Approximately 22% of the population in Canada, or 6.2 million people, have a developmental disability of some kind, and 28% of those have a severe disability, according to Statistics Canada, based on the 2017 Canadian Survey of Disabilities. Every one of those individuals could undoubtedly benefit from the support, compassion and encouragement provided by a person professionally trained to be a developmental service worker (DSW).
If you are seeking rewarding work, to become a development service worker is a key career, focused on making a powerful difference in the lives of others. And if you are looking for a development service worker program/service worker course, first you’ll want to understand what is required of this position to determine if it is an ideal fit for you.
What is a Developmental Service Worker (DSW)?
A DSW works with individuals with developmental and physical disabilities and those who deal with mental illness to promote their health and wellbeing. The work of a DSW is to empower those individuals as they tackle their physical, mental, emotional, recreational and vocational goals.
A DSWs Responsibilities
As an inspiring mentor, guide and trusted support you provide services that include counseling, recreational assistance and educational guidance, and you empower people with disabilities with the skills to engage with others. Your job responsibilities can include, analyzing a client’s strengths, skills, limitations and needs, working alongside families, facilitating life skills development, encouraging inclusive environments and providing personal care. You create plans for action, assess the effectiveness of goals and treatment programs by benchmarking and tracking changes that the client experiences and displays and provide crisis intervention when necessary. You help your clients experience a sense of wellbeing and maintain their sense of dignity, whether helping with personal hygiene, organizing transportation, or providing care that respects their right to privacy, confidentiality and safety.
Training for a Successful Career in Less Than 1 Year
Anderson College’s Developmental Service Worker program meets all the Provincial Standardization guidelines and outcomes, is 49 weeks and includes 600 hours of practicum with on-the-job training, offsite with potential employers. Our technical and practical training is for individuals looking for a rewarding career working with children, youth and adults who have developmental disabilities and want leading-edge instruction from industry experts. Students will learn to give clients support and offer encouragement while promoting their mental, emotional, and physical health. Curriculum covers areas such as: developmental psychology, health and wellness, personal care, crisis prevention intervention, community building, counseling techniques and teaching strategies, family dynamics, record and report writing, and much more.
Still determining if a development service worker course or service worker program is for you? You can take the “Anderson College Developmental Support Worker Discovery Quiz” and within 4 minutes have a better idea of how you can match your interests with your career goals. Or if you want to know what it takes to be a DSW, poised for success, check out our popular blog “6 Qualities of a Successful Developmental Service Worker”.
If you’re clear about the fact that you want a career that makes a difference but aren’t quite sure what industry or focus you want to explore, our admissions advisors are here to help. You can review our Developmental Service Worker program, any of our other 30+ leading-edge programs, or just book a virtual appointment and we’ll get you headed in the right direction.
Your future begins right now.
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