Working in addictions services is rewarding, challenging and very important to communities. Addictions workers aid individuals who are facing challenges and assist them in getting the help they need. Choosing to serve others in this way pays testament to your generosity, patience and thoughtfulness. As a community service professional, your work provides hope, support and resources in situations where such things are very much needed.
Your impact on others can create a wave of positivity that expands past the people you work directly with. If you’re interested in this field of work, you may have questions about what to expect or what your career will look like. Keep reading for some facts about addictions work and how important it is to communities.
Expect to Counsel After Community Service and Addictions Worker Training
Counselling clients is a big part of many careers in addictions work. Talking to people about their struggles, challenges and goals aids in rehabilitation and planning a process towards recovery. It also provides them with emotional and mental support. As a community service professional, you make people feel less alone and calm their fears or concerns.
In your program, you will learn about how to foster a positive counselling relationship, using listening and interviewing skills that are sensitive to your clients’ needs. Students in community service programs are often already very empathetic. Studying will give you the boost you need to be able to use your empathy for others in a constructive and effective way, helping people work towards goals that raise their quality of life.
Careers After Community Service Programs Often Deal with Families
If you’re looking for colleges in Edmonton with community service programs, you know the value of contributing positively to communities. During your career in addictions, you will probably find that you often incorporate your clients’ families into their process. Many people who suffer from addiction have other stressful factors in their lives, such as difficulties at home, relationship problems, or psychological challenges. Support workers need to have an understanding of the impact addictions can have not just on their client, but on their families as well.
Just as you will have a positive impact on groups of people, one person’s challenges can have a strenuous effect on others. In your program, you will gain an understanding of culture, social structures, marriage and other factors that affect and are affected by addiction. Topics such as inequality will also help you to gain a deeper understanding of what your clients are experiencing throughout their lives.
Struggles with addiction can often impact the people in a client’s life
Your Own Self-Care and Discipline Will Affect Your Career Success
An advantage of community service and addictions worker training is the instruction you receive on how to improve your self-discipline and self-esteem for a positive career mindset. These are tools that can both strengthen your skills and creativity, as well as help you grow during your educational and professional journey.
A fact of a career in addictions is that your environment can become tense or emotional on occasions given the nature of the work. You will be supporting and empowering other people, which is a process that comes with plenty of emotional ups and downs. To be prepared for this, you can apply strategic thought patterns that you’ll learn in your courses to your own journey, nurturing both your professional and personal development.
No matter where your career path leads you, taking care of yourself will help you take care of others. Practicing self-care and remembering to check in with your own thoughts and feelings will make you a more effective worker, and happier in your career.
Are you interested in helping others through community service and addictions work?
