Personal and Professional Issues for the Youth Justice Worker
Overview
The following global ideas guide the design and delivery of this course:
- Federal and provincial legislation underscore the need to address the contributing factors of youth involvement with the criminal justice system. Youth justice workers take a holistic approach to exploring and addressing these factors in responsive and innovative ways, in a variety of contexts.
- Youth justice workers are self-reflective practitioners who approach relationships from a strengths-based perspective.
- Youth justice workers are intentional and demonstrate critical thinking in assessing and making sound, ethical decisions.
- Youth justice workers recognize the power differential in professional helping relationships and seek to work collaboratively, honouring the self-determination and autonomy of those they serve.
- Youth justice workers work from a trauma-informed perspective and demonstrate cultural awareness and sensitivity.
- Youth justice workers recognize the relational nature of their work and actively work on developing interpersonal skills, including communication, problem solving, conflict resolution, and feedback skills.
- Due to the relational nature of the work, self-awareness and personal wellness are integral in maintaining healthy and productive relationships.
This course may be team taught in order to draw on the expertise of various faculty to meet course objectives.
This course will employ a number of instructional methods to meet course objectives, which may include:
- Lectures
- Demonstration
- Group discussion and exercises
- Student presentations
- Blackboard
Evaluation will be carried out in accordance with Douglas College Policy. The instructor will provide a written course outline with specific evaluation criteria at the beginning of the semester.
Typical means of evaluation will include a combination of:
- Written assignments
- Journals
- Class presentations
- Examinations
- Class participation
This is a graded course.
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Define the role of the youth justice worker from a systems perspective and identify the characteristics they could bring to that role.
- Assess strength and development areas in themselves and others, in relation to interpersonal and communication skills.
- Discuss and apply a decision-making model to promote ethical decision making.
- Identify their personal value system, including the influence of culture and bias, and explain how it can affect their relational practice.
- Assess and describe appropriate responses to youth needs, strengths, and preferences, demonstrating critical thinking skills in applying trauma-informed perspectives, cultural sensitivity, and strength-based practice.
- Illustrate evidence-based personal wellness activities.
To be determined.
Example: Oudshoorn, J. (2015). Trauma-informed youth justice in Canada: A new framework toward a kinder future. Toronto, ON: Canadian Scholars' Press, Inc.