What does the day-to-day work of a social worker with a federal certificate look like?

A social companion with a federal certificate accompanies and supports individuals, families or groups, usually on a long-term basis, in challenging life situations. This includes coping with everyday life and the perception and realization of their own needs. The aim is to promote the client's personal resources and support them in leading a self-determined life. In this way, a social counselor can directly help people in social isolation, people with disabilities (physical, cognitive or psychological), people with a migration background, the unemployed or addicts. The self-confidence of clients can be strengthened through solution-oriented and person-centered conversations. In the outpatient social sector (at people's homes, people in inpatient facilities), such social support specialists work alone and often on an irregular basis.

The following areas of work are typical in social care assistant jobs:

• Accompanying people (short-term in crisis situations or as long-term support)
  • Support for people who are unable to cope with everyday life on their own, in their environment
  • Systematic assessment of the client's situation and recognition of reality
  • Joint development of a coherent solution for the current situation to improve living conditions
  • Conversation
  • Developing routines that can provide stability in everyday life
  • Strategy development for problem solving
  • Supporting clients in dealing with public authorities and institutions (attending appointments, explaining responsibilities, etc.)

• Promotion of self-determination
  • Strengthening clients' self-confidence through solution-oriented and person-centered conversations
  • Encourage the use of one's own resources and abilities (overcoming dependency and helplessness, developing self-help skills, knowing and respecting one's own limits)
  • Support with leisure activities and professional and social integration (search and help with making contacts)
  • Involve the social environment in the support in consultation
  • Create an environment that enables and promotes contact and dialog

• Cooperation and administrative social support tasks
  • Cooperation with specialists and services (social workers, nurses and people from offices and institutions)
  • Participation in interdisciplinary social projects
  • Documentation of own activities (keeping client dossiers and writing reports)
  • Evaluation of your own support processes in order to evaluate your own work

Target group and skills: Who is the social companion training and professional examination suitable for? What qualities and skills are required?

The social support worker training is aimed at people who want to professionalize their skills in social support. These are, for example

• People who work as volunteers in various social fields
• People who work in the social sector without training
• Career changers who want to switch from their current profession to social work
• Re-entrants who want to refresh their skills

The following skills and characteristics are required for a successful job as a social companion:

• Social skills, sociability, perseverance, patience and humor
• Good relationship skills and a high level of commitment
• Good empathy and high resilience
• Personal maturity, reliability and the ability to self-reflect
• Flexibility and imagination
• Openness and empathy
• A sense of reality, good powers of observation and trustworthiness
• Good personal health and the ability to set boundaries
• Ability to take criticism and make decisions
• Organizational talent and motivator

Requirements for admission to the professional examination for social support:

The following prerequisites are required for admission to the final examination "eidg. Berufsprüfung Sozialbegleiter / Sozialbegleiterin":

• Federal certificate of competence (EFZ) as a care specialist, health specialist or equivalent qualification in the social or health sector
• and at least 2 years of professional experience (50%) in care and support in the social sector

or

• Secondary level II qualification, i.e. another EFZ or a vocational, technical or grammar school leaving certificate or a technical secondary school certificate
• and at least 3 years of professional experience (50%) in care and support in the social sector

In addition to the above-mentioned conditions, the following is required for the professional examination for social assistants:

• An approved disposition of the thesis, in which the topic, objectives, procedure and structure of the thesis are explained. It must be submitted at least 3 months before the registration deadline for the examination.
• The educational institutions will provide details on admission requirements and sur dossier admissions.

A maximum of 25% of the required professional experience may be gained in voluntary work. This must have been completed within 5 years prior to registering for the examination. You will be informed in writing at least three months before the start of the examination whether you meet the requirements for the professional examination for social care assistants - in the event of rejection, including reasons and instructions on how to appeal.

Subject matter and content of the social support training:

The subject matter of the preparatory courses for the professional examination for the specialist certificate as a social care assistant is based on the specifications of the sponsor of the federal examination, theSavoirsocial.

