The community support workforce is classified in the category of social and community service workers [1], under a wide range of position titles. Community Support Workers, however, all provide services to marginalised individuals, families and communities, helping them to tackle the problems that face their local area.
Community Support workers, managers and supervisors perform a variety of important tasks in the social service field, providing direct services in diverse settings, such as counselling and support, outreach and engagement to the isolated, helping disadvantaged clients to meet their basic needs for food, shelter and clothing.
Managers coordinate and supervise social service programs and community organizations, and manage workers who provide social services to individuals, families and the community.
Supervisors use their expertise in team management to mentor and coach new generations of community support workers who will continue to bring the necessary changes that Indigenous individuals, families and communities need to enjoy healthy lives and social well-being.
Community support workers, managers (or coordinators) and supervisors are employed by First Nations, Inuit, Metis or mainstream social and health services and programs, government agencies, mental health agencies, group homes, shelters, substance abuse centres, school boards, correctional facilities and other establishments.
ICBOC offers two streams of Community Support workers certifications:
– Inuit-specific Community Support certifications, developed through the Aboriginal Skills and Employment Training Strategy (ASETS) in collaboration with Tungasuvvingat Inuit (TI) and Ilinniapaa Skills Development Centre (iSDC)
– Indigenous Community Support certifications, available to the First Nations, Metis unregulated workforce in the social and community services sector. The Indigenous community support certifications are also offered to mainstream workers who are employed in Indigenous work settings and who need to demonstrate the relevant experience and competencies in First Nations and Metis culture expected by Indigenous employers, colleagues, clients and communities.
In accordance with ICBOC’s Capacity Development model, and its integral laddering certification system, the following certifications are available for each stream
- Certified Indigenous or Certified Inuit-specific Community Support Workers
- Certified Indigenous or Certified Inuit-specific Community Support Managers
- Certified Indigenous or Certified Inuit-Specific Community Support Supervisors
[1] https://www23.statcan.gc.ca/imdb/p3VD.pl?Function=getVD&TVD=314243&CVD=314247&CPV=4212&CST=01012016&MLV=4&CLV=4