Funding from the Province will help people who want to build a rewarding career supporting people with disabilities. About 100 funded spots are now available across the province at Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) and two private colleges.
Funding from the Province will help people who want to build a rewarding career supporting people with disabilities. (Opportunities and Social Development)
"As we work to transform disability support services and meet the Nova Scotia Human Rights Remedy, we need more trained professionals to provide quality, person-centered care," said Scott Armstrong, Minister of Opportunities and Social Development. "This funding is an important step in building a skilled and caring workforce and gives more Nova Scotians the opportunity to start a meaningful career and be part of this historic change."
NSCC's new disability support professional program takes a human-rights approach, with students learning about different disabilities and support needs, including nutrition, medication, employment and recreation. They will also develop skills to help individuals create personalized plans, make their own choices and actively participate in their communities.
It is available as a one-year program at NSCC in Kentville and Sydney and in Bridgewater as a two-year, part-time study option.
The government will cover the full cost of tuition, textbooks and student fees for 75 students beginning the program at NSCC in September. A virtual information session will be held on March 6; those who are interested can register at: https://www.nscc.ca/about/news/events/eventdetails.aspx?eventid=5783&recurs=0&rd=1741284000000
Funding is also available for 24 students entering Island Career Academy's six-month community residential worker program in Sydney and CBBC Career College's 900-hour community support worker program in Dartmouth. Twelve students in each program will receive $5,000 for tuition and other study-related fees.
Access to post-secondary programs is an action in the Nova Scotia Disability Support Workforce Strategy, released last month to modernize and strengthen the disability support workforce through awareness and recruitment, learning and development, health and safety, and growth and stability.
Quotes:Quick Facts:"As a college, training, education and changing systems to create a more equitable, accessible and inclusive community is a priority for us. The government's investment in students of our disability support professional certificate program will open doors to those wishing to study in this important field and elevate the number of professionals available to support those with disabilities - helping make Nova Scotia a more accessible and equitable community."
Don Bureaux, President, Nova Scotia Community College
- program applications are available on the respective institution websites; funding is automatically applied to all qualified students in the programs
- recipients of this funding must agree to work in Nova Scotia's disability support sector for at least one year following graduation
- the government has committed $640,525 toward funding support for disability support professional training for 2024-2025; this is part of a $120-million investment this year to transform the disability support system as part of the Nova Scotia Human Rights Remedy
- Remedy workforce strategy: https://dsp-transformation.ca/sites/default/files/2025-01/NS%20-%20DSP%20Workforce%20Strategy%202025.pdf
- Disability support transformation progress and updates: https://www.dsp-transformation.ca/
- Information on NSCC's new disability support professional program: https://www.nscc.ca/programs-and-courses/programs/plandescr.aspx?prg=DSPC&pln=DISSUPPRO
