Child and Youth Worker

Our Program

Humber's Child and Youth Worker advanced diploma program teaches you to become an effective ally to children in need. This advanced diploma in youth work features courses that provide foundational knowledge on childhood and adolescent development, group dynamics, psychology, human sexuality and treatment philosophies. Other courses delve into child and youth worker interventions, therapeutic activities programming, assessing and recording cases, interviewing and counselling children, and liaising with community resources.

The advanced child and youth worker diploma embraces the approach of learning by doing. You will participate in multiple internships to gain first-hand experience in a variety of settings. This program has typically enjoyed an extremely high rate of graduate employment.

Note: Optional information sessions may be held throughout the year for applicants who wish to learn more about this program. For dates, call 416.675.6622 ext. 3484.

Your Career

With Humber's Child and Youth Worker advanced diploma program, you can enjoy the rewards of a career where you make a meaningful difference in the lives of children in need by ensuring their protection, safety and well-being.

Each year, Ontario's Children's Aid Societies (CASs) respond to more than 155,000 calls from concerned members of the community about the possible abuse and neglect of children and youth. These are just some of the individuals who can benefit from the services and support of a child and youth worker. Well-trained, highly-skilled and passionate about helping kids, you will work for their best interests by intervening in cases of suspected abuse, developing therapeutic activity programs and making connections to community resources.

As a graduate, you'll encounter a field loaded with opportunities in a variety of settings, including CAS, open custody group homes for young offenders, residential and day treatment programs in children's mental health centres, schools, psychiatric hospitals and treatment residences.

Work Placement

Internship is a critical component of this program. There is an exciting variety of innovative and traditional placements available in and around the Greater Toronto Area. Placements can also be arranged in students’ own communities outside of Toronto. All placements are unpaid.

In first year, the school – in consultation with the student – chooses the placement, which runs from September to December or January to April (depending upon intake) for two days a week.

In the final two years of the program, the student submits placement choices, with the school making the final decision. These internships run from September to December or January to April (depending upon intake) for four days per week.

Our Industry Partnerships

This program has partnerships with over 300 agencies that provide placement opportunities for students: Youth Without Shelter, Peel Children’s Centre, Dufferin Peel Catholic District School Board, Toronto District School Board, The Hospital for Sick Children, Etobicoke Children’s Centre and Casatta.

Our Advisory Committee is made up of people with extensive experience in the child and youth worker profession, and represent a variety of settings in which child and youth workers are employed. Many are also members of the Ontario Association of Child and Youth Counsellors.

Your Future Study Options

Graduates with an overall grade point average (GPA) of 70 per cent or more will be considered for admission to Humber’s Bachelor of Child and Youth Care degree program 22231. Graduates may then complete the degree program with the equivalent of four semesters of full-time study plus a work term.

Graduates must also possess ENG4U or Humber’s COMM 200/WRIT 100 or COMM 300/WRIT 200 with a grade of 70 per cent or more.

Qualified graduates of this program may be eligible to apply their academic credits toward further study at many postsecondary institutions. For detailed information, visit humber.ca/transferguide.

Professional Accreditation, Endorsement and Recognition

Humber’s diploma is the one most frequently recognized as qualifying people to work therapeutically with children and youth experiencing emotional, behavioural, psychiatric and social difficulties.

Graduates may apply to become members of the Ontario Association of Child and Youth Counsellors.

Admission Requirements

Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent, or mature student status
Grade 12 English (ENG4C or ENG4U). If English is not your first language, refer to the English Language Proficiency Policy
Three Grade 11 or Grade 12C, U or M courses in addition to those listed above
Applicants who do not possess the required courses may complete admission testing to determine equivalencies. Invitation and booking of admission testing is done using the email address provided on the online application

Note: For more information, refer to Selection Procedures.
Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to the program.

Additional Requirements

Note: These additional requirements are not Child and Youth Worker program admission requirements. However, they will be required when applying to prospective internships during the program.

