If you're fascinated with law and crime and want to help at-risk people and communities, the Community and Justice Services program is for you. Facilitated by the School of Community and Health Studies, Community and Justice Services courses will help you to gain the expert knowledge and practical skills to work in diverse settings that address youth and adult populations that are at risk, currently incarcerated involved with the criminal justice system, or involved in rehabilitation programs.

The two-year Community and Justice Services Ontario College Diploma program emphasizes alternatives to policing and prisons and teaches students skills to work with people and communities to address issues such as criminalization, poverty, affordable housing scarcity, food insecurity, and immigration.

A Diploma in Social Service Worker assists individuals who are experiencing social and personal challenges. Acknowledging the root causes may be societal in nature, resulting from the social determinants of health such as marginalization, oppression, stigma, colonization, and intergenerational trauma. Having acquired knowledge of human behaviour and development, the worker, through supportive counselling helps empower service recipients to make positive change that affects individuals, groups, and communities.

The Community Services Worker Gerontology Program prepares graduates to work with programs in support of older adults. Students learn to be valuable members of care service teams and develop effective working relationships towards quality client care. They administer and implement a variety of social assistance programs and community services, and assist clients to deal with personal and social problems. With the aging population, there is a great need in Ontario for such workers.

Diploma in Community and justice services professionals often work with clients who find themselves at a crossroads. They work within the justice system – focusing on keeping people out of it through prevention, intervention and rehabilitation.

Community support workers (CSWs) play a vital role in providing both practical assistance and emotional support to individuals facing diverse challenges and in need of guidance. Their responsibilities extend to offering counseling services, establishing connections between clients and available community resources, and actively participating in efforts to remove vulnerable individuals from unsafe situations.

As a Diploma in Developmental Services Worker (DSW), you will assist people with disabilities to live as valued, contributing members of the community. By providing support and advocacy, you will work towards full inclusion for the betterment of the entire community. The program curriculum promotes individualized and inclusive approaches, reflective of innovative practices in the field.