace, INDG-0012 Indigenous Persepectives, COMM-0431 Writing & Documentation Skills, COMM-0430 Interpersonal Communication Skills, PSYC-0001 Psychology
This four-week practicum will allow students to observe and place meaning to classroom lessons as they apply in the community context. Students will be required to reflect on their observations and make journal entries as to how theoretical knowledge is applied in a real-world setting.

This course examines the current institutions and the politics of federal, provincial, and local governments in Canada. Students learn about the primary components of government structure, the political process and the interrelationship between the different levels of government. There is a focus on the impacts of Canadian legislation and government policies on Indigenous people and their governance. The course examines the relationship between government decision makers and different stakeholders outside of government, and the resulting political decisions which shape people's everyday lives and communities, as well as the social services they depend on.

This course improves students’ ability to navigate the college experience and environment, including student's rights, roles, and responsibilities. In this course, students reflect on their skills, attitudes, and expectations and develop learning strategies to help them to become successful, resilient, and self-directed learners. The course covers topics such as success in online learning, time management strategies, learning strategies, assessment taking strategies, academic integrity, information and digital literacy, and wellness, among others. It integrates elements of student orientation.

This course focuses on the basic skills used to interview clients in a counselling setting. It examines how the foundational values of respect, genuineness, and empathy support the helping relationship. Students develop skills in attending, listening, paraphrasing, responding, and effective questioning through participation in group activities and role plays. Students will also familiarize themselves with strengths-based practices and be introduced to common industry strategies such as brief counselling and motivational interviewing.

This course introduces students to the scope and dimensions of social service organizations and generalist practice. This course emphasizes the variety of roles that social service workers fill within the generalist framework of social services. Structural, strengths-based, systems and anti-oppressive theoretical perspectives are examined to prepare students for their own emerging practice. Students are introduced to foundational practice knowledge for a broad spectrum of employment fields including working with racialized and newcomer populations, women, violence, gender diversity, seniors, disabilities, child welfare practice, and healthcare settings.

This course examines issues and topics as they relate to the Canadian Indigenous experience from precontact to contemporary challenges. Course content includes colonization, Indigenous customs and beliefs, from First Nations, Metis, and/or Inuit perspectives. Examination of a variety of legislation and government policies will be undertaken. The residential school system and its impacts along with contemporary challenges including Treaties, Self- Government initiatives, Truth and Reconciliation, MMIWG and Bill C92 will be evaluated. Students will analyze the disparity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous systems, outcomes, and programming.

Interpersonal communication is the study of theories and practice in verbal and non-verbal communication with a focus on interpersonal relationships. Emphasis is placed on the importance of communication, improving interpersonal relationships and increasing communication competence in everyday social exchanges. Topics include interpersonal language skills, listening and responding, conflict management, and verbal and non-verbal communication theories. Students will be given opportunities for skill building and practice in professional communication.

Social service workers engage with people and families to provide direct services and support. This course introduces students to the complexities of human development across the lifespan and the dynamics of family systems. It covers the stages of growth from conception to old age, incorporating the physical, cognitive, social, spiritual, and emotional dimensions. Students learn to identify developmental milestones and understand the impact of family relationships and cultural traditions on individual development. Students examine the evolution of the family unit, exploring how family structures, boundary and attachment issues, and couple relationships affect children's functioning. Topics such as family scripts, scapegoating, grief, and the implications of divorce are discussed in the context of promoting functional family systems. Equipped with this knowledge, future social service workers are prepared to assess behaviors and support clients through a range of life experiences.

A foundational understanding of psychology supports future Social Service Workers to implement programs that promote mental health and well-being across populations. Students will explore key psychological concepts and theories, such as the origins of psychology, major perspectives and concepts. The course content includes foundational concepts of psychology such as biological basis of behaviour, sensation and perception, theories of learning, cognition, personality, stress, social psychology and psychological dysfunction. Students will begin to integrate this knowledge with professional and ethical practices critical to client engagement, support, and advocacy.

