Our faculty
and instructors
 

Learn from field leaders and innovators

The field of child and youth care has seen unprecedented growth and change during the past decade. For over three decades, the School of Child and Youth Care has been an acknowledged leader in the field and is one of the oldest undergraduate programs of its kind in North America.

Celebrating over thirty years as a school and more than twenty years of distance learning delivery, the school has developed all core curricula for off-campus delivery with the exception of one ten-day seminar.

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Clair Brown, Bachelor of Child and Youth Care

Why I chose UVic

"I chose UVic after attending a presentation about the child and youth care program. My life experience also influenced my choice of program. My younger sister was in the hospital with a brain tumour. She also had learning disabilities, which made a huge impact on my family."

The UVic experience

"What stands out for me is the incredible faculty in CYC and in general. The profs were approachable, understanding and personable, and I found the classes interesting and relevant."

Practicum experiences

"I did two practicum placements in Vancouver with the Infant Development Program at BC Children’s Hospital. I was lucky to be in a program that offers great work skills that are very relevant. The Child Life program hired me right after graduation."

"CYC is such a unique program with the work experience (practicum) program. The program is designed to help you grow as person in your personal life and helps you to care for yourself and others."

Flexible
program options
 

We deliver our programs on campus or in your home through distance learning.

All of our courses are designed to bring you a full educational experience. In our distance stream, all but one 10-day seminar can be completed by distance.

Field
experience
 

Practicum is a unique opportunity for you to integrate theory with practice in a professional child and youth care setting. Our practicum courses will give you an exciting "hands-on" experience to enhance your skills and broaden your knowledge of children and youth. Learn more about practicum.

Kristin Brattebo: "My practicums were done at a group home and Ministry of Children and Families Child Welfare. Both experiences were very intense but very amazing experiences."

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Clair Brown: "I did two practicums – both in Vancouver at the Infant Development Program and BC Children’s Hospital. I was lucky to have had these experiences. I feel really lucky to be in a program that offers great work skills that are very relevant. The Child Life program hired me right after graduation."

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Jenny Thomson always wanted to work with youth and families in some capacity. When researching for a college paper, she was drawn to the work of Sibylle Artz. Jenny discovered that CYC’s program values were aligned with her own, and that the school offered diverse opportunities in a range of areas relating to child and youth care practice.

As part of her program, Jenny completed two practica the first with the Vancouver Island Health Authority, Youth and Family Addiction Services, and the second at the Ministry of Children and Families in child protection as part of an under-13 protection team.

Jenny says, "One of the most important things gained from my practica was the opportunity to practice from a critical perspective, apply theory to practice."

As a result of her practicum work Jenny found employment after graduation and now has a solid foundation to continue her work in the child and youth care profession.

Global
practicum
opportunities

Credit for
prior learning
 

Certificates or diplomas in early childhood education, youth justice, family studies, social work, child and youth worker programs or a number of human service and/or social science programs may be eligible for block credit into the BCYC program. Learn more about credit.

The school also recognizes that we learn from doing. If you're an experienced practitioner returning to school you may be eligible for our prior learning assessment through course challenge and experience review (CYC 310a). Learn more.

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"I chose UVic because I wanted to further my education but required the flexibility that distance education affords me. I have a busy family life, work full time and have several community commitments that I enjoy - so distance education made sense for me. I also chose UVic because they gave me credit for my prior learning - I didn't feel like I had to start at ground zero again. This is important to me as a mature student - I like being recognized for what I've already accomplished in my life." – Kari Penner, Child and Youth Care