Addictions and Community Service Worker Diploma

Next program start dates:

Monday, April 3, 2023

Monday, May 1, 2023

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Student-Focused Learning

Students determine the ways they want to learn their course material

Engaging Classrooms

Instructors use a variety of teaching methods to keep classes dynamic and interesting

Various Satisfying Careers

Students have a wide variety of career options so they can choose the most rewarding one

Diploma

Addictions and Community Service Worker

Length

56 Weeks

Location

Alberta / Ontario

Offered

On-site / Online / Combination

Available

Morning Evening Weekend

Addictions and Community Service Worker Diploma

Program Overview

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Course Description
Career Opportunities
Salary Range
Information Kit
Readiness Quiz
Admission Requirements
Course Components
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Addictions and Community Service Worker Diploma Summary

The Addictions and Community Service Worker Diploma Program fosters the confidence graduates need to start a rewarding new career providing support to those struggling with challenging circumstances. Students are empowered with the skills needed to become front-line workers supporting individuals, families, and communities experiencing a variety of adversities. The program provides learning opportunities that will challenge students to reach their full potential and expand their perspectives. A mandatory practicum placement allows students to apply their education and skills in a real-world setting before transitioning to the workplace.

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Addictions and Community Service Worker Diploma Description

Work in the field of community support services is incredibly rewarding. Professionals often express a significant level of job/work satisfaction from the impact and overall difference their work can make in someone's life. Addictions and community support workers hold professional jobs in a wide range of settings including but not limited to, group homes, outreach services, residential treatment facilities, domestic violence shelters, and many other not-for-profit and social service agencies.

Discover key features of the Addictions and Community Service Worker Diploma program:

Study the communication and technical skills needed to work in the community and assist those who suffer from personal, social, and/or substance issues.
Learn how to assess clients’ emotional or health related needs, and to develop action plans to support those clients.
Explore topics such as the basic concepts of psychology, impacts of stigma, effects of trauma throughout the lifespan, crisis interventions, and addiction treatment approaches.
Recognize disorders and mental health concerns with those at high risk for abuse and violence, vulnerable populations, and more.
Understanding these core concepts of the helping profession prepares graduates to provide the crucial support their future clients deserve.

Career Opportunities

Community Support Worker
Family Support Worker
Correctional Facility Support
Substance Treatment Centre Support

Salary Range

Addictions and Community Service Worker Diploma Information Kit

This kit includes important details on the Addictions and Community Service Worker Diploma program at ABM College.

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A Community Service worker creates a safety plan with one of her clients.

Admission Requirements

Standard Admission

1. Alberta High School Diploma with English 30-1 and passing grade of 65% or higher, verified by transcript, or equivalent OR General Equivalency Diploma (GED) 2. Successful interview with school administration.

Mature Admission

1. Must be at least 18 years old. 2. Successful results on admission test: Wonderlic Scholastic Level Exam (SLE) with a passing score of 15. 3. Successful interview with school administration. If the student's first language is not English, they must have one of the following: 1. Canadian Level Benchmark (CLB) of 5. 2. Accuplacer test. 3. International English Language Test Score (IELTS) with a passing score of 5. 4. Test Of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Internet-based test score 71 PBT: 560. 5. Canadian Academic English Language (CAEL) score of 60.

Detailed Requirements

The Addiction and Community Service Worker Online program from ABM College provides students with the foundation to support individuals and the community around them.

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Being a student at ABM College was so challenging but also rewarding. This program not only educated me on how to help others but it taught me the confidence that I needed to be good in school. On top of that, I made good friends. Thank you for giving me this amazing boost in the right direction and for making me a better person.

Delta Lupos

Course Components

Basics of Psychology

A) Introduction to Psychology – Provides students with a basic knowledge of psychology terminology and concepts that can be applied in the real world. B) Lifespan Development – Discusses the developmental stages of the human lifespan. Students will learn about the problems associated with each stage of our lifespan from infancy into late adulthood. C) Introduction to Mental Health – Students will learn about the principles of mental health and behaviour assessment.

Addictions Fundamentals

A) The Negative Impacts of Stigma — Students examine the current and historical views of addiction and the damaging misconceptions which have had significant negative impacts. B) Pharmacology — Concentrates on the basic pharmacology and pharmacokinetics of psychoactive drugs (illicit and legal) and their effects on the mind and body. C) Drug Policy and the Law — Examining the historical roots of the racially oppressive ideologies which created drug policy, the impacts of which are still causing great harm to those who engage with substance use will be discussed in this section of the course. D) Models of Addictions — Focusing on traditional theoretical understanding of addictive behaviour, this course explores the question of why some individuals develop serious, life-altering dependency issues and others do not. E) Working in the Field of Addictions — Students study the work, the ethics, and the core competencies professionals must uphold in order to support their clients and not hinder.

