13 Facts About Human services

Human services is an interdisciplinary field of study with the objective of meeting human needs through an applied knowledge base, focusing on prevention as well as remediation of problems, and maintaining a commitment to improving the overall quality of life of service populations.

The mission of human services is to promote a practice that involves simultaneously working at all levels of society in the process of promoting the autonomy of individuals or groups, making informal or formal human services systems more efficient and effective, and advocating for positive social change within society.

Human services practitioners strive to advance the autonomy of service users through civic engagement, education, health promotion and social change at all levels of society.

Human services has its roots in charitable activities of religious and civic organizations that date back to the Colonial period.

Some maintain that the human services discipline has a concrete identity as a profession that supplements and complements other traditional professions.

Some believed community college human services programs were the most expedient way to train paraprofessionals for direct service jobs in areas such as mental health.

Development of community college human services programs was supported with government funding that was earmarked for the federal new careers initiatives.

Human services curricula are based on an interdisciplinary knowledge foundation that allows students to consider practical solutions from multiple disciplinary perspectives.

Across the curriculum human services students are often taught to view human problems from a socioecological perspective that involves viewing human strengths and problems as interconnected to a family unit, community, and society.

The credential was created for human services practitioners seeking to advance their careers by acquiring independent verification of their practical knowledge and educational background.

Currently, the three major employment roles played by human services graduates include providing direct service, performing administrative work, and working in the community.

Canadian Institute for Human Services is an advocacy, education and action-research organization for the advancement of health equity, progressive education and social innovation.

The institute collaborates with researchers, field practitioners, community organizations, socially conscious companies—along with various levels of government and educational institutions—to ensure the Canadian health and human services sector remains accountable to the greater good of Canadian civil society rather than short-term professional, business or economic gains.