Youth work/health work/working with young people in BC
Apr 24th 2010, 8:03 am
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 12
Youth work/health work/working with young people in BC
Hi there
My partner and I are currently at the beginning PR application - first lot of forms have been in Canada for a couple of months. Hoping to move to Vancouver area.
I'm quite worried about my job prospects. I've worked really hard to get where I am but I'm not qualified in any particular profession as such. Did a Psychology undergraduate degree then worked for 3 years as a Student Support Mentor in a college. Went on to do a Masters in Health Psychology before securing a Youth Work post. I'm not a qualified Youth Worker but work in the voluntary sector so they can be more flexible with recruitment. My work is varied - I do issue-based with young people around issues such as sexual health, alcohol, homelessness. I also do project-based work e.g. evaluating health initiatives and for the last 4 months I've managed a team of 8-10 Youth Workers.
If/when we move I'd love to continue to work around health issues and/or homelessness. In England I would have been hoping to head for a role in health promotion/health improvement but I'm not sure how the health system is structured over in BC.
Can anyone help me with either info on job prospects or websites that will help me with my career research?
Thank you very much in advance
My partner and I are currently at the beginning PR application - first lot of forms have been in Canada for a couple of months. Hoping to move to Vancouver area.
I'm quite worried about my job prospects. I've worked really hard to get where I am but I'm not qualified in any particular profession as such. Did a Psychology undergraduate degree then worked for 3 years as a Student Support Mentor in a college. Went on to do a Masters in Health Psychology before securing a Youth Work post. I'm not a qualified Youth Worker but work in the voluntary sector so they can be more flexible with recruitment. My work is varied - I do issue-based with young people around issues such as sexual health, alcohol, homelessness. I also do project-based work e.g. evaluating health initiatives and for the last 4 months I've managed a team of 8-10 Youth Workers.
If/when we move I'd love to continue to work around health issues and/or homelessness. In England I would have been hoping to head for a role in health promotion/health improvement but I'm not sure how the health system is structured over in BC.
Can anyone help me with either info on job prospects or websites that will help me with my career research?
Thank you very much in advance
Apr 24th 2010, 11:21 pm
#2
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Joined: Mar 2007
Location: Chilliwack BC
Posts: 559
Re: Youth work/health work/working with young people in BC
Health promotion / improvement may be something that is done by a public health nurse here (similar to a health visitor). But then you'd have to train to be a nurse which isn't cheap!
Downtown Eastside in Vancouver is where the highest concentration of homeless and drug addicted people live - there are lots of organisitaions that work in this area - maybe do a Google search for 'Downtown Eastside' and see what comes up?
Downtown Eastside in Vancouver is where the highest concentration of homeless and drug addicted people live - there are lots of organisitaions that work in this area - maybe do a Google search for 'Downtown Eastside' and see what comes up?
Apr 25th 2010, 12:35 am
#3
Forum Regular
Joined: Nov 2008
Location: Ottawa, On
Posts: 111
Re: Youth work/health work/working with young people in BC
I think you would be ok with a degree and masters. For two years prior to moving here I worked as a Support Worker with adults with learning diffs and then in supported housing for homeless teens. I thought that I would have no problems in finding a similar job as there are so many charities and agencies in Ottawa....I was wrong - even the most basic jobs in this field require a minimum Diploma or Degree.
A good website to check out is www.charityvillage.ca it has all of the not for profit jobs. Also www.swatcanada.ca they will give you an idea of jobs around, qualifications needed, salaries etc..
Good luck!
A good website to check out is www.charityvillage.ca it has all of the not for profit jobs. Also www.swatcanada.ca they will give you an idea of jobs around, qualifications needed, salaries etc..
Good luck!
Apr 25th 2010, 5:29 am
#4
Forum Regular
Joined: Jul 2009
Location: Victoria, BC
Posts: 230
Re: Youth work/health work/working with young people in BC
I work as a Sexual Health Nurse in Victoria, BC. It is not a great time right now. There are job freezes on VIHA posts. In clinics like mine it is safe for me job wise but no one is moving on, just in case.
