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In the child and youth care program you’ll learn to support child, youth, family and community wellbeing.

Potential careers

What can you do with a child and youth care degree? Here are a few jobs that relate to your program:

• child protection worker
• youth justice services
• child or youth worker 
• youth outreach worker
• family support worker
• mental health worker
• addictions counsellor
• school-based practitioner
• recreation leader
• adoptions worker
• residential support worker
• infant development
• agency administration
• intake worker

Some of these roles may require post-graduate ³Ô¹ÏÍø or training. 

Find a career that fits you

• Explore your career options at an appointment with a career educator.
• Attend career development workshops as you search for work.
• Enrol in the Your Career Starts Here course to generate career ideas and plan your next steps.

Experience & connections

Opportunities in the child and youth care program

• With the practicum you get real-world experience. 

Opportunities outside your program

• With a work study position you can develop skills during your study term.
• Volunteering is a great way to give back to your community while you build skills.

Networks you can connect to

Here are a few professional associations related to child and youth care:

Hands-on learning opportunities

These courses in the child and youth care program offer extensive hands-on learning.

Co-op

CYC 495 - Advanced Honours Seminar in CYC Theory, Research and Practice
Work with clients and centres to identify and analyze issues within child and youth care practice

Course-based

CYC 230 - Introduction to CYC Practice in Indigenous Contexts
Uncover the impacts of colonization and understand your own personal location

CYC 240 - Ethical Decision-Making in Child and Youth Care Practice
Learn about ethical decision making by using critical thinking strategies

CYC 250 - Law, Indigenous People and the TRC Calls to Action
Visit a local court to explore the legal context of child and youth care

CYC 265 - Introduction to Group Work in Child and Youth Care Practice
Develop personal and professional approaches to ethical choice making

Field experience

CYC 350 - Applying Law in Child Protection and Child and Youth Care Practice
Practice interviewing skills for child protection work through video role play

CYC 481 - Assessment and Evaluation in Contemporary Early Years Settings
Connect with families or daycare centres to learn observation and assessment skills

Practicum

CYC 210A - Supervised Practicum l by Prior Learning Assessment (PLA)
CYC 211 - Supervised Practicum I
Gain supervised work experience in a child and youth care setting

CYC 310 - Supervised Practicum II
Work under supervision with children or youth in a wide range of settings

CYC 311 - Supervised Block Practicum ll
Work directly with children and youth for 286 hours in a 4-month, supervised practicum

CYC 410 - Advanced Supervised Practicum
Use decolonizing practice, case planning, intervention and evaluation skills

Professional and technical skill development

CYC 152 - Introduction to Helping Skills in Child and Youth Care Practice
Gain foundational helping skills through videotaping and peer counselling

CYC 240 - Ethical Decision-Making in Child and Youth Care Practice
Develop personal and professional approaches to ethical choice making

CYC 370 - Applying Assessment and Case Planning in Child and Youth Care Practice
Plan and assess cases and apply change theory in a lab learning setting

CYC 475 - Advanced Child and Youth Care Practice with Families and Groups
Practice child and youth care techniques by role-playing families and groups

Research project

CYC 495 - Advanced Honours Seminar in CYC Theory, Research and Practice
Research and analyze issues within child and youth care practice

These courses are not always offered as described.

What you'll learn

Every student at UVic builds skills all employers look for. At UVic Co-op & Career we call these  "competencies". This is what you’ll learn in the child and youth care program.

General skills

• do case assessment and case management
• do risk assessment (suicide, sexual abuse and family violence assessment)
• plan and develop programs
• use therapeutic and crisis interventions
• counsel and communicate
• use a developmental and culturally appropriate practice
• think critically and make ethical decisions

Knowledge

• use developmental and planned change theories from diverse worldviews and traditions to analyze human behaviour
• understand issues such as substance use, developmental differences, legal contexts, family violence, child abuse and neglect, etc.

Abilities you’ll gain

• provide services and support to children, youth, families, groups and communities
• develop service plans and supportive strategies for children, youths, families or communities
• take part in a variety of therapeutic activities
• use advanced clinical and communication skills to support individuals, families, groups and communities
• use professional communication, reporting and presentation skills

What's next?