SOCIAL SERVICE ANIMATOR

 

The Social Service Animator Program at Douglas College is a one
year innovative program designed to provide students of all ages with
skills and understanding for volunteer and part-time work in community
settings. It is a diversified social service training program that
incorporates both theoretical academic work with practical field work.
The program allows for individual differences in interests and aptitudes
through a personalized approach in their training. Course work consists
of applied communication for skill in oral and written cokmmbedetods.
Human Relations Emotional Growth and Development sharpens students
personal self awareness. An introduction to local Community Resources
presents the existing services available, and the Skills and Methods course
teaches students ways and means of delivering or developing services,
from incorporating a society, writing an L.I.P. proposal, or co-ordinating
a volunteer project for senior citizens.

In the 1973-1974 program there are 1$ students, 12 full time and &
part time, 16 women and one brave man.

The field work, approximately 16 hours per week, includes working in
community information centres, and also ranges from teaching handicrafts
to homebound handicapped, and working with retarded on self help skills
to establishing volunteer bureaus in suburban areas and helping senior
citizens plan projects. The ages of students in the group range from
19 to a young 57.

One of the first activities of the group was to decide to change
the name of the program from S.S.A. to Community Service Associates.

This change may be a preview of coming attractions.

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