Help in the healthy development of vulnerable children, youth and families by becoming a positive role model. Working with people in need can be demanding, but you will experience job satisfaction and significant rewards. Employment opportunities include school programs, group homes, treatment centres, and community programs. To become a child and youth care counsellor, you need to be strong, emotionally and ethically. The children, youth and families you will work with may have suffered physical, sexual or emotional abuse, neglect and/or family breakdown. Some may also have behavioural or learning difficulties that require your knowledge, skill, and support.

The learning outcomes for the Bachelor of Child Studies, Child and Youth Care Counsellor reflect the values, knowledge, and skills that Child and Youth Care Counsellor students are expected to acquire and demonstrate upon completing the BCST and are designed to equip them for professional practice. These include

A.  Professional Reflective Practice

Professional practice is the commitment to developing and gaining awareness of attitudes, values, beliefs, and ethics and integrating this into professional behaviour. Reflection is a process of responding to experiences, situations, learning, or new knowledge. Reflective practice occurs in the context of professional practice and is evidence-based (not merely subjective). Critical thinking and reflection are closely linked. 

Graduates from the BCST, Child and Youth Care, will be able to:

1. Develop and sustain professional relationships with children, youth and families demonstrating sensitivity, awareness, and respect of cultural and human diversity
2. Describe the impact of historical influence, theoretical foundations, and social policy that inform the context of professional practice.  
3. Access, analyze, and apply knowledge and skills to develop an interdisciplinary framework for practice.
4. Demonstrate the professional responsibility of integrating emergent knowledge into their practice.
5. Establish the practice of participating in professional development and self-care.
6. Communicate in persuasive and engaging ways using written, spoken or visual formats.
7. Seek different points of view, assess situations, implement options and evaluate outcomes based on professional experiences and/or research. 
8. Practice according to legislation, codes of conduct and agency policies. 
9. Advocate on behalf of children, youth, families, the community and themselves as professionals.

B.  Assessment and Intervention 

The ability to assess and intervene requires skills that enhance and support decision-making and problem-solving in an ethical and responsible manner. Assessment and intervention strategies may apply at the individual, group, family or community level.  

Graduates from the BCST, Child and Youth Care, will be able to:

1. Describe and apply theoretical frameworks (e.g., developmental, ecological, social justice) to practice with children, youth, family or community.
2. Explore and develop appropriate solutions that recognize the human and interpersonal needs. 
3. Identify and make referrals to community services and resources. 
4. Apply knowledge of assessment tools to obtain, organize and critically evaluate information appropriately.
5. Develop goals, implement and manage ongoing intervention practices encouraging child/family participation.
6. Identify needs related to a variety of mental health issues and apply effective interventions.

C.  Leadership and Collaboration

Leadership involves the ability to envision, communicate, initiate, reflect, and create opportunities within professional practice. Collaboration involves working as part of a team and understanding how/when to support others to move toward a desired outcome. 

Graduates from the BCST, Child and Youth Care, will be able to:  

1. Explain and apply leadership principles and teamwork practices. 
2. Integrate management, supervision, coaching and leadership skills toward the development of an effective leadership style.
3. Create positive respectful work environments and work effectively in collaborative contexts.
4. Identify and build frameworks to describe and support community experiences.
5. Implement leadership skills and abilities such as leading change effectively, resolving conflict, and motivating others.
6. Apply critical thinking skills to make decisions, solve problems and respond to community needs.
7. Apply resiliency skills to take appropriate risks leading to positive change.
8. Critically evaluate personal performance, seek feedback and be collaborative in supervision.

D.  Research and Evaluation

Understanding the fundamentals of research and evaluation will be critical to the role of graduates in leadership positions.  

Graduates from the BCST, Child and Youth Care, will be able to:

1. Access and use research (e.g., literature reviews, accessing reliable sources) to develop evidence-based practice.
2. Make informed judgments concerning the value of sources.
3. Synthesize acquired information to use in written or verbal presentations.
4. Recognize different approaches to inquiry in different disciplines.
5. Design and implement surveys, needs assessments, interviews, and focus groups using appropriate methods, tools and technology.
6. Design program evaluation to ensure accountability (e.g., to funders and stakeholders) and support quality improvement.

E.  Counselling Practices

The essence of Child and Youth Care (CYC) practice is a commitment to addressing the needs of vulnerable children, youth, and families within a context of caring. CYC practice is concerned with the totality of development and functioning and is based on direct, day to day work with children, youth and families in their environments. 

Graduates from the BCST, Child and Youth Care, will be able to:

1. Demonstrate and evaluate interpersonal communication and counselling skills to promote trusting professional relationships (based on the principles of human relationships). 
2. Identify signs of personal and professional fatigue and workplace burnout and apply self-care strategies which promote personal and professional growth. 
3. Identify and describe developmental issues related to child abuse and neglect to ensure case plans accurately reflect needs. 
4. Understand and apply the Circle of Courage philosophy and relevant counselling theories.
5. Disengage from power struggles by understanding the conflict cycle method of conflict resolution and apply the Life Space Interview in the therapeutic environment.
6. Demonstrate basic group facilitation techniques that consider the phases of group development and the clients’ individual developmental needs.
7. Identify needs related to a variety of mental health concerns and apply effective interventions.