Turn your passion for helping into a rewarding career.
The three-year Child and Youth Care Ontario College Advanced Diploma program prepares you to help vulnerable children, youth and families with complex needs.
Learn to develop and implement a wide range of prevention, intervention and treatment strategies to foster positive change and healthy development in clients. Apply the principles of relational practice with clients, while respecting their unique culture and diversity.
In classes, you learn practical and theoretical concepts and then apply them in field placements.
Working with clients in field placements helps you to develop into a confident and competent child and youth care practitioner. By the end of this program, you have practical experience in two different work environments in the field of child and youth care.
This is the only Child and Youth Care program in Ontario to offer two courses in therapeutic outdoor activities. In these courses, you learn to facilitate therapeutic activities in the outdoors while on a camping trip with fellow classmates and faculty - a truly memorable learning experience.
There is a wide variety of work opportunities for you after graduation. As a child and youth care practitioner, you may find employment in a:
group home
hospital
mental health treatment centre
shelter
school
youth justice program
community resource centre
If you are interested in furthering your education, this program is a good foundation for future studies in child and youth care, education, social work, psychology and sociology.
SUCCESS FACTORS
This program is well-suited for students who:
Are emotionally strong and able to cope with stress, challenges and crises.
Are committed to understanding, working with and facilitating positive change in the lives of children, youth, families and the community.
Prefer to work as a member of a team.
Have strong observation and analytical skills.
Have strong language (oral and written) skills.
Are open minded, embrace the concept of diversity, respect and accept the uniqueness in others.