Social Service Worker (Fast Track)-2024/2025
| Level 2 | ||||
| Gen Ed - Take two 3 credit General Education elective | ||||
| courses | ||||
| Take all of the following Mandatory Courses: | ||||
Group 1 | ||||
| SOCW-1044 | Community Resources | 2 | ||
| This course will provide the student with an introduction to community resources and capacity building and apply that knowledge through a community mapping project. Students will learn about the diversity of resources that make up a community through exploration of; Individual Capacities/Assets, Local Associations & Organizations, and Local Institutions. Through the community mapping experience, students will be able to identify local resources & services, recognizing the strengths/assets, challenges/gaps and the impact on individuals, families, and neighbourhoods which they will present to their class bringing awareness of the resources throughout the London community. Students will also become familiar with the SSW Program Manual expectations & requirements through review of the SSW Program Manual. | ||||
| BSCI-1248 | Group Dynamics | 3 | ||
| Group Dynamics is designed as a live, in-person, in-class, experiential learning opportunity aimed at developing students' knowledge and understanding of human behaviours within groups. Drawing from Atkins, Wilson, & Hayes' "Prosocial: Using Evolutionary Science to Build Productive, Equitable, and Collaborative Groups", this course explores the role of self in group dynamics and processes and uses that knowledge and understanding to apply fair and inclusive guidelines and practices. Students will learn and apply Prosocial Core Design Principles to develop skills related to effective individual and group functioning in essential areas such as communication, decision making, conflict resolution, workload distribution, and evaluation through participating in ongoing group work over the term. This course introduces students to the Prosocial Model for group processes and dynamics, building the foundational skills necessary for effective group work in the Community Resources (SOCW1044) Course and the Community Development & Social Change 1 (SOCW1055). | ||||
| SOCW-1055 | Community Development & Social Change 1 | 3 | ||
| This course offers an overview of community development principles, processes and practices with an emphasis on experiences of community organizing in North America. Students will become acquainted with the effects of larger social forces on undertaking social justice work at the community level and be introduced to practical models for community empowerment and social change in relation to a variety of issues and contexts. Students will have the opportunity to experience community-based learning about effective participatory action research methods. | ||||
| SOCW-1036 | Community Mental Health 1 | 3 | ||
| This introductory course, will explore mental health social service work practice. Students will be introduced to mental health policy framework and mental health law in a Canadian context. Students will become knowledgeable about types of mental health problems, risk and protective factors, impacts and needs of clients, and options for evidence-based assessment and treatment. Students will learn foundational skills for writing a Social Work Assessment and Treatment Plan. | ||||
| SOCW-3033 | Social Work With Families | 3 | ||
| This course has been designed to deepen students' understanding of social service work with families and the impact of society's expectations of families as well as the impact of social structures on families. The content assumes that the student has a basic understanding of diverse family structures, family culture and beliefs, family dynamics, and human development across the lifespan. Students will learn fundamental skills to assess family functioning, intervention planning, and the importance of documentation. This course will focus on using family centered and strengths based approaches to work within a variety of family forms, definitions, and experiences. Learning will be facilitated through the application of foundational concepts to case studies and activities, which are intended to stimulate critical thinking and support the integration of theory and practice. | ||||
| SOCW-1042 | Social Welfare Policy | 3 | ||
| This course is designed as a critical introduction to current Social Service and Welfare Policy in Canada. It will investigate the social, legal and humanitarian origins of social policy, and the implications for social service work will be examined. Federal, provincial and municipal statutes, regulations, policies and practices will be considered and analyzed. This course will also examine service delivery models, funding issues as well as demographic and legislative trends that have an impact on social policy. | ||||
| FLDP-1028 | Field Preparation | 1 | ||
| This course will prepare students for the forthcoming field placement process and practice experience. Through examination of the program's SSW Field Placement Manual, students will have a comprehensive overview of the requirements and expectations needed to be "field placement ready" and how to conduct themselves professionally in the field placement setting. Students will learn about SMART goals and how to apply them directly the Ministry's 9 Vocational Learning goals for the SSW program in preparation for the Applied Skills Contracts required in their upcoming field placement. | ||||
Group 2 | ||||