Valid HeartSaver Automated External Defibrillator (AED) (C), Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) (C) and Standard First Aid certificates. Documentation will be requested during your program of study, every semester prior to the assignment of student internships
Medical Certificate of Health including immunization against Hepatitis B (prior to field placement component of program)
Employers who provide field placement opportunities may require students to undergo a police record check for criminal offences, and mandatory bonding is a requirement for some sectors of the corrections field. It is important for potential students to understand that the requirements noted above are beyond the control of Humber and may prevent students from completing the full program, including the field placement component, and/or securing employment. Applicants are advised to check the requirements for specific positions in which they are interested before enrolling in this program.

Note: A police record check will be requested during your program of study. In respect of the 90-day limit on validity of record checks and the types of checks required by the various agencies, please do not attain a police record check prior to being accepted to the program. Faculty will support students upon arrival to the program to ensure they apply for the correct type of police documentation at the appropriate time.

Fees / Scholarships

The 2013/2014 fee for two semesters is

domestic $3,690.08
international $12,950.

Amounts listed are the total of tuition, lab and material fees, student service and auxiliary fees for the first two semesters of the 2013/2014 academic year. Fees are subject to change. For more information, refer to Fees and Financial Assistance.

Additional Costs

$300 to $400 – texts, supplies (per year); $180 – crisis intervention training fees (over three years); $30 to $50 – police record check (as requested by placement agencies).

Alternative Course of Study

Humber also offers the Bachelor of Child and Youth Care degree program 22231 and the Child and Youth Worker – Accelerated advanced diploma program 10421.

Curriculum (View the 2012/13 Curriculum)

Semester 1

Course Code	Course Name
CYW 100	Child Development Child Development Course Code: CYW 100 A study of the growth and development of the child from conception, prenatal development, birth to infancy, toddlerhood, and early childhood. The physical, biosocial, cognitive, psychosocial and emotional factors will be considered. Special emphasis will be placed on emotional and behavioural difficulties that may arise due to interruptions of the normal developmental process.
CYW 102	Group Dynamics Group Dynamics Course Code: CYW 102 This course will introduce students to the therapeutic value of play and to a variety of activities for children and youth. It will include an in-depth look at play, the importance of creativity, game and activity selection, as well as an opportunity to create a game of therapeutic value. In-class activities will provide the students with ideas, some practical experience and expertise in carrying out activities. General age groups to be covered are primary, middle and late childhood and adolescence for both the average child and the child with special needs. Some specific areas of activities will be highlighted and continued in CYW 202 Integrative Seminar 2.
CYW 103	Community Resources and Legislation Community Resources and Legislation Course Code: CYW 103 This course will familiarize the student with the relevant legislation and community resources that he/she will use in his/her work with children, youth and their families.
CYW 104	Introduction to Professional Skills Introduction to Professional Skills Course Code: CYW 104 This course is an introduction to the professional and personal skills that are expected of child and youth workers in the field. An important objective of this course is for students to begin to assess and develop their own personal and professional growth and understanding.
CYW 108	Child and Youth Work Interventions 1 Child and Youth Work Interventions 1 Course Code: CYW 108 This is the introductory course on the fundamental aspects of child and adolescent interventions. The intention of this course is to give students the opportunity to understand, practice and implement direct interventions in their work with children and youth prior to the first field placement. The course is highly interactive and practical. The hands-on classes will develop a strength-based, positive psychology approach when working with young people.
WRIT 100	College Reading and Writing Skills College Reading and Writing Skills Course Code: WRIT 100 College Writing Skills emphasizes elements of the writing process. Although subject matter and format may change from one program to another, the skills necessary for effective writing remain the same, as do the professional standards that all Humber students are expected to attain. Students will practice the reading and writing skills that will be valuable in their college programs and build a strong base for professional business writing. Those students who plan to further their studies will develop the fundamental skills for writing acceptable academic English. To help students reach these goals, the course covers the following: analytical reading and critical thinking; essay organization and development; and the elements of clear writing, including grammar and punctuation skills. To complete WRIT 100 successfully, students must produce writing that meets or surpasses the minimum departmental standards as set out in the attached criterion sheet.

Semester 2

Course Code	Course Name
CYW 150	Adolescent Development Adolescent Development Course Code: CYW 150 This course will introduce students to the therapeutic value of play and to a variety of activities for children and youth. It will include an in-depth look at play, the importance of creativity, game and activity selection, as well as an opportunity to create a game of therapeutic value. In-class activities will provide the students with both ideas and some practical experience and expertise in carrying out activities. General age groups to be covered are primary, middle and late childhood and adolescence for both the typical child and the child with special needs.
CYW 151	Therapeutic Activities Programming Therapeutic Activities Programming Course Code: CYW 151 This course is a continuation of CYW 102 Group Dynamics and will deal with various forms of creative activities (painting, clay, arts and crafts, storytelling, etc.), life skills, sports activities, and camping skills. These activities will provide the student both with ideas and some practical expertise in carrying out the activity. Also included will be discussions on creative and therapeutic values of the different activities with both children and adolescents. General age groups to be covered are primary, middle and late childhood and adolescence for both the typical child and the child with special needs.
CYW 152	Integrative Seminar 1 Integrative Seminar 1 Course Code: CYW 152 This seminar provides students with the opportunity to integrate theoretical course material with their own development as individuals and as child and youth workers using their fieldwork experiences as a focus. The class is issue-oriented, dealing with material brought by students from their experiences in the field.
CYW 154	Internship 1 Internship 1 Course Code: CYW 154 The student will spend two days per week, for 15 weeks, in a setting for children and adolescents. This will take place in one of the following settings: schools; special education classes for behavioural children; day treatment programs, therapeutic preschool programs.
WRIT 200	Workplace Writing Skills Workplace Writing Skills Course Code: WRIT 200 Business Writing Skills introduces students to the strategies of effective written workplace communication. This course is designed to build on and reinforce the writing skills developed in WRIT 100 and requires students to apply these skills to vocationally relevant assignments. Students will learn how to select and organize pertinent information according to purpose and audience and will practise presenting their ideas clearly, precisely, and effectively in various written formats. To complete WRIT 200 successfully, students must produce writing that meets or surpasses the minimum departmental standards as set out in the criterion sheet.

Semester 3

Course Code	Course Name
CYW 111	Psychology of the Family Psychology of the Family Course Code: CYW 111 This course will deal with family dynamics from a systemic and a developmental viewpoint. It will cover systems theory, family structure and development, communication, families in transition, history and culture.
CYW 200	Assessment and Recording Assessment and Recording Course Code: CYW 200 This course will introduce various forms for completing intakes, assessments, and ongoing recording techniques commonly used in the child and youth worker field. Important objectives in this course are for the student to learn how to assess what is important to record and how to record information professionally.
CYW 201	Interviewing and Counselling Interviewing and Counselling Course Code: CYW 201 This is both a theoretical and practical course in counselling with the focus primarily on the development of basic concepts, skills and intervention strategies required of the professional child and youth worker.
CYW 204	Abnormal Psychology of Childhood and Adolescence 1 Abnormal Psychology of Childhood and Adolescence 1 Course Code: CYW 204 This course will deal with: the diagnosis, classification, causes and treatment of psychological disorders in children, adolescents and young adults; developing an understanding of symptoms of disorders; developing an understanding of the views of abnormal versus normal behaviours.
CYW 207	Child and Youth Work Interventions 2 Child and Youth Work Interventions 2 Course Code: CYW 207 A child and youth worker engages in a therapeutic process when the process is purposeful, goal directed and utilizes recognized and proven practices to facilitate client growth. This course is designed to educate the student on philosophies, techniques and methods that can be therapeutically applied in a variety of situations. This course builds on CYW.108 by focusing primarily on prevention.
CYW 209	Response To Abuse Response To Abuse Course Code: CYW 209 This course will deal with issues surrounding neglect, emotional, physical and sexual abuse in the context of how the abuse occurred for the client. An important objective for this course is for the student to begin to be able to recognize some common behavioural manifestations of the abuse survivor, and how best to intervene to provide support and personal safety for that client.

