Course description
This course focuses on the development of a professional identity through examination of values, worldviews, and personal ethics in the context of the professional ethics in human services. Students will examine how factors relating to diversity, self-determination, social and economic justice, and power relations affect the formation of strong, healthy communities. Through critical thinking skills, students will explore and reflect on historical and current perspectives and ethical decision-making. Current legal and policy trends will be discussed in relation to significant social and cultural issues.
Course content
The following global ideas guide the design and delivery of this course:
- Respecting diversity, promoting self-determination, and analyzing power relations in community are integral for working towards social, economic, and environmental justice.
- Exploring and reflecting on one’s own experience as a member of a community is fundamental to understanding socialization and respecting other experiences and perspectives.
- Communities have many resources. Through collaborative work, communities have power, the capacity to effect change, and the ability to take care of their own members.
- Critical thinking and the clear effective articulation of ideas in a variety of formats and settings are essential to effective CYC practice and community involvement.
- In addition to knowing the standards of CYC practice or the expectations of one’s employers, practitioners need to continually examine their own beliefs and value systems to understand how they shape professional practice.
- Professional practice requires an understanding of ethical principles and their application to decisions and actions. Ethical decision-making requires continual reflection, self-examination, and ongoing values clarification.
- By making a commitment to become active, ethical practitioners, human service workers can contribute to the development of healthy communities.
- Critically examining the history of the social service field and service delivery is necessary to understand what has been, what is, and what is possible.
Learning activities
- Lecture
- Group work
- Student presentations
- Guest speakers
- Audio-visual presentations
All methods of instruction apply to in class, hybrid and/or online modes of learning.
Means of assessment
Assessment will be based on course objectives and will be carried out in accordance with the Douglas College Evaluation Policy. An evaluation schedule is present at the beginning of the course.
- Written assignments
- Group presentations
- Self assessment
- Classroom activity participation
- Other
This is a letter-graded course
Instructors may use a student’s record of attendance and/or level of active participation as part of the student’s graded performance. Expectations and grade calculations regarding class attendance and participation will be clearly defined in the instructor's course outline.
Learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Reflect on community membership and articulate the impact of personal, cultural, professional, and societal values on their work in community.
- Describe the characteristics of healthy human service communities and the rights and responsibilities of human service members.
- Explore and critically analyze historical and current social justice issues in the context of human service work, with an emphasis on anti-colonial, anti-oppressive, and anti-racist practices.
- Use ethical principles to navigate human service dilemmas from diverse community perspectives.
- Understand the division of power in Canada's political systems and explain how social policy is created.
- Evaluate how policies can support or hinder social justice.
Textbook materials
Textbooks and materials are to be purchased by students. A list of required textbooks and materials is provided for students at the beginning of the semester.