General education courses strengthen students' essential employability skills, such as critical analysis, problem solving, and communication, in the context of an exploration of topics with broad-based personal and/or societal importance.

Elective general education courses appear in your program of study as GNED 0000. This is called a “placeholder.” This placeholder is replaced by an actual course that you will select from a list of available "elective" general education courses when you register in the relevant semester.

Please note that the type and number of elective courses available will vary from semester to semester and from year to year.

This course provides students with theory and practise in communication principles that will improve their ability to communicate effectively with clients, superiors and peers.  Topics include listening, verbal and non-verbal communication, conflict management, assertiveness, self-disclosure, cross-cultural communication and critical thinking.

This course provides students with an introduction to the basic theory and skills necessary for effective interviewing and counselling.  A micro-skills approach to intentional counselling is taken.  Throughout this course, students use role-play situations to practise skills, concepts, and methods designed to develop concrete competencies in interviewing and counselling. 

This course helps students gain a better understanding of Durham College’s and the CYW Program’s key policies and procedures.  The student will learn about key principles, modalities and philosophies underlying Child and Youth Work practice.  An historical overview of the profession, types of agencies CYWs are employed in, and the various roles/responsibilities a Child and Youth Worker can assume are examined.  Activities are designed to emphasize the importance of self-awareness and self-care.  The course also serves as to prepare students for their first field placement experience that will occur in their 2^nd semester.

Psychology is the study of human behaviour. This course is designed to increase student understanding of the basic principles that underlie behaviour.  Through practical examples, students will be introduced to important psychological concepts and key research findings.  The course examines such processes as: biology and behaviour, sensation and perception, learning and memory, emotion and motivation, consciousness, and social psychology.

This course introduces students to the basic vocabulary and principles of psychology. It also surveys the major theories and research related to the study of human behaviour. In addition, students gain insight into how and why people think, learn and behave as they do. Topics include the scientific process of research, sensation and perception, learning, memory, motivation and emotion, states of consciousness, stress, health and adjustment.

This course introduces students to the professional, ethical and legal issues facing those working in the human services field.  A process for ethical decision-making is explored and applied to a wide variety of complex professional dilemmas.

This course is designed for students who work or will be working in the human services field.  The focus is on effective written communication skills.  Students are introduced to record keeping and report writing including client case notes, client treatment plans, incident reports and other documentation related to the human services field.  Students are encouraged to develop an approach to writing which is based on a writer's purpose, audience and the context of the communication.  Samples of each type of report are produced by students.

Students will develop a basic understanding of the growth and development of the person, from childhood through adolescence. Norms of development will be studied, addressing the interactive effects of maturation, experience and life content as they affect the individual. A holistic view of human development and functioning will be encouraged, and an emphasis will be on the integration and application of knowledge of developmental patterns and occurrences.

This course examines crisis intervention theory and its application. The material builds on the student’s general knowledge of counselling and related issues and focuses on concepts central to crisis work. By way of introduction, students learn to distinguish between long-term counselling and crisis intervention. Following this, crisis related assessment techniques and relevant intervention strategies are studied. Potentially violent situations common to Human Service agencies are explored and the concept of professional burnout as a crisis issue is covered in some detail. In conclusion, the course examines various dispositional crises, ranging from suicide to sexual assault.

This subject is designed to assist students in examining their own professional needs and developing an overview of agencies available for field placement in the Child and Youth Worker program. Students will be introduced to the forms and paperwork required for field placement, as well as participate in field placement.

This course is a continuation of Interviewing Skills I (COUN 1500).  The micro-skills approach to intentional counselling is used.  In addition, students are introduced to a variety of major theoretical perspectives on counselling.  Emphasis is placed on experiential learning and students have the opportunity to continue to integrate theoretical concepts with their emerging counselling skills.

Sociology is the study of people and how they interact with each other and various social groups. This course deals with the study of people's lives, their relationship to society as a whole, and how people are affected by the society in which they live. The concepts, theories and methods of the discipline will be introduced and discussed, with particular emphasis on the dynamics of Canadian society and Canadian social problems.

This course covers practical information on the dynamics of life skills coaching.  Learning is experiential and, as group members, students are expected to participate in a series of structured group work lessons. Sessions emphasize problem solving and personal growth.  Topics covered in each lesson complement the predictable stages of group development. Participants begin with basic concepts relevant to the development of all groups.  As the group progresses, the unique interests and issues of present members direct the process and topics they are exploring.  Core themes of a standard life skills curriculum for coaches in training are covered to enable all students who complete the course to gain experience with fundamental material.  However, how the material evolves is a reflection of the dynamics of the group.  A commitment to the process and the development of trust among members ensures material is covered in a meaningful way.

