Addictions & Community Support Worker
Heritage College

Program Description

Heritage College’s Addictions & Community Support Worker certificate program provides students with the skills they need to excel as part of a social assistance or  community service team. Our specially designed express A&CSW certificate program gets you the education you need quicker than other Calgary-area colleges, so you can graduate and start your new career in social work in only 25 weeks.

At Heritage College, you’ll learn from an experienced team of experts in the social work field, and master the skills today’s agencies and programs are looking for. Our instructors share their valuable, real-world knowledge and experience, preparing you to become part of a modern community support team team.

In this program, you’ll learn the practical skills necessary to work within various community programs and services, qualifying graduates for numerous career opportunities in this diverse field. In Alberta, Community Support Workers and Addictions Advisors are employed by social service and government agencies, mental health agencies, group homes, shelters, substance abuse centres, school boards, correctional facilities, and relate organizations. Community support works provide physical, vocational, recreational, social, and emotional support to clients in various combinations. In communities, Community Support Workers support caregivers, social workers and teachers.

The courses offered in this Addictions & Community Support Worker certificate program will lead students in exploring brain development and its connection to addictions and mental health. Students will develop core counselling skills, examine methods of working with groups, and attain strategies for supporting persons living with disabilities. Students will become familiar with family life in Canada and will develop an understanding of physical, emotional, and social development across the
lifespan. Students will additionally become familiar with several diverse and vulnerable populations in Canada and will be exposed to the history and impacts of colonization on Indigenous peoples.

Heritage Career College’s 6-month express Addictions & Community Support Worker program includes five weeks of hands-on work experience in social service agencies and shelters in your hometown. Graduates of our programs receive continuing support from Heritage College’s Career Services department, including help with job searches, resume and LinkedIn profile reviews, and interview preparation. Upon graduation, this certificate will empower students with the confidence and skills needed to become front-line workers supporting individuals, families, and communities experiencing adversity.

Course Overview
Graduates of Heritage College’s Addictions & Community Support Worker program develop the communications and counselling skills needed to support the operations of a variety of social service agencies. Over the length of this 6-month program, students:

• Gain valuable face-to-face counselling and intervention experience in mock sessions and practicums, including relationship building, applied behaviour analysis and crisis intervention.
• Study physical, social and emotional development at various stages of life, and develop skills needed to support children, youth, and end-of-life populations.
• Obtain vital experience with recording and reporting, and learn how to process case notes and incident reports.
• Explore various vulnerable populations, including women, children, individuals living with disabilities, the LGBTQ+ community, and Indigenous groups.
• Learn the laws and regulations that govern the practice of social work in Canada

How You'll Learn
Heritage Career College’s Addictions & Community Support Worker certificate program has two delivery methods:

In-Class: Either five days a week (evening option) or three days a week (weekend option) at Heritage College’s Sunridge campus.

100% Online: Lectures and theory delivered entirely online, with online assessment; occasional labs and exams in-class at our Northeast Calgary campus.
This program combines lectures, visual aides, hands-on learning via practical exercises, projects, exams and group discussions into an accessible learning experience. Validation of knowledge is done through through exams, practical tests, projects, and practicum evaluation. 

Addictions & Community Support Worker Course Details