Main duties
People in this unit group perform some or all of the following duties.
- Review client background information, interview clients to obtain case history and prepare intake reports
- Assess clients' relevant skill strengths and needs
- Assist clients to sort out options and develop plans of action while providing necessary support and assistance
- Assess and investigate eligibility for social benefits
- Refer clients to other social services or assist clients in locating and utilizing community resources including legal, medical and financial assistance, housing, employment, transportation, day care and other services
- Counsel clients living in group homes and halfway houses, supervise their activities and assist in pre-release and release planning
- Participate in the selection and admission of clients to appropriate programs
- Implement life skills workshops, substance abuse treatment programs, behaviour management programs, youth services programs and other community and social service programs under the supervision of social services or health care professionals
- Meet with clients to assess their progress, give support and discuss any difficulties or problems
- Assist in evaluating the effectiveness of treatment programs by tracking clients' behavioural changes and responses to interventions
- Advise and aid recipients of social assistance and pensions
- Provide crisis intervention and emergency shelter services
- Implement and organize the delivery of specific services within the community
- Maintain contact with other social service agencies and health care providers involved with clients to provide information and obtain feedback on clients' overall progress
- Mobilise and coordinate volunteer resources and activities for a range of organizations such as human service agencies, health care facilities, arts and sports centres, etc
- May maintain program statistics for purposes of evaluation and research
- May supervise social service support workers and volunteers
Employment requirements
- Completion of a college or university program in social work, child and youth care, psychology or other social science or health-related discipline is usually required
- Previous work experience in a social service environment as a volunteer or in a support capacity may replace formal education requirements for some occupations in this unit group
- Social service workers may be required to be a member of a provincial regulatory body in some provinces
Job titles in NOC 42201
110 job titles are classified in this unit group.
- Aboriginal centre coordinator
- Aboriginal outreach officer - social services
- Aboriginal outreach worker
- addictions worker
- addictions worker - compulsive gambling
- case aide - social services
- certified return-to-work coordinator - disability management
- certified return-to-work facilitator - disability management
- child and youth worker
- child life specialist
- child welfare worker
- child-care worker (except day care)
- community and social services worker
- community animator
- community centre coordinator
- community centre worker
- community counsellor - social services
- community development worker
- community liaison worker
- community mental health worker
- community organization worker
- community rehabilitation worker
- community service worker
- community services officer - social services
- community worker
- correctional program officer
- crisis intervention worker
- detention home worker
- development service worker
- developmental service worker
Show all 110 job titles
- disability management worker
- drop-in centre worker
- drug addiction worker
- eligibility coordinator - social assistance
- eligibility coordinator - welfare
- exceptional-child-care worker (except day care)
- family service worker
- financial assistance officer - social assistance
- financial assistance worker - social services
- group home operator
- group home worker
- halfway house supervisor
- halfway house worker
- help centre supervisor - social services
- hostel coordinator
- hostel outreach worker
- income maintenance officer - social services
- independent living instructor
- intellectual disabilities worker
- itinerant support service worker
- life coach
- life skills coach
- life skills instructor
- meals-on-wheels worker
- mental health proctor
- mental health support worker
- mental health worker
- Native centre coordinator
- Native community worker
- Native outreach officer - social services
- Native outreach worker
- neighbourhood worker - social services
- neuro-linguistic programming coach
- peer support worker
- personal skills development instructor - social services
- psychological assistant
- registered social service worker
- rehabilitation officer - social services
- rehabilitation service worker
- rehabilitation worker - social services
- residence coordinator - group home
- residential counsellor - group home
- return-to-work coordinator - disability management
- return-to-work facilitator - disability management
- settlement worker - community services
- shelter supervisor - social services
- shelter workshop supervisor
- social aid officer
- social animator
- social assistance officer
- social rehabilitation officer
- social rehabilitation technician
- social rehabilitation worker
- social services assistant
- social services volunteer coordinator
- social services worker
- social welfare officer
- special education technician - social and community services
- street outreach worker
- streetworker - social services
- substance abuse worker
- supervised access worker
- transition home worker - social services
- transition house worker - social services
- veteran services officer
- veterans' affairs field officer
- volunteer manager
- welfare and compensation officer
- welfare organization supervisor
- welfare worker
- women's centre coordinator - social services
- women's centre program supervisor - social services
- women's centre supervisor - social services
- women's shelter supervisor
- women's shelter supervisor - social services
- youth development coordinator
- youth hostel coordinator
- youth services worker
- youth worker
- youth worker - social services
Wages for NOC 42201 by province
Hourly wages from Job Bank for social and community service workers.
