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.
Job Titles
- Aboriginal outreach worker
- Addictions worker
- Child and youth worker
- Community development worker
- Community service worker
- Crisis intervention worker
- Developmental service worker
- Drop-in centre worker
- Family service worker
- Group home worker
- Income maintenance officer – social services
- Life skills instructor
- Mental health worker
- Rehabilitation worker – social services
- Social services worker
- Veteran services officer
- Welfare and compensation officer
- Women’s shelter supervisor
- Youth worker
Main 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 halfway 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
- Mobilise and coordinate volunteer resources and activities for a range of organizations such as human service agencies, health care facilities, arts and sports, etc.
- May maintain program statistics for purposes of evaluation and research
- May supervise social service support workers and volunteers.
Workplaces
- Community organizations and establishments
- Correctional facilities
- Government agencies
- Group homes
- Mental health agencies
- School boards
- Shelters
- Social service agencies
- Substance abuse centres
Skills
- Social Perceptiveness
- Negotiating
- Oral Communication: Active Listening
- Persuading
- Coordinating
Abilities
- Multitasking
- Verbal Ability
- Auditory Attention
- Categorization Flexibility
- Deductive Reasoning
Personal Attributes
- Collaboration
- Concern for Others
- Service Orientation
- Social Orientation
- Stress Tolerance
Similar Occupations
- Managers in social, community and correctional services (40030)
- Educational counsellors (41320)
- Social workers (41300)
- Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies (41301)
- Instructors of persons with disabilities (42203)
- Activities leader – seniors (in 54100.01 Program leaders and instructors in recreation and sport)
Source: OaSIS
Employment Outlook
The employment outlook will be Good for social and community service workers (NOC 42201) in Prince Edward Island for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
- Employment growth will lead to several new positions.
- Not many positions will become available due to retirements.
- There are a moderate number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
Social and community service workers in Prince Edward Island remain in demand, with employment opportunities supported by the province’s continued focus on mental health, addictions, and community wellness programs. Most workers are employed in health care and social assistance, including nursing and residential care facilities, family service agencies, hospitals, and schools. Candidates typically require postsecondary education in social sciences or human services, and flexibility is essential, as jobs often involve shift work, multiple clinical locations, and home visits. For new graduates or career changers, this occupation offers valuable experience, diverse career pathways, and steady demand tied to government funding, though competition and funding limits mean that persistence and adaptability are key to securing stable roles.
Here are some key facts about Social and community service workers in Prince Edward Island:
- Approximately 1,050 people work in this occupation.
- Social and community service workers mainly work in the following sectors:
- Social assistance (NAICS 624): 32%
- Nursing and residential care facilities (NAICS 623): 18%
- Hospitals (NAICS 622): 15%
- Federal government public administration (NAICS 911): 10%
- Other services (except public administration) (NAICS 81): 7%
- The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
- Full-time workers: 86% compared to 84% for all occupations
- Part-time workers: 14% compared to 16% for all occupations
- 68% of social and community service workers work all year, while 32% work only part of the year, compared to 59% and 41% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 44 weeks compared to 41 weeks for all occupations.
- The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
- Men: 31% compared to 51% for all occupations
- Women: 69% compared to 49% for all occupations
- The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
- no high school diploma: less than 5% compared to 11% for all occupations
- high school diploma or equivalent: 13% compared to 28% for all occupations
- apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 12% compared to 11% for all occupations
- college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor’s: 40% compared to 25% for all occupations
- bachelor’s degree: 27% compared to 17% for all occupations
- university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: less than 5% compared to 8% for all occupations
Source: Job Bank
Prevailing Wages
| AREA | LOW | MEDIAN | HIGH |
|---|---|---|---|
| PEI | $20.00 | $27.00 | $33.00 |
| Canada | $19.00 | $26.00 | $36.06 |
Training
| TRAINING PROGRAM | INSTITUTION | CREDENTIAL |
|---|---|---|
| Family Science | UPEI | Undergraduate |
| Sociology / Anthropology | UPEI | Undergraduate |
| Psychology | UPEI | Undergraduate |
| Youth Worker | Collège de l’Île | Diploma |
| Child and Youth Care Worker | Holland College | Diploma |
| Human Services | Holland College | Diploma |