Humber’s Bachelor of Child and Youth Care degree program provides you with the knowledge and skills required for in-depth work with children, youth and families. The program is based on the professional practice of child and youth care supported by the disciplines of psychology, sociology, community development, political science and education. The curriculum focuses on the theory and research of relational practice: building relationships to support children and youth in crisis or going through experiences of challenge and change.
You’ll learn from highly qualified professors, as well as from guest lecturers from the field of child and youth care or community members with lived experiences. You’ll have the unique opportunity to develop key practice skills through faculty supervision in our state-of-the-art interview labs, and our therapeutic play lab designed as a children’s activity room and space to support family practice.
Your courses integrate the study of developmental, preventative and therapeutic approaches in child and youth care and will teach you direct practice methods such as interviewing and counselling, responding to abuse, therapeutic play, and other intervention modalities taught from a strength-based perspective and within a caring, anti-oppressive and anti-racist framework.
The first two years of the program provide you with a comprehensive understanding of child and youth development, as well as current methodologies in child and youth care professional practice. In the final two years, you will be able to engage in courses related to five areas of concentration – youth justice and advocacy, social policy and research, approaches to care, community development and youth engagement, and international perspectives. The curriculum and work-integrated learning experiences throughout the program will support you to select a focus for your final thesis project in fourth year.