Education/training
What a well-placed heart can doConsider a career that addresses the unique and substantial needs of children -- the demands are many and the challenges are real. AUNIE EDWARDS |
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 [ 2002-08-07 ] |
"This work is extremely personal for me. I really want to pursue it further," says OYAP student Mykal Griffiths.
Now consider a career as a child youth worker, answering the needs of children whose mental health has been compromised in some way -- the demands, the challenges and the need for compassion are as critical as they are constant.
But the rewards of such a calling are equally notable and Mykal Griffiths, a high school graduate from Central Technical School, already knows this first-hand.
As a registered member of the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP), he has been participating in a new project that offers Centennial College's expertise at the high school level.
"We've been involved in child youth work (CYW) apprenticing across Ontario since 1995, but the past year has been the first time we've placed high school students in our program," says Colleen Kamps, CYW apprenticeship co-ordinator for Centennial College.
"The students do very well academically -- the challenge is finding high school kids with the level of maturity required for a CYW placement -- and Mykal Griffiths has met that challenge."
Placed at Samuel Hearne Public School from February to the end of June, Griffiths gained valuable apprenticeship hours.
"This work is extremely personal for me -- I really want to pursue it further," Griffiths says. "And my supervisor, Stephani Timofte, was tremendous -- she offered me great opportunities that I was happy to accept."
Kamps agrees: "Mykal did very well in his placement -- he was able to face his challenges and overcome them with a great deal of maturity. He was always highly involved and showed an excellent perspective."
Since Griffiths will be working with troubled kids, these attributes are critical.
"Child youth workers deal with disturbed children who may have difficulties in the home, eating disorders or behavioural problems. They may be suicidal, they may be runaways, they may be involved in drugs or prostitution," Kamps says. "Our apprentices need to be pretty grounded -- they're dealing with tough issues and the mental health of the children is paramount."
Not surprisingly, Griffiths will need between 5,000 and 6,000 hours of on-the-job training before he can become certified in child youth work. And, though his training will take about three and a half years to accomplish, there are several advantages to Griffiths' approach. His OYAP affiliation has given him a solid head start and he will earn while he learns.
Perhaps the most significant advantage, however, comes in the unique approach offered by Centennial College.
"Mykal must attend 6 hours of classes a week -- and on a part-time basis, we are teaching him the exact material he would be receiving in our diploma course -- by the time he completes his apprenticeship, he will only be short four courses," Kamps says. "He can then achieve those classes on his own and gain a college diploma, making him more marketable. He may even choose to continue to a B.A. or master's level."
Regardless of how far Griffiths takes his education, it's clear the combined efforts of OYAP and Centennial College are opening countless doors to a very satisfying and important career.
"Mykal can excel as a child youth worker," Kamps says. "His heart is in the right place."
(Aunie Edwards is a Guelph-based freelance writer who can be reached at a.edwards@rogers.com.)
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