Updated December 2022

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.

Updated February 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 January 2023

The healthcare field is growing fast. And you don’t need a university degree to become part of it.

With short, streamlined training at the college level, you can qualify for several healthcare careers with promising outlooks across Ontario.

For instance, you could become a community services worker, medical office assistant, or personal support worker. All of those careers are generating new opportunities—and require only a college diploma to get started.

Read on to learn more about each role and see which one may be a good choice for you.

Updated December 2022

Working with disadvantaged and endangered children is truly a special calling. At-risk youth are one of the most vulnerable populations in our society.

Children facing trauma and crisis require skilled advocates—professionals who are trained to offer protection, support, and services that are specially designed to protect their safety, and create long-term solutions for health and wellbeing.

Interested in becoming a child and youth worker in Ottawa? Are you considering Community Services Worker (CSW) training to specialize in this branch of social services?

A group of Community Services Worker students at Herzing College Ottawa

Updated November 2022

What will your life look like after community services worker (CSW) training? Where will you work, and who will you work with?

This is, obviously, a key question for anyone considering a career in community services.

Our goal in this post is to give you a clearer idea of your options and opportunities as a freshly graduated CSW.

Updated November 2022

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 December 2022

Do you feel called to a career in social services? Want to make a real difference in your community helping disadvantaged, at-risk individuals create happier, healthier lives?

It sounds like you would be an ideal candidate for community support worker (CSW) training. CSWs work at the grassroots level, helping vulnerable children, adults, and seniors gain access to practical support and social services within their communities.

CSWs intervene where help is needed most. They guide individuals toward better life decisions, promote inclusion within our communities, and in some cases, provide emergency support to people in life-threatening situations. Fundamentally, CSWs help reshape and save lives.

Read on to learn more about what community support workers do, the job outlook for CSWs in Winnipeg, and how training works.

Updated October 2022

Federal government data shows that 10% to 15% of Canadian seniors suffer from depression. And that number is far higher among those in residential care.

Unfortunately, lack of awareness and stigmatization ensures that many cases of geriatric depression go unreported, undiagnosed, and untreated.

Community support workers (CSWs) are not trained to treat elderly clients with depression or make a clinical diagnosis—however, if CSWs can identify the warning signs, they can quickly intervene and connect those clients with potentially life-saving health care services.

This kind of early intervention is key. There are many treatments available for seniors battling depression, including counselling, medication, psychotherapy, and newer forms of brain stimulation. Once diagnosed, depression is highly treatable.

CSWs are front-line health care professionals who often work closely with elderly clients. They have a unique opportunity to help reverse the negative trend of geriatric depression in Canada. The best place to start is by learning how seniors are impacted by this mood disorder, and which warning signs to watch for.

Updated December 2022

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).