Semester 4

Course Code	Course Name
CYW 202	Integrative Seminar 2 Integrative Seminar 2 Course Code: CYW 202 This seminar provides students with the opportunity to integrate theoretical course material with their own development as individuals and as child and youth workers, using their fieldwork experiences as a focus. The class is issue-oriented, dealing with material brought by the students from their experiences in the field.
CYW 203	Internship 2: Organizational Skills Internship 2: Organizational Skills Course Code: CYW 203 The student will spend four and a half days a week, for 15-weeks, in a setting for children and adolescents. This will take place in residential treatment centres, group homes, therapeutic preschool programs, day treatment programs, etc.
CYW 205	Internship 2: Clinical Skills Internship 2: Clinical Skills Course Code: CYW 205 The student will spend four and a half days a week, for 15-weeks, in a setting for children and adolescents. This will take place in residential treatment centres, group homes, therapeutic preschool programs, day treatment programs, etc.
CYW 206	Internship 2: Personal Skills Internship 2: Personal Skills Course Code: CYW 206 The student will spend four and a half days a week, for 15 weeks, in settings for children and adolescents. This will take place in residential treatment centres, group homes, therapeutic preschool programs, day treatment programs, etc.
GNED 101	An Introduction to Arts and Science An Introduction to Arts and Science Course Code: GNED 101 The humanities course focuses on fundamental questions individuals ask of themselves as they proceed through life. Why are we the way we are? Do we have free will or are we prisoners of our past experience or our biological inheritance? What motivates societies to change? Why do societal changes so often divide people into opposing camps? Why do so many people find contemporary life at home, at work, and in the community unfulfilling? What constitutes good government? How should injustice be fought? Can nations successfully deal with global problems? What is science and how does it differ from other kinds of inquiry? Can scientists provide solutions to the problems we face? What is art and does it offer answers of its own? What is its relationship to beauty, to knowledge, and to ethics? Is objectivity about art (or anything) possible? These questions are organized into units that begin with issues concerning the nature of the individual and then extend outward to various social, cultural and physical contexts. The issues explored in this course are too complex to have any one right answer. Rather, individuals must search for answers that make sense of their experiences via various theoretical perspectives. The humanities course supports this endeavour through study of different thinkers presented in the readings and exploration of different points of view explored in class discussions.