There are posts with Cool Aid/ Youth Clinic but they are few and far between and as a previous poster said, many are nursing jobs.
It is also about who you know here I am afraid. Not sure if Vancouver is the same. Getting a foot in the door is often hard.
You can always send me a PM if you have specific questions or concerns.
Good Luck.
There are posts with Cool Aid/ Youth Clinic but they are few and far between and as a previous poster said, many are nursing jobs.
It is also about who you know here I am afraid. Not sure if Vancouver is the same. Getting a foot in the door is often hard.
You can always send me a PM if you have specific questions or concerns.
Good Luck.
Apr 25th 2010, 6:15 am
#5
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 536
Re: Youth work/health work/working with young people in BC
I have lots of friends in Youth Work within BC, nope, now is not a good time at all. Same can be said for Alberta, as there just aren't half as many jobs as there were this time last year 
http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/sr...milies/sad.gif
http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/sr...milies/sad.gif
Apr 26th 2010, 10:58 am
#6
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 12
Re: Youth work/health work/working with young people in BC
Thanks to everyone for their replies
It's pretty much as I thought it would be BUT at least I have some starting points for research now so thank you very much.
If I could go back to being 18 now I probably would do nursing or public health...but hindsight is a wonderful thing AND I wouldn't give up the experience I've got now. I've been really lucky in my career so far...
Really appreciate the info. We're applying for PR skilled worker route with my other half's job...
It's pretty much as I thought it would be
BUT at least I have some starting points for research now so thank you very much.If I could go back to being 18 now I probably would do nursing or public health...but hindsight is a wonderful thing AND I wouldn't give up the experience I've got now. I've been really lucky in my career so far...
Really appreciate the info. We're applying for PR skilled worker route with my other half's job...
Apr 26th 2010, 3:13 pm
#7
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 141
Re: Youth work/health work/working with young people in BC
Hi there
My partner and I are currently at the beginning PR application - first lot of forms have been in Canada for a couple of months. Hoping to move to Vancouver area.
I'm quite worried about my job prospects. I've worked really hard to get where I am but I'm not qualified in any particular profession as such. Did a Psychology undergraduate degree then worked for 3 years as a Student Support Mentor in a college. Went on to do a Masters in Health Psychology before securing a Youth Work post. I'm not a qualified Youth Worker but work in the voluntary sector so they can be more flexible with recruitment. My work is varied - I do issue-based with young people around issues such as sexual health, alcohol, homelessness. I also do project-based work e.g. evaluating health initiatives and for the last 4 months I've managed a team of 8-10 Youth Workers.
If/when we move I'd love to continue to work around health issues and/or homelessness. In England I would have been hoping to head for a role in health promotion/health improvement but I'm not sure how the health system is structured over in BC.
Can anyone help me with either info on job prospects or websites that will help me with my career research?
Thank you very much in advance
My partner and I are currently at the beginning PR application - first lot of forms have been in Canada for a couple of months. Hoping to move to Vancouver area.
I'm quite worried about my job prospects. I've worked really hard to get where I am but I'm not qualified in any particular profession as such. Did a Psychology undergraduate degree then worked for 3 years as a Student Support Mentor in a college. Went on to do a Masters in Health Psychology before securing a Youth Work post. I'm not a qualified Youth Worker but work in the voluntary sector so they can be more flexible with recruitment. My work is varied - I do issue-based with young people around issues such as sexual health, alcohol, homelessness. I also do project-based work e.g. evaluating health initiatives and for the last 4 months I've managed a team of 8-10 Youth Workers.
If/when we move I'd love to continue to work around health issues and/or homelessness. In England I would have been hoping to head for a role in health promotion/health improvement but I'm not sure how the health system is structured over in BC.
Can anyone help me with either info on job prospects or websites that will help me with my career research?
Thank you very much in advance
