Course Description
This course explores conceptual frameworks, skills, and perspectives in selecting and creating activities that are therapeutic in nature for young people. This course emphasizes how leisure, educational, and planned activities can be therapeutic for children, youth, and families. From the perspective of Child and Youth Care (CYC) the designing of therapeutic activity programs will be explored by adapting and selecting activities with consideration of cultural safety, emotional expression, development, and attention to various settings and contexts (group homes, school, community centers, and where CYC’s practice).
Course Content
The following global ideas guide the design and delivery of this course:
- Activities are essential to development and change throughout the lifespan which is influenced by culture and global context.
- Relational practice is central to activity development and facilitation in the field of child and youth care.
- Activities occur in context. Therapeutic activities serve children and youth when collaboratively assessing the needs and values of individuals, practitioners, agencies, families, and communities as this is integral for effective activity program development.
- Activities are intentionally designed to have specific therapeutic goals for individuals and groups.
Learning Activities
- Lecture
- Group Work
- Student Presentations
- Guest Speakers
- Audio-Visual Presentations
All methods of instruction apply to in class, hybrid and/or online modes of learning.
Means of Assessment
This course will conform to the Douglas College Evaluation Policy regarding the number and weighting of evaluations.
Typical means of evaluation will include a combination of written research assignments, case evaluation, skill demonstration, testing, and group presentations. This is a Graded Course.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Understand the characteristics, purpose, and benefits of therapeutic activities and how they can be designed in different settings.
- Describe the qualities of an individual and group’s range of needs, systemic contexts, and developmental realities, that Child and Youth Care practitioners would assess when planning and selecting activities.
- Apply Child and Youth Care domains of practice to the designing of therapeutic activities and spaces.
- Evaluate the therapeutic nature and inclusion of participant’s voices in the planning, delivery, and outcomes of activities.
Textbook Materials
Course materials and/or textbooks approved by the department.