4212- Social and community service workers

Canada NOC: 
4212
Job Title: 

Social and community service workers

Job Description: 

Social and community service workers administer and implement a variety of social assistance programs and community services, and assist clients to deal with personal and social problems. They are employed by social service and government agencies, mental health agencies, group homes, shelters, substance abuse centres, school boards, correctional facilities and other establishments.

Main Duties: 

Social and community service workers perform some or all of the following duties:


Review client background information, interview clients to obtain case history and prepare intake reports
Assess clients' relevant skill strengths and needs
Assist clients to sort out options and develop plans of action while providing necessary support and assistance
Assess and investigate eligibility for social benefits
Refer clients to other social services or assist clients in locating and utilizing community resources including legal, medical and financial assistance, housing, employment, transportation, day care and other services
Counsel clients living in group homes and half-way houses, supervise their activities and assist in pre-release and release planning
Participate in the selection and admission of clients to appropriate programs
Implement life skills workshops, substance abuse treatment programs, behaviour management programs, youth services programs and other community and social service programs under the supervision of social services or health care professionals
Meet with clients to assess their progress, give support and discuss any difficulties or problems
Assist in evaluating the effectiveness of treatment programs by tracking clients' behavioural changes and responses to interventions
Advise and aid recipients of social assistance and pensions
Provide crisis intervention and emergency shelter services
Implement and organize the delivery of specific services within the community
Maintain contact with other social service agencies and health care providers involved with clients to provide information and obtain feedback on clients' overall progress
Co-ordinate the volunteer activities of human service agencies, health care facilities and arts and sports organizations
May maintain program statistics for purposes of evaluation and research
May supervise social service support workers and volunteers.

Employment Requirements: 

Completion of a college or university program in social work, child and youth care, psychology or other social science or health-related discipline is usually required.
Previous work experience in a social service environment as a volunteer or in a support capacity may replace formal education requirements for some occupations in this unit group.
Social service workers may be required to be a member of a provincial regulatory body in some provinces.

Additional Inormation: 

Progression to professional occupations in social services, such as family and marriage counsellors, social workers, and probation and parole officers, is possible with additional training and experience.

Classified Elsewhere: 

Activities leaders ? seniors (in 5254 Program leaders and instructors in recreation, sport and fitness)
Educational counsellors (4033)
Family, marriage and other related counsellors (4153)
Instructors of persons with disabilities (4215)
Managers in social, community and correctional services (0423)
Social workers (4152)

Similar O*NET Careers (USA) : 
International Careers(ISCO): 
Source Of Info: 

National Occupation Classification, (2011)

Statistics Canada and Human Resources and Skills Development Canada,

February 2012,

Catalogue no. 12-583-X