Community Support Worker with Addictions, ADHD, Autism, & Mental Health
Career training in Kelowna, BC · Open to international students · 25 weeks
25 wks
Duration
$12,995
Total cost (CAD)
120 hrs
Work experience
Prepare for a career supporting people with diverse needs.
Our Community Support Worker program places a strong focus on autism and ADHD, helping students understand neurodiversity and develop practical skills for person-centred support.
You will learn how autism and ADHD can influence communication, learning, and everyday experiences, while exploring ways to recognize individual strengths and adapt support to different needs.
You will be well-prepared to approach your future work with greater understanding, respect, and a commitment to inclusion.
What you'll learn
- Explain foundational concepts of mental health, substance use, concurrent disorders, and neurodiversity, including their impact on behaviour, functioning, and support needs.
- Recognize signs of mental health challenges, substance use, crisis, risk, and neurodivergent support needs, and respond appropriately within a non-clinical scope of practice.
- Explain how autism, ADHD, and other forms of neurodivergence may affect communication, sensory processing, executive functioning, participation, and support needs, and apply neurodiversity-affirming, person-centred support strategies within a non-clinical scope of practice.
- Demonstrate effective communication and relationship-building skills to support engagement, trust, collaboration, and inclusion.
- Apply trauma-informed, culturally safe, neurodiversity-affirming, and person-centred approaches when supporting individuals in community settings.
- Support individuals using harm reduction, recovery-oriented, strengths-based, and capacity-building approaches.
- Apply de-escalation, crisis intervention, and safety-focused strategies to support individuals experiencing distress or crisis.
- Navigate community systems and participate in basic case management activities, including referrals, advocacy, and service coordination.
- Demonstrate cultural humility and inclusive practices, particularly when working with Indigenous Peoples and diverse populations.
- Apply ethical, legal, and professional standards, including confidentiality, documentation, informed consent, and accountability requirements.
- Maintain professional boundaries, self-awareness, self-care, and reflective practice to support effective and responsible care.
Before you apply — permit questions
Eligibility to enrol depends on your permit type. Here is what we can tell you:
- Students on a valid study permit may generally enrol at a Designated Learning Institution (DLI). Ask us about our DLI status.
- If you are on a work permit, you may be able to study part-time without a study permit — but rules vary. We recommend confirming with IRCC or a regulated immigration consultant.
- We will give you straight answers. If we cannot help, we will tell you that too.