Vancouver Island University offers Community Mental Health Worker Certificate, a certificate in Health Sciences programme in Nanaimo, Canada. The programme runs for 8 months, delivered on campus. Teaching is in English. Tuition is CAD 8,900 per total for local students.
This certificate is designed to establish entry-level competencies for work in community mental health and addictions, grounded in the principles of psychosocial rehabilitation and recovery. Coursework combines theory with practical learning, including a community-based practicum. Content centres on relationships, rehabilitation and personal care, giving students practical, hands-on preparation for roles across institutional, community and residential settings.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: VIU's general admission requirements apply, plus a minimum "C" in English 12 or equivalent. Previous experience in a health care setting is preferred but not required.
Enrolment is limited, so meeting the minimums does not guarantee a seat; VIU fills seats by offering places to the first qualified applications received, which is why it advises applying early.
Proof of the following should reach VIU well before the practicum, and preferably before the programme starts: current Standard First Aid with Level "C" CPR, a completed Immunization Requirements Form, and a Foodsafe Level 1 certificate. Practicum placement requires a satisfactory criminal record check, requested through VIU and processed by the Ministry under the Criminal Records Review Act; an RCMP check does not satisfy the Act.
Application Details
Start Date:Domestic (Canadian) applicants: 7 September 2027 (Fall intake) (Online).
Application Deadline:Domestic (Canadian) applicants: applications accepted on an ongoing basis for the 7 September 2027 (Fall) start (Online). Dates are VIU's published application window for this program (as listed September 2026) and can change; apply through EducationPlannerBC.