| TAKE THE FOLLOWING MANDATORY COURSE: (MINIMUM GRADE C) | ||||
| SOCW-1038 | Counselling | 4 | ||
| This course will provide the student with basic counselling tools and strategies used in Social Service Work practice. The student will be encouraged to explore and develop their own style in conducting a helping interview, appropriate for social service settings. Students will work in small groups, role play scenarios to demonstrate their learning of the skills. The learning is necessary for students as they prepare of field placement. | ||||
| Level 3 | ||||
| Take all of the following Mandatory Courses: | ||||
Group 1 | ||||
| SOCW-3009 | Critical Analysis of Social Intervention | 3 | ||
| This course is designed to further acquaint students with critical analyses of social issues and problems through the examination of interventions designed to address them. Students will consider strategies of intervention, the role of stereotypes and ideology in treatment, the unintended consequences of social intervention, and the roles of ethics and evaluation. The impact of social interventions will be investigated through critical analysis of current responses to racism, violence against women, poverty, youth and family issues, crime, welfare and capitalist economics in Canada. The development of social empathy in society will also be explored. | ||||
| SOCW-3010 | Social Service Field Practice 1 | 6.4 | ||
| The field practicum offers students the opportunity to implement and practice the skills and theory taught in the classroom. To enhance skills and to facilitate integration of theory and practice, the student is monitored by an agency supervisor who works in consultation with a faculty advisor (college supervisor). | ||||
| RSCH-1003 | Ethical Research & Evaluation | 3 | ||
| This course will provide students with the opportunity to practice the principles of research and evaluation necessary for the Social Service field. Additionally, they will be introduced to the basic skills necessary to assist in fundraising for small agencies. | ||||
| SOCW-3013 | Community Development & Social Change 2 | 3 | ||
| Community Development is a process of building communities for purposeful action directed by the desire for social equality. This course will further expand the learnings students acquired in CD & Social Change SOCW 1055 as well as Community Resources SOCW1044, focusing on principles and practices of community organizing and social change. It will provide students with a greater understanding of theories, methods & models of community work. Students will be provided with the opportunity to further their knowledge of community development principles, processes and practices to ignite community participation in practical community-based interventions. | ||||
| SOCW-3014 | Community Mental Health 2 | 3 | ||
| This course is a continuation of SOCW-1036 Community Mental Health 1. Students will build on their knowledge of types of mental health problems, risk and protective factors, impacts and needs of clients and options for evidence-based assessment and treatment. The DSM classification system, strengths-based perspective, mental status exam and risk assessment screening will be explored at a deeper level. Students will be required to demonstrate a culmination of their knowledge in mental health and social service worker practice by completing a Social Work Assessment and Treatment Plan connected to their Field Placement | ||||
| SOCW-3034 | Practice & Intervention | 2 | ||
| This course supports students in their field placement experience by assisting them in applying theory to practice, and making connections through their Applied Skills Contracts (ASC). There is an emphasis on ethical practice and professional standards required both in the field and for registration with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW). Through experiential learning activities, group discussions, and individual reflection, students will explore the realities of the social service workplace. | ||||
Group 2 | ||||
| TAKE THE FOLLOWING MANDATORY COURSE: (MINIMUM GRADE C) | ||||
| SOCW-5002 | Counselling-Adv | 3 | ||
| This course furthers the learning of Counselling, SOCW1038, which in conjunction with Field Practice, SOCW3010, is designed to integrate theoretical and practical dimensions of Social Service Work. It will emphasize the applications of learned methods of intervention with populations at risk in the community and encourages the development of the student's own eclectic approach. | ||||
| Level 4 | ||||
| Gen Ed - Take a 3 credit General Education elective course | ||||
| Take the following Mandatory Course: | ||||
| FLDP-3053 | Social Service Field Practice 2 | 6.4 | ||
| Social Service Field Practice II offers students the opportunity to further implement and practice the skills and theory taught in the classroom and developed in the prerequisite course SOCW 3010. The student will be expected to perform their duties equivalent to an 'entry level' position by the completion of this course. To enhance skills and to facilitate integration of theory and practice, the student is monitored by an agency supervisor who works in consultation with a college supervisor. | ||||
| Gen Ed - Electives | ||||
| Take 9 General Education Credits - Normally taken in Levels 2 and 4 | ||||
| Program Residency | ||||
| Students Must Complete a Minimum of 16 credits in this program at Fanshawe College to meet the Program Residency requirement and graduate from this program | ||||