Semester 5

Course Code	Course Name
CYW 159	Human Sexuality Human Sexuality Course Code: CYW 159 This course will examine the impact of biological, psychological and sociocultural factors that affect human sexual behaviour. This course is also geared towards enhancing the student's development in teaching sex education to clients; developing a comfortableness with discussions and counselling sessions related to sexual issues; and being able to competently and compassionately deal with the sensitive sexual issues that arise when working with children and adolescents.
CYW 254	Interventions 3 Interventions 3 Course Code: CYW 254 This course will deal with developing a context that will assist the child and youth worker in their work with families. The student will, through class debate and discussion, role-plays and group work, develop and practice skills that facilitate parent competence and involvement of all family members in their own problem solving. The course will specifically address the following topics: the role of the child and youth worker with families; the development of cross-cultural competence; counselling techniques that support a collaborative partnership with parents; developing plans that help parents promote positive behaviour; and running effective parenting groups.
CYW 255	Treatment Philosophies Treatment Philosophies Course Code: CYW 255 This course is designed to help the student become aware of the major schools of thought involved in helping clients. The focus will be on the history, basic concepts, philosophic orientation, techniques, case examples and evaluation of each. This course is aimed at helping the student consolidate his or her own understanding and viewpoints about psychotherapeutic treatment of children and youth through exposure to a variety of treatment models. The course focuses on selected theories and talk treatment therapies in mental health work with children and families. The intention is to familiarize the student with the vocabulary, concepts, theories and practices of each therapy. This course is not intended to make the student an accomplished therapist in any of the selected approaches since that goal is obtained only through an intensive and supervised experience.
CYW 302	Issues in Child and Youth Work Issues in Child and Youth Work Course Code: CYW 302 This course is designed both as an individual and group study program that will provide students with the opportunity and skills to further develop their basic knowledge and abilities in selected areas of interest that will enhance their future professional growth as child and youth workers.
CYW 304	Abnormal Psychology of Childhood and Adolescence 2 Abnormal Psychology of Childhood and Adolescence 2 Course Code: CYW 304 This course is designed to build on CYW 204 Abnormal Psychology of Childhood and Adolescence 1, and to explore specific disorders and aspects of abnormal psychology. Students will learn theoretical/diagnostic categories of specific disorders. Every attempt will be made to develop critical thinking regarding child and youth work practice with labeled populations and students will be encouraged to explore their own style while linking the theory and practice.
GNED	General Education Elective General Education Elective Course Code: GNED The following courses represent the GNED General Education electives that you can choose from as part of your program's curriculum. Introduction to Liberal Arts and Sciences GNED 101 An Introduction to Arts and Sciences Anthropology ANTH 202 Physical Anthropology ANTH 205 Cultural Anthropology Arts ARTS 138 Understanding Movies: An Introduction to Film Studies ARTS 229 Musical Pioneers ARTS 241 Exploring Music and Film ARTS 246 Art and Artists - Money, Madness and Masterpieces Cultural Studies CULT 211 Conspiracy Theories and Critical Thinking CULT 214 AlterNative Pathways: Aboriginal People in Canada CULT 217 Encounter with Latin America CULT 228 Pop Culture: Shaping How We Live CULT 236 China: The Next Superpower CULT 239 Digital Culture CULT 242 Culture, Technology and Identity CULT 243 Crossing Borders: Migration and Culture CULT 244 Gender, Race and Ethnicity CULT 245 The Body: Beauty, Sex and Consumerism CULT 248 Women and Popular Culture Economics ECON 110 Real Life Economics ECON 204 People, Money and Markets ECON 206 The History of Money English ENGE 110 Literature: An Introduction ENGL 239 Dark Days Ahead ENGL 242 Pulp Fiction ENGL 246 Contemporary Fiction ENGL 247 Life Stories ENGL 248 Voices from the Underground Geography GEOG 210 The Nature of Ontario GEOG 212 Political Geography History HIST 110 Canada: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly HIST 203 Monsters of the 20th Century HIST 217 History of War HIST 218 The Making of the Modern World HIST 222 The Age of Europe: From the Enlightenment to 1989 Humanities HUMA 137 Art Matters: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Art HUMA 226 The Arts and the 21st Century Imagination: Longing for Paradise HUMA 235 World Religions HUMA 241 Risky Business: Living in a Dangerous World HUMA 242 Vampires: In Film and Literature HUMA 244 Ordinary Heroes: Extraordinary Lives! HUMA 250 God, Science and Religion Languages SPAN 110 Introductory Spanish 1 Philosophy PHIL 100 Ideas: An Introduction to Philosophy PHIL 110 The Love of Wisdom: An Introduction to Philosophy PHIL 217 Ethical Issues PHIL 225 Philosophy of Love and Sex PHIL 227 Business Ethics PHIL 228 Success: Philosophical Perspectives PHIL 229 Violence, Order and Justice: An Introduction to Political Philosophy PHIL 230 Environmental Ethics Political Science POLS 110 Introduction to Politics POLS 204 Morality, Democracy and Politics POLS 219 Globalization POLS 223 War and Terrorism POLS 224 Justice, Equality and Rights POLS 225 Environmental Policy and Economics Psychology PSYC 110 Psychology - An Introduction PSYC 205 Applied Psychology and Leadership PSYC 207 Psychology of Sport PSYC 210 Psychology - Developmental PSYC 220 Psychology - Social PSYC 230 Psychology - Abnormal Science SCIE 110 The Science of Everything SCIE 208 Water: A Life or Death Issue SCIE 213 Astronomy: The Evolving Universe SCIE 216 Origins of Life SCIE 219 Dangerous Earth SCIE 221 The Environment SCIE 223 Astrobiology: Life in the Universe SCIE 224 Discovering Dinosaurs Sociology SOCE 100 Canadian Society and Culture SOCI 110 Sociology: Introduction SOCI 205 Social Entrepreneurship: Profit, People and the Planet SOCI 219 Sport and Society SOCI 232 Gender, Power and Society SOCI 233 Sociology of Cultural Difference SOCI 234 Society and Conflict SOCI 236 Issues in Crime SOCI 237 Sociology of Fashion SOCI 238 Sociology of Food SOCI 239 Citizenship, Immigration, and Democracy SOCI 240 Sociology of the Family SOCI 246 Sociology of Emotions SOCI 247 Leadership SOCI 249 Imagining the City SOCI 257 Canada Today SOCI 277 Sexual Diversity: Contemporary Social Issues

