Daren Costin understands the frustrations of feeling limited by things you can't control.

A former construction worker and car detailer, Costin was forced to pivot careers and go back to school after a stroke deprived him the stamina needed to perform manual labour. Then, after graduating from Sheridan's Social Service Worker (SSW) program in 2016 and working with children with autism, he regularly saw challenges encountered by youth who didn't feel adequately supported.

"When things go wrong in the classroom, most people can't figure out why — including the kids themselves. But they're often acting out because they're trying to draw attention to the fact they need help with something else that educators don't understand," says Costin, who also has a certificate in behavioural science. "Working as an educational assistant made me enthusiastic to help bring change, but I didn't know how to do it. I realized I needed to learn more."

That desire led Costin to return to Sheridan and upgrade his SSW diploma to a degree through the Honours Bachelor of Social and Community Development (BSCD), a two-year program that further develops critical thinking, research and leadership skills. After graduating in 2024, he feels better armed for success as an educational assistant, and he's also begun advocating for increased support services for Halton Region's Indigenous community.

"I now realize that there's a proper way to affect change through research," says Costin, who plans to eventually work in research and policy writing.

"The SSW provides a fundamentalist understanding of our human service systems. The BSCD will help you take that understanding to the next level, seeing how municipal and provincial and federal governments work together."

Sheridan's Honours Bachelor of Social and Community Development enables graduates of Social Social Service Work, Social Service Work - Gerontology, Child and Youth Care, Community Work or equivalent diploma programs to earn a degree in two years. The program prepares students for leadership positions by teaching skills in project management; social innovation and creative problem solving; non-profit governance; research and grant writing; social and entrepreneurship; and community leadership and advocacy. All classes can be taken virtually and in the evening.