If you’re someone who is interested in the human services field you’ve probably considered a number of career paths. You want to make changes in the lives of others, but which path is right for you? When you’re someone who is a natural helper, it can sometimes be difficult to choose an area of focus in your career. A great way to help and to work with different individuals is to take up a career with an emphasis on personal care. Typically, when we think about care, our minds go to job positions like doctors and nurses, however, that is only one aspect of the care field. There are many ways to affect changes in the lives of others, therefore your decision needs to be one based on your preferences and the type of work you enjoy. You can make a great impact on an individual’s life by working with them directly in positions like a Child and Youth Care Worker (CYCW) or a Personal Support Worker (PSW). These positions are ideal for those who like to work with people directly and need to see their impact in a tangible way.

In positions like Child and Youth Care Workers or Personal Support Workers, you can significantly impact an individual’s life. People who like to work directly with people and want to see their effects first-hand will find these positions ideal.

What is a CYCW?

CYCW is an abbreviation for Child and Youth Care Worker. According to Canada’s Job Bank, these human service professionals work to administer and implement a variety of social assistance programs and community services and assist clients to deal with personal and social issues affecting their lives. The role includes helping to counsel children, youth, and their families who may be dealing with social, emotional, behavioural, and mental health issues. CYCWs can work with a caseload of several clients to help them find the services they need in the community such as newcomer support, financial support, job programs, family intervention and, more. You can find yourself working with individuals on a one-to-one basis or with a group if their family or caregiver is involved.

“We use what is called a relational care approach and we’re often working in what we call ‘the life-space’ we have a relationship that we build with our clients. It’s all about trust, it’s all about bond. It’s always about us being there for them, to support them without expecting things in return.” – Corey Hunter, CYCW Instructor

It’s important to be even-tempered and remain positive as sometimes the role can be challenging. You will work with a variety of individuals to try and help them make improvements in their lives. Because of the nature of your work, you will be privy to many personal details about your clients, therefore you will have to build healthy and trusting relationships in order to help them move forward. Your clients can range from a newcomer trying to find employment to an individual looking to find help battling an addiction. CYCWs can work for government agencies, group homes, school boards, prisons, or other related organizations.

What is a PSW?

A Personal Support Workers or PSW provides care to any person who requires personal assistance with the activities of everyday living. They may also provide additional care as delegated by a registered healthcare practitioner as needed and when it can be performed safely and within Provincial legislation. PSW’s provide personal care and related paraprofessional services in accordance with an established plan of care.

“A personal Support Worker (PSW) is someone who can make a difference in people’s lives. PSWs provide care and support to people of any age who require assistance with their day-to-day activities, personal care, family responsibilities, home management, transferring clients, etc.” – Divya Kuruvila, PSW Instructor

Personal Support Workers can form a deep bond with their patients (also called clients) as they usually operate in living spaces such as the client’s home, hospitals, long-term care homes, or other related residential facilities. As one of your patients’ primary caregivers you will have to assist with medication (in accordance with provincial law), keep the client’s living area tidy, and other household chores as required. A good PSW should make sure their clients are comfortable, safe and have a healthy emotional and physical well-being.

As a PSW you may work with patients who are experiencing serious medical issues. When this is the case a PSW is usually part of a medical team helping to facilitate an established plan of care. PSWs help the rest of the team by continuously observing the patient, reporting any unusual changes in behaviour, and maintaining medical documentation and records.

How Can You Decide?

If you’re still trying to figure out which direction is best for you, seek resources to help you choose. You can do your own research by doing a search online where you can learn more about each respective profession. To take things a step further you can reach out to some companies that you find interesting and call them for an informational interview. This type of interview consists of an informal conversation with someone working in a field of interest to you. The goal of an informational interview is to ask all your desired questions about the field and job so that you can make an informed decision.

It may seem strange to reach out to someone you don’t know, but most people don’t mind speaking about their careers. As long as you are polite and respectful in your outreach communications, you should not have a problem finding someone to speak to. LinkedIn is a great resource to find active professionals in the field. You can also find the answers you’re looking for by reaching out to the professional association of your field of interest. The purpose of a professional association is to advance a particular profession, support the interests of people working in that profession and serve the good of the community. These bodies are a great resource for information.

How Do I Get Started?

As with most careers, you must complete an education program to be considered for a job position. Both a career as a Personal Support Worker or a Child and Youth Care Worker requires a certificate of completion from a formal educational institution such as an accredited college.

Eastern College offers programs for both PSW and CYCW. The Personal Support Worker program is 31 weeks and allows students the ability to participate in a 12-week internship to gain industry experience. The Child and Youth Care Worker program is 64 weeks with a 6-week internship component. We also offer the Child and Youth Care with Addictions Support Worker program for those who want to specialize in supporting individuals experiencing addiction. As an Eastern College student, you will benefit from half-day classes and a modular learning model where you study one subject at a time. Eastern ensures quality by hiring Instructors and program staff who have worked in or are currently active in the field.

If you’re a resident of New Brunswick, an opportunity currently exists for you to receive free tuition when you enroll in human services programs. Through this initiative, qualifying New Brunswick residents can have the full cost of their tuition covered for select programs, including Personal Support Worker, Home Support Worker, and Child and Youth Care with Addictions Support Worker at Eastern College. Learn more about the opportunity here.

Click to learn more about the Personal Support Worker or Child and Youth Care Worker programs available with Eastern College!