Centennial College is supportive of people with disabilities, and this comes through both in how we accommodate our students, as well as what we teach them. Some students want a career where they can help others, and becoming Developmental Service Worker is such an opportunity. This is a career in social work that focuses on helping people with developmental disabilities become independent, acquire work, and contribute to society. Our Developmental Services Worker program gives students the skills needed to enter the workplace, as well as career connections through fieldwork and placements.
What you do
Your goal is to focus on personal autonomy, on dignity and independence.
Who you are
You have to have patience, energy, creativity, and most importantly, empathy to help people in need. You also need to be organized and flexible, both personally and professionally, since the sometimes-chaotic nature of the job means you’ll need to be able to roll with it and face unexpected situations head-on. It can be a challenging career, but it can also be intensely rewarding. You’ll see your fair share of challenges, which is why it’s also important that you be driven and motivated to do good, take pride in your accomplishments no matter their size, and also take time for yourself.
Sound like you?
As a developmental services worker, you could become an educational assistant, a residential, family or employment support worker, a community disability worker, or an Integration facilitator. The program is highly-regarded by professionals in the industry, runs for two years, and focuses on equipping you with all the skills you need in that time, reflecting current knowledge, issues and best practices in the industry, taught through projects, seminars, community observation and teamwork. The faculty are professionals in the field of intellectual disabilities, with years of experience and personal relationships with the people they serve. You’ll learn how to provide services that promote self-determination, safety, health and wellbeing. Best of all, you put your skills to the test in the field, with two supervised field placements, in the third and fourth semesters.
By Anthony Geremia