Child and Youth Care (Bachelor of Arts)

Child and Youth Care Counsellors (CYCC) work with children, youth and families who are experiencing social, emotional or behavioural stress. What distinguishes CYCC from other helping professions is that we work with people in their daily environments.

This career involves dealing with people. That means that good interpersonal skills are a must. This field also involves dealing with people who are experiencing stress and crisis in their lives. Many of the children and youth we work with present very challenging behaviours. To thrive you need to be able to deal with stress and challenging behaviours. You also need to understand the difference between being a caring helper and being a rescuer. If you need people to need you, this is not the profession for you.

Being an effective Child and Youth Care Counsellor also involves an ongoing commitment to your own personal growth. The people we work with constantly challenge our notions of who we are.

The Faculty of Child, Family and Community Studies offers specialized upgrading classes for students looking to enter human services programs at Douglas. If you do not meet the English language entrance requirement, this is a good option for you. See Upgrade for Human Service Programs for more information.

Yes. Both the diploma and degree programs are offered on a part-time basis.

The Child and Youth Care Counsellor Diploma is a two-year program that will provide you with a diploma upon completion. It will prepare you for a variety of jobs in the child and youth care field. If you complete the diploma, you can also transfer into third year of the degree program at Douglas or into a related degree program at a number of other universities.

The Bachelor of Arts in Child and Youth Care is an additional two years of study that you can complete after you complete the two-year Diploma program (4 years total). Earning your degree will allow you to work in more advanced and higher-paying jobs in the child and youth care field, as well as open more doors for further continuing your education.

Yes. All the CYC degrees in British Columbia are considered equivalent. University of Victoria, Malaspina University College, University College of the Fraser Valley and Douglas College all offer equivalent degrees. All of the programs are members of the Child and Youth Care Educators Consortium and teach to the same learning outcomes. The programs work in partnership with other institutions in British Columbia and Alberta that offer CYC diploma and degree programs.

The Indigenous Child and Youth Care pathway is an optional specialization within the diploma program. It is made up of several specialized courses and a practicum that you take in place of other courses in your second year. You will still complete your diploma in the same amount of time, but with a specialization. For more details, see the Indigenous Pathway tab in this program (above).

There is no standard rate of pay. At the starting end, some private contractors pay about $15 per hour. At the higher end, unionized settings pay $19 to $22 per hour. Degree graduates working in supervisory or advanced positions can earn significantly higher salaries.

Douglas College offers Prior Learning and Assessment (PLAR) in the CYC diploma program. PLAR examines your previous experience or education and if you can earn credit for the work you've already done. Please contact the department program advisor and coordinator for more information on that process and your eligibility.

Practicums are supervised worksite learning sessions. You will go and work in a child and youth care setting, giving you the opportunity to practice skills learned in the classroom. Both the diploma and degree program include practicums. For more information, see the Worksite Learning page.

Surveys of Child and Youth Care graduates show virtually 100% working in the field within 3 months of graduation (graduates not working were continuing their education)."Douglas College has built a strong relationship with us as an employer. We have great respect for the faculty and are impressed by the program content and learning environment. We look forward to continuing to hire Douglas graduates." - Tim Agg, Executive Director, PLEA Community Services Society

According to a government study, the demand for grads is driven by 2 main factors: many current workers are retiring plus employers are seeking higher levels of training.

"Industry sources report that there is a surplus of workers who have insufficient levels of qualifications. Therefore, employment opportunities are much better for those workers with appropriate post secondary education." (Source: Work Futures)