Why Choose North Island College?

• Be prepared. A combination of university transfer and skill-based courses prepares students for employment or to continue their studies. A large amount of program time is dedicated to supervised practice experience.
• Gain the skills you'll need. As a student of the Education Assistant/Community Support, Indigenous Focus program, you'll explore engaging subject matter in an interactive classroom setting. With small classes and high quality instruction, you'll gain strong skills in the human services field.
• More for less. Attending North Island College offers a less expensive but rigorous credential that is widely recognized and respected by community agencies, including area schools.
• Get connected. With the opportunity to develop professional networks and a broad knowledge of local community resources, you'll have the confidence and contacts needed to pursue a great career.
• A highly valued education. North Island College works closely with community agencies and indigenous communities to ensure that course content is current, relevant, and valued by employers. 

Program Highlights

NIC's human services department and its programs are part of a provincial network that ensures not only high-quality instruction and programming, but also transferability throughout the province. Our faculty work closely with community agencies to ensure course content is current, relevant, and valued by employers in the field.

At the Port Alberni campus, the Education Assistant/Community Support, Indigenous Focus certificate is offered in two ways: over ten months of full time study, or over 20 months of part-time study. The full time option contains three terms, and the part time option contains six.

Depending upon the length of the program, the first term includes courses which provide a base for enhancing communication skills and critical analysis. Students also learn a variety of frameworks for analyzing the structure and problems within society, and explore the different models for supporting families and individuals.

During subsequent terms, 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 with a weekly seminar to discuss, reflect, and learn from the practical experience.

The final term consists of six weeks of full-time supervised practice experience in a community agency or school. The final term also provides students with exposure to the field which can help to gain to employment. Students also attend a weekly seminar to continue learning through reflection, discussion, and writing.

The program provides a greater understanding of the culture and history of indigenous learners. Students develop intercultural communication skills, learn about contemporary Canadian social and family issues with a focus on indigenous populations, and study First Nations education. Students participate directly in cultural events such as potlatches, witnessing governance and lahal games. The program promotes volunteering and community participation, and is based on the concept that self awareness is integral to the ability to help others. The Medicine Wheel paradigm provides a model of human health and balance.

In addition, the Education Assistant/Community Support, Indigenous Focus program provides the same training in classroom assistance, disabilities and ethics as found in the Education Assistant/Community Support program.

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

Work Experience

Students will gain extensive practice experience throughout the duration of the program. Practice experience placements are offered throughout the program 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.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the Educational Assistant/Community Support, Indigenous Focus 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 support agencies. 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 two 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 contact Student Services for more information.

Seat Availability

A student who fails any course in the program cannot progress until the course is passed. In order to repeat a course, the student must reapply to the program in a subsequent offering of the same term in which the failure occurred providing there is an available seat. If in repeating the course, the student fails again, then the student will be removed entirely from the program and can only re-enter by going through the admission process. Please note that the student may be required to begin at term one.

A student who has failed a human services (HSW) course, repeated it and passed, re-entered the program and then fails another course, will be removed entirely from the program and can only re-enter by through the admission process. Please note that the student may be required to begin at term one.

Re-entering the program under any circumstance is dependent on an available seat and at the discretion of the human services department. Students who fail a required course may be asked to complete a learning assessment prior to being reconsidered for re-admission. These regulations are important to the profession to ensure that graduates have the required skills and knowledge, and are therefore deemed safe to practice.

Before Classes Begin

Once accepted to the program but before classes begin, you will be required to:

• Attend a group information session. This mandatory session is designed to assist students in making an informed decision about pursuing a career in Human Services. The admissions department will send you an invitation with details regarding the date and time of the information session.
• Hold a current Standard First Aid certification with CPR Level C.
• Submit a Criminal Record Check permission form, which will be sent to you by Admissions once you have been offered a seat in the program.

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.

If students wish to reduce their workload, they can take English 125 before entering the program.

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
2. Completed Human Services Intake Package
3. Completed resume including all employment, volunteer, and educational experience
4. Interview with a Human Services instructor

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 conduct etc). Failure to adhere to these standards may result in the student being required to leave the program. Students are encouraged to review this document and decide if they are able to meet the standards outlined. Students who have concerns about meeting program expectations are encouraged to speak with a Human Services faculty member or college counselor.
• Students are advised to have strong essay writing and good computer skills as they are expected to submit well written, word processed assignments and access online resources. 
• Those students planning on continuing onto a university degree program in education or child and youth care are advised to ensure that their elective choices are university transferable.
• Students must obtain C or better is all classes to progress. 
• Students must complete a Non Violent Crisis Intervention Workshop offered during the program.

Program Requirements

Term 1

• ENG 115 Essay Writing and Critical Analysis or ENG 125 Composition and Indigenous Literature I
• HSW 121 Communication Skills in the Classroom
• HSW 122 Social Analysis in Context
• HSW 164 Foundations of Community Support
• PSY 250 Human Development from Conception through Childhood

Term 2

• HSW 166 Health Care Principles
• HSW 167 Support Strategies for Skill Development
• HSW 170 Education Assistant/Community Support Practice Experience I
• HSW 190 Education Assistant in the Classroom
• PSY 251 Human Development from Adolescence through Adulthood
• FNS 160 First Nations Education: Traditional and Contemporary

Term 3

• HSW 171 Special Populations Practice Experience II or HSW 174 Education Assistant Practice Experience II  

Completion Requirements

1. a letter grade of C (60%) or better in all classes
2. a letter grade of P (Pass) in all Practicum courses