Herzing Blog

Community services and support workers (CSWs) play a very important role in society.

They work directly with vulnerable people who need immediate support, including at-risk youth, survivors of domestic abuse, refugees, and people suffering from addiction and mental health issues.

CSWs connect people with resources, provide counselling, and arrange treatment programs depending on each person's needs.

It can be an incredibly rewarding career path for anyone looking to work with others and help address social issues. Without the support of community service workers, many at-risk people would have nowhere to turn for help. CSWs make a real difference in the community.

In this post, we'll show you eight examples of community services career paths along with descriptions of each position. These are the jobs our own CSW graduates are often hired to fill.

When you think of a community services worker, you might picture someone helping out in shelters, halfway houses, or youth centres. A high school classroom probably doesn’t come to mind.

But that’s because you haven’t met Sarah Laham.

Sarah completed Herzing’s Community Services Worker program with a stellar GPA and fully expected to follow the typical CSW career path. Instead, she landed a position as an educational assistant in an Ottawa high school—and found it was exactly where she was meant to be.

Here’s her story.

As an experienced psychiatric nurse and instructor in Herzing’s Community Support Worker (CSW) program, Kim Melnyk was used to having lots of in-person interactions with students and people in recovery. She wasn’t the biggest fan of technology; she much preferred a more personal touch.

So when COVID came along and forced her to shift to teaching online, she had to make some major adjustments.

Initially, Kim was very much looking forward to a return to class post-pandemic. But when it started to occur, she found that it did not solve the problems she thought it would. Instead, she found herself doing more and more interaction online—and discovering benefits she had never considered before.

We spoke with her recently to learn more about her experience.

Updated December 2023

Wondering if a career in social services is right for you? One of the best ways to figure that out is by looking at the skills you'll need to succeed on the job.

If those qualities match up with your profile and interests, chances are you're a good fit for the role.  And if they don't? You're probably better off in another career.

In this post, we're looking at what it takes to be an effective community support worker (CSW). We break down the top 10 characteristics, interests, and skills needed to really thrive in this job.

By the end, you'll know if a CSW career makes sense for you, and exactly how to get started.

Updated December 2023

Working with at-risk populations is central to community service work.

CSWs are trained to support people dealing with serious life challenges, which may include addictions, mental health disorders, cases of domestic violence, and other, high-stress situations that sometimes lead to acute crises.

When we experience a crisis, our ability to cope and make decisions is seriously impaired. We need specialized support to regain control and find an effective solution to the problem at hand.

CSWs are trained to provide that support, and stop individuals in crisis from harming themselves or others. No easy task!

Non-violent crisis intervention training typically introduces students to a step-by-step model—a guide they can follow to help others get through traumatic experiences in the safest, most effective way possible.

In this post, we walk current (and prospective) CSW students through the seven-step approach many social workers use.

After years of working various retail jobs and then staying home to raise her three kids, Amanda Gauthier decided it was time to get some career training.

She had no post-secondary education and was nervous about going back to school in her 30s. She also struggled with “mom guilt” for taking on this new challenge while her children were still very little. Her youngest was not even school age yet.

But she was passionate about helping people and ready to pursue a new path. So she took the plunge and enrolled in the Community Services Worker program at Herzing College.

It was a decision that changed her life.

We spoke with Amanda recently to learn about her experience with the course, the instructor, and the internship.

Here are the highlights of our conversation.

Marina Denisova always knew she wanted to help people change their lives for the better.

She completed graduate studies in social work in her native Russia. But when she came to Canada, she knew she needed additional training.

She needed to build on her English language skills and learn about the social programs and systems that were in place in this country.

That’s what led her to enrol in the Community Services Worker (CSW) program at Herzing.

Marina graduated from the program and is now an ECE assistant with the Ottawa Catholic School Board.

We spoke with her recently to get her thoughts on the CSW course, the instructor, and the overall Herzing experience.

Here’s what she had to say.

Updated December 2023

If you’re looking for a meaningful role that lets you help people who are struggling, a career as a social worker, community services worker (CSW), or personal support worker (PSW) could be the answer.

All three positions are about making sure vulnerable individuals get the support they need and the respect they deserve.

But what exactly do social workers, CSWs, and PSWS each do? How are the roles different, and how can you know which one would suit you best?

In this post, we explain how all three careers compare in terms of tasks, salaries, outlook, and training requirements.

Updated December 2024

Do you feel driven to help at-risk children and teens get the support they need to improve their lives? If you become a youth worker, you can make a career out of doing exactly that.

Youth workers specialize in helping kids navigate tough situations. They connect vulnerable young people with community programs and resources designed to lift them out of dangerous conditions and get on a better path.

Ultimately, this job is about ensuring the safety and well-being of kids who find themselves in challenging circumstances.

Looking to become a youth worker? Not sure how to begin?

Have a look at five steps that can help you launch a career in this branch of social services.

Updated December 2024

Many people are drawn to a career as a community support worker (CSW) out of a desire to improve the lives of vulnerable individuals.

CSWs give at-risk people the tools and resources they need to overcome their challenges and rebuild their lives. This role is about offering compassionate, practical support to those in need. And it can be very rewarding.

But of course, there are advantages and drawbacks to every job. You should have a full picture of what to expect before you commit to a career path.

Read on to discover the major pros and cons of becoming a CSW, and see if this role truly is your calling.