Educational Assistant / Community Support Certificate

Why Choose North Island College?

• Be prepared. A combination of university transfer and skill-based courses prepare you for employment or continuing studies. A high proportion of class time is supervised practice experience.
• Gain the skills you’ll need. You’ll explore engaging subject matter in an interactive classroom setting, plus you’ll enjoy small classes and high quality instruction. These will give you the opportunity to gain strong skills in the human services field.
• Get connected. With the opportunity to develop professional networks and an extensive knowledge of local community resources, you’ll have the confidence and contacts you’ll need to pursue a great career.

Program Highlights

The Educational Assistant/Community Support program is offered over 10 months at the Comox Valley campus, and is divided into three terms.

The first term includes six courses: five theory courses and one practice experience. The theory courses provide a base for enhancing communication skills. Students learn a variety of frameworks for analyzing the structure and problems within society, and explore the different models for supporting families and individuals. The practice experience introduces students to community agencies and resources, and includes 20 hours of service in a community agency or school.

During the second term, students explore in-depth theories, skills, and supports required for educational assistance work. Students also have a supervised placement in a community agency or school, and participate in a weekly seminar to discuss, reflect, and learn from the practical experience.

The third term consists of six weeks of full-time supervised practice experience in a community agency or school. Students also attend a weekly seminar to continue learning through reflection, discussion, and writing. 

Interviews for the program are conducted in December, February, April, and June. Acceptance is on a first-come, first-qualified, first-seated basis. Completed applications must be submitted prior to interview. Applications for the Comox Valley campus should be submitted by May 31st for the final interview session in June. 

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the Educational Assistant/Community Support program are prepared to assist individuals who have physical, cognitive and psychiatric disabilities. As Education Assistants, they work in schools and, under the supervision of the teacher, provide classroom support. They can also pursue careers in community-based or government agencies, in departments that assist individuals with special needs. With an Education Assistant/Community Support certificate, graduates can also continue into university degree programs in social work, child and youth care, or education.

Credit for Prior Learning

Students who have previous educational and work experiences related to Human Services may wish to complete a Prior Learning Assessment (PLA). In order to qualify, applicants must have applied to the program, and met all the program requirements (with the exception of the resume and the readiness interview, which may be done after PLA application). Currently, applicants may request PLA credit for up to 75% of the program. The remaining 25% of the program must be completed at North Island College, and must include a minimum of 2 courses designated HSW. Applicants wishing to receive PLA credit towards the full-time program must normally have completed the process by June 15 of the year they hope to begin the program. Please refer to the Human Service Worker Prior Learning Assessment information package, available from Student Services.

Practice Experience

Students will gain extensive practice experience throughout the duration of the 10-month program. Practice experience placements are offered each term to provide students with actual on-the-job training in a school or community service agency. The placements are supervised by teachers, agency personnel and faculty. A weekly seminar provides additional learning, and connection of theory with practice. The purpose of the practice experience is to provide students with direct experience. This allows students to learn exactly what the job entails, what skills are required and the opportunity to learn those skills both in theory and in practice.

Admission Requirements

1. Provincial English 12; or NIC ENG 060, ENG 098 or equivalent courses with a grade of C+ or better; or successful English assessment testing
2. Completed Human Services Intake Package (includes two satisfactory letters of reference focusing on a minimum of 20 volunteer hours).
3. Completed resume including all employment, volunteer, and educational experience
4. Completed consent for Criminal Records Search form (see Intake Package for more details)
5. Interview with Human Services instructor

Before Classes Begin

Once accepted to the program, but before classes begin, students are required to have:

• current Standard First Aid Certification with CPR Level C

Note: Human Service students are not required to meet the PSY 130/131 prerequisites in order to register in PSY 250/251. If graduates choose to work towards a degree, they may be required to complete PSY 130/131.

To Be Successful

• All students are required to adhere to the "program expectations" document and standards outlined in individual human service course guides (ie: attendance, confidentiality, professional behaviour etc).
• Students are advised to have strong essay writing and good computer skills as they are expected to submit well written, word processed assignments.
• Those students planning to continue on to a university degree program in social work or child and youth care are advised to ensure that their elective choices are university transferable.

Program Requirements

Term 1

o ENG-115 Essay Writing and Critical Analysis
or ENG-125 Composition and Indigenous Literature I
o HSW-151 Interpersonal Communications
o HSW-152 Foundations of Human Service Practice
o HSW-153 Introduction to Practice Experience
o HSW-157 Family Relationships
o PSY-250 Human Development from Conception through Childhood
 

Term 2

o HSW-164 Foundations of Community Support
o HSW-166 Health Care Principles
o HSW-167 Support Strategies for Skill Development
o HSW-170 Human Service Practice Experience I
o HSW-190 Education Assistant in the Classroom
o PSY-251 Human Development from Adolescence Through Adulthood

 Term 3

o HSW-171 Special Populations Practice Experience II or HSW-174 Education Assistant Practice Experience II
 

Completion Requirements

1. In order to be promoted from one term to the next, students must achieve:
   • a letter grade of C (60%) or better in all classes
   • a letter grade of P (Pass) in all Practicum courses
2. Continued certification in Standard First Aid with CPR Level C throughout the program
3. Consistent attendance is important because of the experiential nature of the program.
4. Students will also be required to take a Non-Violent Crisis Intervention Workshop during the year