The learning content of the social companion training is divided into the following topics:

• Fundamentals and basic knowledge
• Self-management and personality, personal resources (personality development)
• Dealing with different systems such as communication and conversation (interaction / communication)
• Methods and approaches in social support (conflict resolution)
• Tools such as forms, checklists, protocols, documentation, budgeting, rhetoric and presentation techniques
• Specialist knowledge (theories, models, socialization, addiction, impairment and stress management)
• Practical advice and practical learning objectives
• Exam preparation

Social companion training Costs and financing:

Depending on the provider and duration, the costs of social companion training vary. On average, the following amounts are to be expected for the training costs:

• Course fees:around CHF 17,000 to CHF 24,000
  After taking the exam, you will receive around 50% of this back from the federal government on application (regardless of the result)*.
  Participants with a FaGe or FaBe qualification can attend a shortened course, which reduces the costs by around a quarter.
• Examination fees:CHF 2,600 (as at 2023, incl. costs for disposition of CHF 300)
  The examination fee is set by the body responsible for the professional examination. It is paid by the candidate after confirmation of admission to the social companion examination.
• Extra costs:At some schools, the costs for enrolment fees, teaching materials, training documents, books, intensive exam training, simulation exams, school diplomas and interim qualifications, for example, are not included in the course fees. Please contact the provider of your choice directly to find out what additional costs you can expect for training to become a social companion.

*Since 1.1.2018, preparatory courses for federal professional examinations such as the social companion training have been financially supported by the federal government. Graduates of these courses can therefore be reimbursed up to 50% (max. CHF 9,500) of the course costs paid after taking the federal examination. In cases of hardship, the federal contributions are also pre-financed in exceptional cases.

Duration of study, number of lessons and learning effort for the professional examination in social support:

• The social companion training and further education program is classically structured (i.e. the professional examination covers all the skills to be assessed) and takes two to three years (e.g. for FaBe and FaGe). The training for the professional examination in social support comprises around 65 to 90 school days.
• Lesson times vary depending on the provider of the continuing education program. Classroom teaching usually takes place on one school day (occasionally two school days) per week.
• Thanks to the extra-occupational concept of the training to become a social care worker, you can apply and deepen the learning material immediately in practice. Nevertheless, you should allow sufficient time for lesson preparation and follow-up as well as for self-study. Depending on your previous knowledge, working style and learning speed, we recommend that you allow the same amount of time for the additional workload as the regular teaching time.

Note: Some schools offer so-called "taster lessons", which provide an insight into the lessons and the learning atmosphere. A suitable learning environment is important on the way to successful completion of the social companion course.

Degree, diploma and title:

The professional examination "Social Care Assistant with Federal Certificate" is held annually in German, French and Italian, provided that the minimum number of 16 candidates meet the admission requirements, otherwise every two years.

Candidates for the professional examination for social care assistants are notified at least 21 days before the start of the examination. The invitation includes the examination program (with details of the place and time of the examination as well as permitted aids) and the list of experts.

The professional examination for social assistants comprises the following three parts:

• Specialist work social support:
  • Technical paper on social support (written, prepared in advance)
  • Professional discussion (oral, 50 min.): Approach, role reflection, own professional actions, knowledge of social support concepts, theories and basic questions
• Written examination: Application of knowledge and discussion of backgrounds
  • Case work (mini cases, written, 90 min.)
  • Specialized knowledge, theories, concepts (written, 60 min.)
• Oral examination:
  • Case discussion on case processing (oral, 50 min., plus 30 min. preparation time) and review of knowledge about the basics of social support as well as the integration of the knowledge learned, one's own attitude, ideas, values and approach

Diploma and title

Graduates of the professional examination receive a federal certificate and are entitled to use the federally recognized and protected title of "social assistant with federal certificate" or "social assistant with federal certificate".

• In French: "Accompagnatrice sociale / Accompagnateur social avec brevet fédéral"
• In Italian: "Accompagnatrice sociale / Accompagnatore sociale con attestato professionale federale"
• In English: "Outreach Social Worker, Federal Diploma of Higher Education" (Attention: This is only a recommendation/translation and not a protected title)