Developmental Services Worker – Alternate Delivery

Build your skills to launch a rewarding career where you can make a difference in the lives of individuals who have intellectual disabilities – without having to leave your home community.

With the Developmental Services Worker – Alternate Delivery program, you can study to be a social worker online. The program is delivered as a combination of virtual video instruction, online courses, and field placement, a great option if you require flexibility in your College schedule.

You'll first learn about the stages of human development, and the range of community supports available for persons with developmental disabilities. In the following semesters, you will learn intervention techniques, person-centered planning, abnormal psychology/dual diagnosis, basic pharmacology, how to support people with autism, augmentative forms of communication, and prevention of and effective responses to people who have been abused. As a developmental services worker, you will also develop the relationship building and critical thinking skills required to assist people with intellectual disabilities in identifying problems and solutions.

You will come away from this program with many practical skills, including how to:

• Communicate with clients in sign language and picture symbols
• Safely administer medications
• Create effective plans to teach new skills and behaviours and how to reinforce and maintain effective skills and positive behaviours over time
• Assist individuals with physical disabilities
• Help those with special needs to integrate into the community
• Work with families