Thriving Career Options for Developmental Service Worker Graduates

A career as a developmental service worker (DSW) is for those who have a passion for supporting and encouraging those who have developmental disabilities and their families. Your role in their lives is geared toward assessing, assisting and counselling, providing personal care and promoting health and wellbeing. If you’ve wanted to become a development service worker or are currently enrolled in a development service worker course or development service worker program, understanding your career opportunities can certainly motivate your future goals and pursuits.

Here is a review of the environments you can look to contributing within and the potential positions you’ll be able to apply for once you’ve completed your service worker course/service worker program and received your DSW diploma.

As a DSW, You May Work Within:

• Community organizations
• Schools
• Rehabilitation centres
• Residential agencies
• Community agencies
• Outreach programs
• The private sector
• Family homes

Your Career Options Can Include:

• Developmental Support Worker – supporting and advocating on behalf of those with developmental disabilities, for inclusion and physical and mental wellbeing. In this role you will teach necessary skills to function and contribute within society, and work with public and government agencies to encourage enhanced support for your clients.
• Personal Support Worker (PSW) or Home Support Worker (HSW) – aiding in daily care, supporting the activities of your clients, and providing guidance in life-skill and wellness strategies and goals. HSWs help their clients in their daily activities, from meal preparation and transporting them to events and engagements, to being a trusted companion. PSWs go one step further to providing person care, from performing lifts and transfers to grooming and bathing, providing services in such a way that ensures the client maintain their dignity and feels compassionately supported throughout.
• Family Support Worker – helping families as a whole deal with the challenges and stress that come as a result of supporting their family member with a disability. In this role you may aid in assessing and creating treatment plans, determine access too and coordinate services available, and support and mentor both the client and their families as they work to enhance understanding, learning, wellbeing, and life success.
• Life Skills Instructor – offering small group or one-on-one instruction and support, empowering people with disabilities to feel a sense of confidence and success when it comes to life skills such as shopping, cooking, personal hygiene and selfcare, even money management.
• Program Coordinator – within community-based social services and programs, you asses the needs of those in the community and then develop and implement programs to address and support those needs. Areas of support may include, housing, employment, advocating for self, legal support, and/or financial assistance.
• Community Development Worker – working at a macro level with communities, and decision makers, your role is to recognize the gaps in support and services and advocate on behalf of those who are marginalized and initiate change.

As you can see, from working directly with clients and feeling that sense of purpose and connection to another, to being involved in the evolution of understanding and support, on a community and government level, for those in need, as a DSW you can truly make a difference.
Within 49 weeks, at Anderson College, you can learn from industry experts, experience 600 hours of practicum on-the-job with potential employers and be well on your way to a bright future in a thriving field.

If you’re still considering whether this aligns with your interests and passion, take the “Anderson College Developmental Support Worker Discovery Quiz”.

If you’re ready to start your Developmental Service Worker career today, book a virtual appointment with our Admissions team. We’ll help you navigate every step along the way. Just think, you could even join our next class!

Quick Links to Fuel Your Success!

We want to make sure you have what you need to succeed! Check out these reference links:

• 6 Qualities of a Successful Developmental Service Worker – Anderson Blog
• Your Guide to Becoming a DSW – Anderson Blog
• Anderson College Developmental Service Worker Program
• Anderson College Developmental Service Worker Discovery Quiz – 4 minutes to tap your results