Social Service Workers

Job description

These individuals intervene with persons, families, groups, and communities facing social problems. They plan, develop, and implement intervention programs in collaboration with Social Workers. They organize and lead group workshops and community service programs. They work for:

Hospital centres
Rehabilitation centres
Residential and long-term care centres (CHSLDs)
Community and social action organizations
Youth centres and detention centres
Educational institutions
The federal and provincial governments

Environment

Controlled ambient temperature
Violence

Main tasks

Conduct interviews to identify the needs of individuals as well as their individual and environmental resources.
Provide the professional assistance needed to detect situations of conflict and eliminate tension.
Support, advise, and supervise the activities of individuals living in group homes (youth centres, residential centres for people with disabilities, CHSLDs, homeless shelters, etc.).
Use different methods, approaches, and techniques (one-on-one interviews, group facilitation, social activities, etc.) to intervene effectively with individuals.
Follow up with these individuals to evaluate their progress, encourage them, and discuss problems encountered.
Promote the defence of individual and collective rights and foster social change.
Refer people to other social services and help them find and use them.
Work in collaboration with other stakeholders (Police Officers, Correctional Service Officers, Specialized Educators, etc.).
Supervise volunteers and co-workers as required.

Advancement and mobility

Experience and additional training lead to Marriage or Family Therapist, Social Worker, or Probation Officer positions.

Training and requirements

Formation

Bachelor’s degree or diploma of college studies

Sometimes required

Experience in a social services or support services environment may be a substitute for educational requirements for certain occupations.
Training in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) may be required.
A Class 5 driver's licence may be required.
Membership in a regulatory body may be required.

Main skills and characteristics

Skills

Data collection
Active listening
Oral expression
Judgment and decision-making
Social perception

Critical thought
Persuasion
Coordination
Solving complex problems
Information processing
Learning strategies
Time management
Teaching
Active learning
Negotiation
Reading comprehension
Written expression

More Less skills

Abilities

Information organization
Awareness of issues
Speech clarity
Perception speed
Originality

Verbal skills
Information processing speed
Inductive reasoning
Idea generation
Time sharing
Reaction time
Auditory attention
Selective attention
Deductive reasoning
Oral comprehension
Classification
Written comprehension
Overall coordination of the body
Overall balance of the body
Hearing sensitivity
Written expression
Dynamic physical flexibility
Speech recognition
Near vision

More Less abilities

Knowledge and attributes

Capacity to establish and maintain interpersonal relations
Autonomy
Capacity to adapt
Capacity to work in a team
Tolerance to stress
Creativity
Sense of observation
Patience
Open-mindedness
Knowledge of psychology

Interests

Direct, organize, and manage
Watch, defend, and secure
Create, design
Assist and advise
Teach or educate
Assist or care for people

Personality profiles (RIASEC)

Social: People with this profile prefer to be in contact with others, in particular to entertain, help or teach them.
Enterprising: People with this profile prefer having responsibilities, influencing others and responding to challenges.
Investigative: People with this profile prefer relying on theoretical knowledge before acting. They like observation, analysis and problem solving.

Additional information

Appellation d’emploi liée (à traduire)

Social and community service workers (CNP 42201)

Skill type

Education, law and social, community and government services

Exploring Trades and Occupations