Semester 6

Course Code	Course Name
CYW 256	Integrative Seminar 3 Integrative Seminar 3 Course Code: CYW 256 This seminar provides students with the opportunity to integrate theoretical course material with their own development as individuals and as child and youth workers, using their fieldwork experiences as a focus. The class is issue-oriented, dealing with material brought by the students from their experiences in the field.
CYW 351	Internship 3: Organizational Skills Internship 3: Organizational Skills Course Code: CYW 351 The student will spend four and a half days a week, for 15 weeks, in settings for children and adolescents. This will take place in residential treatment centres, group homes, therapeutic preschool programs, day treatment programs, etc.
CYW 352	Internship 3: Personal Skills Internship 3: Personal Skills Course Code: CYW 352 The student will spend four and a half days a week, for 15 weeks, in a setting for children and adolescents. This will take place in residential treatment centres, group homes, therapeutic preschool programs, day treatment programs, etc.
CYW 354	Internship 3: Clinical Skills Internship 3: Clinical Skills Course Code: CYW 354 The student will spend four and a half days a week, for 15 weeks, in settings for children and adolescents. This will take place in residential treatment centres, group homes, therapeutic preschool programs, day treatment programs, etc.
PSYC 110	Psychology: Introduction Psychology: Introduction Course Code: PSYC 110 How many times in the course of a day do we wonder about human behaviour? We shake our heads and ask why the person in the car ahead of us cut us off. We ask why it is that the person sitting beside us has his/her nose pierced. We try to explain why our boss blew up at a co-worker over an insignificant issue. We question the motives for our own actions. In the course of day it seems that we are challenged over and over again to explain the behaviour of those around us and indeed ourselves. Most often we do so using common sense, based on our limited experience, our socialization and our own biases. Psychology is the field of study that examines human behaviour scientifically. This course will introduce the student to psychological theories and a variety of psychological research topics, including the biological bases of behaviour, learning and memory, psychopathology, social attitudes and behaviour. Students will be encouraged to be introspective and to apply what they learn to their personal behaviour in order to gain a better understanding of themselves and others.

Diploma to Degree

Humber offers pathways from Ontario college diplomas to Humber degrees. Find out where your diploma can take you.

You can also choose another postsecondary institution. Humber has formal articulation agreements indicating the specific transfer arrangements from a Humber program to a particular degree program, as well as general policies on admissions at specific institutions. Click here to find out more.

May 2013 Program Availability

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Child and Youth Worker

School of Social & Community Services

Our Program

Your Career

Work Placement

Our Industry Partnerships

Your Future Study Options

Professional Accreditation, Endorsement and Recognition

Admission Requirements

Additional Requirements

Fees / Scholarships

Additional Costs

Alternative Course of Study

Curriculum (View the 2012/13 Curriculum)

Semester 1

Child Development

Group Dynamics

Community Resources and Legislation

Introduction to Professional Skills

Child and Youth Work Interventions 1

College Reading and Writing Skills

Semester 2

Adolescent Development

Therapeutic Activities Programming

Integrative Seminar 1

Internship 1

Workplace Writing Skills

Semester 3

Psychology of the Family

Assessment and Recording

Interviewing and Counselling

Abnormal Psychology of Childhood and Adolescence 1

Child and Youth Work Interventions 2

Response To Abuse

Semester 4

Integrative Seminar 2

Internship 2: Organizational Skills

Internship 2: Clinical Skills

Internship 2: Personal Skills

An Introduction to Arts and Science

Semester 5

Human Sexuality

Interventions 3

Treatment Philosophies

Issues in Child and Youth Work

Abnormal Psychology of Childhood and Adolescence 2

General Education Elective

Semester 6

Integrative Seminar 3

Internship 3: Organizational Skills

Internship 3: Personal Skills

Internship 3: Clinical Skills

Psychology: Introduction

Diploma to Degree