Herzing Blog

Updated December 2023

What happens to someone who has served time in prison and gets released back into the community? How do they find a job and a place to live? Who can they turn to for support to get their life back on track and start building a better future for themselves?

In many cases, ex-offenders find that support at a halfway house. Like the name suggests, a halfway house is a bridge between prison and the outside world—a place that is "halfway" between incarceration and the free community.

Updated October 2025

What does it mean to work as a community services worker? Is this the right career path for you?

There are so many myths surrounding the field of social services that it can be difficult for people to separate fact from fiction and make an informed decision about CSW training.

Let's start by debunking five of the most common myths about working in community services.

Read on to learn the truth about what CSWs do, who they work with, and how much money they earn.

Updated December 2023

Who exactly are "at-risk" youth? Definitions vary, but this term generally refers to young people whose health, safety, and future prospects have been seriously compromised by situations beyond their control.

These situations may include abusive home environments, mental illness, or addiction—and lead to criminal behaviour and/or dropping out of school.

Overall, at-risk youth are less likely to transition successfully into adulthood by finishing school, entering the workforce, maintaining good mental health, and becoming contributing members of their communities. Their lives are often cut short by suicide and violence, or derailed by incarceration.

Community services workers who specialize in youth work help troubled teens map out a better future and take the often challenging steps needed to get there.

Considering becoming a youth worker after CSW training? These are some of the challenges you'll be helping clients face and the special skills you'll need to counsel and support at-risk youth.

Updated December 2023

In Canadian society, we place a very special trust in community services workers (CSWs) to protect and advocate for vulnerable individuals. We rely on CSWs to help make our neighbourhoods more fair, safe, and productive.

But given how complex their work can be, there are times when CSWs are faced with very challenging situations, conflicts, and decisions—where the outcome will have a serious and lasting impact on the life of a client, family members, or the CSW herself.

To help build ethical decision-making skills, and understand their responsibilities to the public, CSW students learn the code of professional ethics and values set out by the Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW).