Social Service Worker - Immigrants and Refugees

Program Description

The Social Service Worker - Immigrants and Refugees prepares you to succeed as a social service provider working with immigrants and refugees. As a graduate, you will possess skills in the areas of international and national migration policies as well as settlement counselling, case management, information and referral provisioning, community development and networking, individual and community advocacy, program planning, development and evaluation.

You will also have an in-depth knowledge of historical and current regulatory, legislative and policy fields which frame the settlement experiences of immigrants and refugees.

Program Learning Outcomes

This Seneca College program meets the system-wide standards for all Ontario College Credential programs as set by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.

As a graduate, you will be prepared to reliably demonstrate the following:

• develop and maintain professional relationships which adhere to professional, legal, and ethical standards aligned to social service work.
• identify strengths, resources, and challenges of individuals, families, groups, and communities to assist them in achieving their goals.
• recognize diverse needs and experiences of individuals, groups, families, and communities to promote accessible and responsive programs and services.
• identify current social policy, relevant legislation, and political, social, and/or economic systems and their impacts on service delivery.
• advocate for appropriate access to resources to assist individuals, families, groups, and communities.
• develop and maintain positive working relationships with colleagues, supervisors, and community partners.
• develop strategies and plans that lead to the promotion of self-care, improved job performance, and enhanced work relationships.
• integrate social group work and group facilitation skills across a wide range of environments, supporting growth and development of individuals, families, and communities.
• work in communities to advocate for change strategies that promote social and economic justice and challenge patterns of oppression and discrimination.

Essential Employability Skills

• Essential Employability Skills (link to information on Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities website)

Admission Requirements

Program Eligibility:

• Ontario Secondary School Diploma with a majority of senior credits at the College Preparation (C), University Preparation (U) or University/College Preparation (M) level or Mature Student Status (age 19 or older)
• Grade 12 English: ENG4(C) or ENG4(U)

Applicant Selection:

• In the event of oversubscription, applicants will be required to submit a resume and write a brief essay describing why they want to enrol in the program.

Desirable:

• In addition to English, proficiency in an additional language.

The Importance of Learning Skills:

Student success in college requires well developed learning skills (such as being able to work independently, participate in a team, be well-organized, develop good work habits, and show initiative). These skills are as important as prior academic achievement. While it is expected that applicants would have developed these skills through previous education and life experiences, Seneca offers support to assist students with further development of these important skills.

Your Career

Earn your Ontario College Diploma in Social Service Worker – Immigrants and Refugees and you’ll be prepared for careers such as settlement counsellor; settlement worker in schools, shelters and reception centers; working in mainstream service agencies as social service workers with an expertise in working with immigrants and refugees (e.g. Social Services; Children’s Aid; etc.); professionalized staff providing settlement and social support in ethno-specific agencies; labour market trainers; diversity and anti-oppression educators; settlement counselling with multicultural agencies; community development workers; and HOST program workers. Graduates of the SSWI program are eligible for registration with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers.

Provincial Registration

In order to practice in Ontario as a "Social Service Worker" or a "Registered Social Service Worker", graduates must apply for registration in the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW). Graduates of the SSWI program will meet the education requirement for registration. For more information, please visit www.ocswssw.org.

Field Work

Field work provides you with a valuable opportunity to apply your learnings to the workplace. In order to be eligible for field work, you will be required to meet the criteria as set out in the “Social Service Worker – Immigrants and Refugees Program: Student Code of Conduct”. You will assume the role of a ‘beginning professional’ in a supervised field placement setting, working within an employer-employee relationship.

You will benefit from supervision, and have specified hours, duties and accountabilities to both the College and agency representative. Field work is a mutually agreed contract for which you will be evaluated by the field placement supervisor. The minimum commitment is the successful completion of specific periods as set out in the Field Placement Student Contract.

These periods are typically:

• The equivalent of two weeks in semester one and two, two full days in semester three and three full days in semester four (600 hours in total);
• Full week block placements as scheduled throughout the program duration.

The Social Service Worker - Immigrants and Refugees program subjects are lecture and tutorial-based utilizing assigned texts; some are practice-oriented, stressing interpersonal skills and group dynamics. Students can expect to spend 20 to 25 hours each week on assignments, as well as two days per week in field placement.

Note: Individuals considering the Social Service Worker - Immigrants and Refugees Program should carefully evaluate their reasons for entering this field. The work calls for a person mature enough to examine his/her own values and beliefs while focusing upon the needs of vulnerable populations.

A current Police Reference check is REQUIRED for entry into the field placement component of this program.

Diploma to Degree... and Beyond

Through transfer agreements and institution partnerships, graduates of this Seneca College program may be eligible for credit at the following post-secondary institution(s):

Toronto

Ontario

International

Curriculum

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