This course focuses on the therapeutic use of programming in the care and treatment of children/adolescents.  The student will learn how to integrate therapeutic principles into the design and implementation of individual and group therapeutic activities.  Emphasis will be placed on the student developing a resource file and therapeutic “bag of tricks” (tools to use in ongoing programming work with clients).

Field placements provide students with an opportunity to integrate theory into practice. Students of the Child and Youth Worker program are required to complete assigned hours of field work in a community setting that provides direct client service. This is a supervised 12-week block placement.

This course deals with advanced methods for intervening with children and youth. Students will have an opportunity to practise these interventions and evaluate their effectiveness in given circumstances. Techniques demonstrating how to handle everyday occurrences, while enhancing the therapeutic relationship, will be taught and practised considering a variety of settings (day treatment, school, recreational program, and residence).

This course is an introduction to families from a family systems and family therapy perspective. Students will learn to view human behaviour and behaviour problems as expressions of family interactions and structure. Models of individual therapy will be contrasted to a family approach, and the student will be introduced to the concept of “the individual in context”. Family dynamics will be explored as factors in psychopathology and mental health. The student will also be introduced to assessment and treatment planning from a family therapy perspective.

Field placements provide students with an opportunity to integrate theory into practice. Students of the Child and Youth Worker program are required to complete assigned hours of field work in a community setting that provides direct client service.  This is a supervised two-day a week placement that includes a seminar component.  It is a 14-week placement.

This course covers theoretical and practical information on the dynamics of life skills coaching with particular emphasis on the Saskatchewan NewStart model and subsequent developments of the theory as demonstrated through the life skills publications of the YWCA.  Key concepts relevant to life skills coaching are examined.  As well, the process and dynamics of the Life Skills I group are reviewed from a theoretical perspective.  Having examined life skills theory, students develop and conduct a group session for peers, giving and receiving feedback on their facilitation style.

As a follow-up to Therapeutic Activities I, students will learn more advanced and a wider variety of applications, methods, and techniques directed towards working with children experiencing social, emotional, and behavioural difficulties.  Particular emphasis will be given to the creative use of different models/approaches (i.e. drawing, fantasy, drama, play therapy, sensory).   The course is designed to emphasize theory and practice.

This course provides a theoretical framework for understanding group work as a service delivery model.  The student will learn about stages, roles, leadership, communication patterns, and professional and ethical aspects.  Through practice situations the student will begin to learn how to apply these concepts when facilitating a therapeutic group.   Emphasis will be placed on the design and implementation of a small group program for a particular client population. 

This course provides an overview of human development and attitude are society’s attitude about human sexuality. An understanding of sexuality and associated typical and atypical behaviour in young people will be explored, which will include possible implications when working with disturbed or troubled youth. Students will develop the skills required to discuss numerous issued related with youth about sexuality.

This course will examine the use of assessment instruments and recording tools used by various education and social service organizations. Why agencies keep records and how the information in these records is created, monitored and updated will be reviewed. The functional assessment tool will be studied as a process for gathering information to understand problem behaviour situations and to develop effective and supportive plans of care.

This course is designed to provide students with an overview of child/adolescent abuse in its many forms, including the causes, symptoms, indicators, preventions and treatment. Material will focus on understanding the role of the child and youth worker when dealing with issues pertaining to child protection. Students will have the opportunity to explore and discuss the dilemmas of child protection work, as well as look at the impact this work has on them as a professional.

Students will be introduced to the various child and youth psychopathologies related to intellectual, social, emotional and physical sensory functioning. They will examine the characteristics, needs and methods of assessment as they apply to the various pathologies. As well, students will consider the difficulty these children and youth have in realizing their full human potential and the methods that are employed to assist people in their attempts to be fully accepted.

This course will help the student to develop a better understanding of the concerns and issues of culturally diverse clients and their communities. They will gain appreciation for the diversity of cultures and subcultures and their interactions in Canadian society. The course will also provide the students with opportunities to look at their personal, as well as professional values, and relationships to clients of culturally diverse views.

Field placements provide students with an opportunity to integrate theory into practice. Students of the Child and Youth Worker program are required to complete assigned hours of field work in a community setting that provides direct client service.  This is a supervised two-day a week placement that includes a seminar component.  It is a 14-week placement.

Social Policy and Administration provides an overview of the Canadian social welfare system. The course begins by highlighting relevant historical factors and exploring significant aspects of the social welfare system that are unique to Canada. An array of current social issues will be addressed with an emphasis on the impact of relevant social policy. The course progresses to address strategies for service delivery. The various roles that different professionals play, and the interplay of social welfare with other related systems, will be clarified. 

Field placements provide students with an opportunity to integrate theory into practice. Students of the Child and Youth Worker program are required to complete assigned hours of field work in a community setting that provides direct client service. This is a supervised 16-week block placement.