Social Service Workers must engage professionally and ethically with a diverse population of colleagues, collaterals, and service users. In order to do so, students need to have a solid understanding of diversity, social structures, and inequity. This course studies social behaviour in human groups. Students are introduced to foundational sociological theories and frameworks for analysis. Concepts such as culture, society, socialization, deviance, stratification and others are illustrated from a sociological perspective. We will discuss patterns of social interaction and how these patterns change over time and setting. Students will develop the foundational knowledge required for later development of advocacy for social justice.

In this course, students master technology-based competencies indispensable in today’s workplace. They manage files across local and cloud platforms and engage in electronic collaborations on these files using tools like Teams. Students develop proficiency in various Outlook capabilities to facilitate communication and coordination with clients, colleagues, and collaterals, reinforcing professional networking and communication skills. Students prepare reports using advanced functions of word processors and spreadsheets to communicate workplace information with clarity. These competencies culminate in the ability to deliver compelling multimedia presentations, aimed at achieving strategic goals and fostering meaningful engagement with clients, colleagues, and broader professional communities.

Social Service Workers compose documents that inform critical decisions and have meaningful consequences in the lives of their clients and in service to their workplaces. They must demonstrate strong ethics and integrity in all written documentation – academically and professionally. This course develops critical thinking, reading, and writing skills required by students for success. The focus will be on practicing effective written and electronic communication skills including typical reports social service workers would complete in the field.

Prerequisites: HMSV-0020 Trauma Informed Practice, HMSV-0021 Women and Gender Studies, PEDV-0395 Professional Practice, HSMV-0017 Non-Governmental Organizations, LAWG-0099
This eight-week practicum is designed to give students an opportunity to apply classroom learning. Students are required to design and/or implement and monitor project activities in professional settings.

Prerequisites: HMSV-0020 Trauma Informed Practice, HMSV-0021 Women and Gender Studies
It is imperative for social service workers to have knowledge of the history and practices in child welfare as it is nearly impossible to separate this system from service delivery in every field of practice. In this course, students explore the Canadian child welfare system with a focus on Indigenous perspectives and the impacts of colonization, including the residential school system and the 60’s Scoop. We examine Manitoba's Child and Family Services Act alongside Bill C-92, highlighting the shift towards Indigenous self-determination in child and family services. Students learn to identify signs of child maltreatment through real-life scenarios, understanding the implications of cultural context and intergenerational trauma. The course emphasizes developing effective reporting strategies and engaging empathetically with diverse families, employing strengths-based and culturally informed approaches. This foundational course provides insights into prevention, risk assessment, safety planning, and resource development, all through a lens of cultural relevance and evidence-based best practices in child welfare service delivery.

Prerequisites: PSYC-0001 Psyhcology, HLTH-0312 Life Cycle Development
This course introduces the etiology, theoretical frameworks and best practice approaches treatment approaches regarding Co-occurring disorders. Students examine the link between mental health and substance abuse disorders. The assessment, diagnosis and best practice treatment approaches are examined in relation to the individual, family and community, as it pertains to both mental health and substance abuse definitions, diagnosis and treatment. Course topics include the examination of common mental health disorders such as depression, bi-polar, schizophrenia, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder from mainstream and Indigenous perspectives.

Prerequisites: HMSV-0012 Counselling Foundations, COMM-0430 Interpersonal Communications
This course presents an overview of the evolution of groups and group dynamics. Students practice goal setting, decision-making and addressing conflict withing a group setting. This foundational learning will be applied to skill development in facilitating psycho-educational groups in professional settings. Students will demonstrate skills in planning, facilitating, and evaluating effective groups. Content includes stages of group development, developing evidence-based group activities, ensuring age-appropriate scaling of group content/delivery models, mandated and non-mandated groups. Students will practice developing group activities appropriate to various topics, such as substance abuse, parenting, social skill development, and others.

Prerequisites: INDG-0012 Indigenous Perspectives, LAWG-0099 Canadian Governments, COMM-0430 Interpersonal Communications
It is important for employees in the social services field to have a basic understanding of the various components of the Canadian Justice System in order to effectively assist and guide clients in conflict with the law. The Criminal Justice system is examined through Federal, Provincial and Indigenous concepts of Law including the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, justice, deterrence, punishment, victims and restorative justice. Students will research various conflict resolution and mediation approaches that provide alternate options to the mainstream criminal justice system. Additionally, students explore topics including incarceration, alternative measures and community-based rehabilitation programs and services.