Abuse & Vulnerable Populations

A) High Risk Populations — Students learn the definition of what it means to belong to one of the vulnerable populations in society what that experience looks like. B) Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault/Child Abuse — Students discuss the impacts domestic violence takes on survivors of abuse in all forms (physical, emotional, financial, etc.) and the disturbing intersection to child abuse. C) First Nations/Seniors/LGBT/Persons with Disabilities — Highlights the ageist, homophobic, and prejudice attitudes still embedded in the minds of individuals but also in the institutions we live in. D) Experiencing Homelessness — Students will gain a deeper understanding of the factors which contribute to someone experiencing homelessness and the importance of treating all members of society with dignity and respect.

Trauma & Crisis Intervention

A) The Practice of Self Care — Students will learn the self-care skills within the profession of support work, without attention to the needs of oneself, we become a disservice to the client we encounter. B) Trauma — Students will be able to demonstrate knowledge of the factors associated with trauma response to include psychosocial, psychical, cognitive, affective and behavioural responses. C) Grief and Loss — Discusses approaches to supporting others through the grieving process in order to overcome their loss. D) Crisis Intervention — Students will gain confidence in their ability to recognize, assess, and support crisis situations and be familiar with appropriate intervention strategies. Suicide prevention models, including the use of psychological first aid strategies, will also be explored.

Working with Youth & Families

A) Family Dynamics — Completion of this module will prepare students with knowledge of common dysfunctional family dynamics, an overview of common family therapy approaches, and a firsthand look at the use of Genograms. B) Addictions and Families — This course will explore the implications of substance use on families and the special considerations that need to be addressed when working with clients and the importance of including their families in the process. C) Working with Youth — There are special considerations one must consider when working with an individual’s underage, and students will learn the skills to do so effectively in this course. D) Issues Youth Face — This module will discuss several common challenges youth face in today's society. LGBT, Self Harm, Human Trafficking, Eating Disorder, Youth Criminal Justice, and Addiction are just some of the issues youth can find themselves struggling with. Students will gain insight into these topics and review current support approaches in the profession, preparing them for working with youth in their future careers.

Guidelines for Practice

A) Understanding Values — Students learn how to build an awareness of the values which shape us and allow us to work with clients in ethically driven and supportive ways. B) The Helping Professions — Students are introduced to various methods of documenting required of all helping professionals working with clients. C) Communications Strategies and Professional Practice — This subject helps students in working effectively in a professional relationship. Topics include general communications, language, public communication, informative speaking, persuasive speaking, non-verbal communication and more. D) The Helping Process — Exploring theory and understanding of how to best provide support to clients, this course will provide students with a closer look at what it means to be empathetic, how giving advice is never effective, and the ways in which one establishes the most essential piece of this work, building relationships with our clients.

Pharmacology

The study of pharmacology equips students with knowledge about medications, their uses, side effects and mode of action. Students will learn about these drugs in a systematic way as they are used in the treatment of different diseases.

Recovery Skills & Prevention

A) Relapse Prevention — Students explore the reasons for, and the most accepted forms to help prevent, the very common experience of relapse in the recovery process. B) Intervention and Rehabilitation — Students develop the knowledge and skills to assist in minimizing and preventing the effects of prolonged periods of relapse during the journey of recovery. C) Motivational Interviewing — Students learn strategies to motivate clients during interviews throughout the recovery and treatment process. D) Prevention Strategies — Students learn strategies to help clients prevent relapse during recovery and treatment.

Interviewing and Counselling Skills

A) Client Interviewing Techniques — Students learn to demonstrate how to effectively communicate with clients in many types of situations through role play and field work. Students will also be introduced to a diverse range of interviewing techniques. B) Role Plays — Students will role play the supportive process, including working with groups and providing resources.

Working with Groups

Treatment and Intervention

Microsoft Office

This training will help students to effectively utilize all the features of Microsoft Office products, and increase productivity. Students become well versed in the Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook applications. This 4-week module helps students sharpen their computer and Office skills and prepare for the main course modules.

Career Prep - Optional

Students work with a professional career counsellor to develop and optimize a professional resume to put forward for employers. Additional support in job searching, interview techniques, and other career transition skills are offered to ensure students have the best possible work prospects.

Practicum

This component requires a student to be placed in business setting for four weeks, where they can have a hands-on experience translating the skills they have learned throughout the course.

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Addictions and Community Service Worker Diploma

Next program start dates:

Student-Focused Learning

Engaging Classrooms

Various Satisfying Careers

Diploma

Length

Location

Offered

Available

Program Overview

Addictions and Community Service Worker Diploma Summary

Take the "ABM College Digital Arts Career Training Readiness" Quiz

Addictions and Community Service Worker Diploma Description

Career Opportunities

Salary Range

Addictions and Community Service Worker Diploma Information Kit

Is this program right for you?

Take our quick readiness quiz.

Admission Requirements

Standard Admission

Mature Admission

Detailed Requirements

Course Components

Basics of Psychology

Addictions Fundamentals

Abuse & Vulnerable Populations

Trauma & Crisis Intervention

Working with Youth & Families

Guidelines for Practice

Pharmacology

Recovery Skills & Prevention

Interviewing and Counselling Skills

Working with Groups

Treatment and Intervention

Microsoft Office

Career Prep - Optional

Practicum

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