| Province or territory | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario | $19.79 | $26.50 | $37.23 |
| British Columbia | $21.00 | $27.00 | $35.00 |
| Alberta | $18.00 | $24.23 | $37.21 |
| Saskatchewan | $17.31 | $23.08 | $33.33 |
| Manitoba | $16.00 | $21.00 | $36.34 |
| Quebec | $19.27 | $26.59 | $36.00 |
| New Brunswick | $18.00 | $23.08 | $32.85 |
| Nova Scotia | $18.29 | $23.32 | $33.27 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $17.00 | $24.86 | $34.71 |
| Canada | $19.00 | $26.00 | $36.06 |
Ontario by region
| Region | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ottawa | $20.00 | $27.00 | $37.00 |
| Kingston–Pembroke | $20.70 | $27.90 | $35.45 |
| Muskoka–Kawarthas | $25.00 | $28.00 | $40.87 |
| Toronto | $19.79 | $26.15 | $38.00 |
| Kitchener–Waterloo–Barrie | $20.60 | $26.56 | $36.00 |
| Hamilton–Niagara Peninsula | $19.00 | $26.00 | $34.00 |
| London | $18.00 | $24.04 | $31.43 |
| Windsor–Sarnia | $18.00 | $28.00 | $36.81 |
| Stratford–Bruce Peninsula | $17.60 | $24.00 | $33.00 |
| Northeast | $20.00 | $28.00 | $37.28 |
| Northwest | $20.00 | $28.45 | $38.46 |
Source: Job Bank wages, reference period 2023-2024, revised November 19, 2025. Some Ontario figures are below the current general minimum wage of $17.95 per hour (since October 1, 2026); employers must pay at least the minimum wage.
Career progression and other notes
Progression to professional occupations in social services, such as family and marriage counsellors, social workers, and probation and parole officers, is possible with additional training and experience.
Similar occupations classified elsewhere
These occupations look related but belong to a different NOC unit group.
- Activities leader - seniors: NOC 54100, Program leaders and instructors in recreation, sport and fitness
- Educational counsellors: NOC 41320, Educational counsellors
- Instructors of persons with disabilities: NOC 42203, Instructors of persons with disabilities
- Managers in social, community and correctional services: NOC 40030, Managers in social, community and correctional services
- Social workers: NOC 41300, Social workers
- Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies: NOC 41301, Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies
Hiring for this occupation in Ontario?
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Questions about NOC 42201
What is NOC 42201?
NOC 42201 is Social and community service workers, a unit group in the 2021 National Occupational Classification (NOC 2021 Version 1.0). It belongs to the broad category occupations in education, law and social, community and government services and to TEER 2.
What TEER is NOC 42201?
NOC 42201 is TEER 2. TEER 2 generally means: college program of 2 to 3 years, apprenticeship of 2 to 5 years, or a supervisory or safety role.
What job titles are in NOC 42201?
The unit group includes 110 job titles, for example Aboriginal outreach worker, addictions worker, child and youth worker, community development worker, community service worker, crisis intervention worker.
How much do social and community service workers earn in Canada?
Job Bank reports a national median of $26.00 per hour for social and community service workers, and $26.50 in Ontario. The highest provincial median is in British Columbia at $27.00 (reference period 2023-2024).
Which occupations are similar to NOC 42201?
Related occupations classified in other unit groups include activities leader - seniors (NOC 54100); educational counsellors (NOC 41320); instructors of persons with disabilities (NOC 42203).
Last updated October 2026. Sources:
- National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 Version 1.0, Statistics Canada and Employment and Social Development Canada
- Job Bank wages
Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. job-description.ca is not affiliated with the Government of Canada. For immigration purposes, always confirm your NOC code with official sources.