Prerequisites: COMP-0662 Technology in the Workplace, COMM-0431 Writing & Documentation Skills
Students acquire knowledge and approaches needed to achieve constructive social change through the process of community work in non-governmental organizations. The focus is on building healthy communities through processes which are inclusive, self-determining, and community driven. Students examine the concepts, values, and strategies of community development to achieve social and economic change. Since non-governmental organizations frequently rely on outside financial support to maintain, expand, or create programs and services, students have an opportunity to develop practical skills such as writing proposals and planning programs and events.

Prerequisite: HMSV-0020 Trauma Informed Practice
This course provides students with opportunities to consolidate their learning, develop their own emerging practice framework, and focus on their skill set as a beginning Social Service Worker. Students examine personal and professional social work values for ethical decision making and professional conduct within the scope of the Canadian Association of Social Work (CASW) Code of Ethics. Students will construct a generalist assessment and intervention plan framework that will assist them in honing these skills within a wide variety of practice fields. Students construct and engage in a viable self-care plan to increase their own wellbeing now and in the future as practicing SSWs. Students participate in a wide range of case studies introducing them to practice modalities, language, and expectations in a broad range of fields.

Prerequisite: HMSV-0013 Fields of Practice
In this course students examine the complex interplay of contemporary issues together with the social determinants of health such as income and social status, employment and working conditions, education, physical environments, social supports and coping skills, access to health services, gender, culture and race. Students explore how these issues pertain to the health and wellbeing of underserved populations in Canada today. Emphasis is placed on Indigenous populations, newcomer populations, and homeless populations as some of the most underserved persons in our communities.

Prerequisite: HMSV-0013 Fields of Practice
This course introduces students to Canada’s social welfare system of income security and social services. Students learn historical and foundational concepts underpinning the Canadian social welfare system and explore the development of our social welfare system throughout history. Students evaluate social welfare policy in Canada as it relates specifically to poverty and to various marginalized sectors of our society. Specific populations examined will include women, children, Indigenous populations, elderly people, immigrant populations, and disabled persons in Canadian society. Students examine the impacts of recent international events, such as the globalization of economies and governments, on legislation and service delivery. On a national level, students evaluate the role of social service workers within a variety of service sectors and community agencies.

Prerequisites: PSYC-0001 Psychology, INDG-0012 Indigenous Perspectives, HLTH-0312 Life Cycle Development, HMSV-0012 Counselling Foundations, COMM-0430 Interpersonal Communicaitons
This course introduces the foundations of trauma-informed practice, a compassionate approach in social service work addressing the effects of trauma. Students learn to recognize and address trauma at personal, community, and societal levels, considering the roles of systemic issues like racism and colonialism. The curriculum emphasizes practical strategies for supporting recovery, including understanding trauma's impact on behavior and development. Culturally sensitive practices are highlighted, with a focus on respecting diverse backgrounds. Key skills such as ethical standards, self-care, and documentation within a trauma-informed framework are also covered to prepare students for empathetic and effective engagement with clients.

Prerequisite: SOCI-0001 Sociology, HLTH-0312 Life Cycle Development
This foundational course explores the interaction of gender with race, ethnicity, class, sexuality, Indigeneity, and (dis)ability. The topics provide a practical understanding of gender dynamics and equity. The focus on Canadian gender issues, including the historical impact of feminist movements and current gender-based policies, will help to strengthen students' advocacy and client support skills. Through case studies and real-world scenarios, students learn to communicate sensitively about gender topics, engage ethically with diverse communities, and develop strategies for addressing gender inequities. The course emphasizes the importance of professional ethics, client engagement, and collaborative approaches within social service frameworks. Students explore feminist contributions and the effects of systemic factors like colonialism and racism in social service work. They enhance skills necessary for effective program design and service delivery, promoting empowerment and social justice for women and gender-diverse individuals.