5 Places to Find the Best Social Workers in Winnipeg
Social work encompasses the welfare and safety of underprivileged children, youth, and adults, as well as different communities.
Fortunately, you may avail of the services of highly skilled and compassionate social workers from agencies we found to be the best and most reliable in Winnipeg.
So, look no further, and let’s dive right into the reviews.
While social workers are paid for their hard work, availing of social work services is often free or government-funded. Some of the free-of-charge services social workers may help you get are access to therapy networks, treatment centres, and select medical institutions within Winnipeg.
We assessed different social worker agencies within Winnipeg, and considered the best ones based on these factors:
1: The Link: Youth and Family Supports
| CRITERIA | RATING |
| AVAILABILITY | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| ⮕Accessibility | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| ⮕Responsiveness | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| SOCIAL WORKERS’ EXPERTISE | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
| PROFESSIONALISM AND PROTOCOL | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
| ⮕Prompt and respectful | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
| ⮕Accountable | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
| COMMUNITY IMPACT | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
The Link is a well-known organisation that specialises in helping children and troubled teens. Upon checking, it offers counselling, educational resources, therapy, and family support services.
While The Link aims to help children and troubled youth, we appreciate it for also opening its doors to young adults. The Link also opens its office and services 24/7 to anyone who needs social assistance.
Besides being accessible 24/7, we found that The Link’s Winnipeg office houses sleeping quarters that are clean and comfortable. These are open to homeless people or anyone looking for safer sleeping spaces.
On the downside, these can only be rented for up to three days due to the steady influx of people who need them.
While we hear that most of their social workers are a joy to be with, we’re a bit saddened that some of The Link’s social workers apparently aren’t that approachable.
In fact, some regulars apparently find it tricky to talk to or ask for help from the social workers about the limits of their stay or the things they could use in the place.
We hope that the Link can address this concern, as relationship-building is a crucial factor in establishing trust, especially among young people.
Pros
- Office is open 24/7
- Services are available to children, teens, and adults
- Has services that promote mental health and enhance skills
Cons
- Rooms can only be rented for up to three days
- Some of the social workers are reportedly not approachable
Customer Reviews
Love the people working here
“Love this place the staff are good to you plus they help you when you are mad plus you get a free place to live in and it is so nice of them they pay for the rent and all the stuff.” – Paul Whincup
Awesome people
“They care and wanna help out with family dynamics great place to whine down and talk about how you feel, it’s safe and warm.” – Trish Lagimodiere
2: Marymound, Inc.
| CRITERIA | RATING |
| AVAILABILITY | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| ⮕Accessibility | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| ⮕Responsiveness | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| SOCIAL WORKERS’ EXPERTISE | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| PROFESSIONALISM AND PROTOCOL | ★★★☆☆ 3/5 |
| ⮕Prompt and respectful | ★★★☆☆ 3/5 |
| ⮕Accountable | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
| COMMUNITY IMPACT | ★★★☆☆ 3/5 |
Marymound exists to help underprivileged kids and youth access basic needs, in order to empower them to get back on their feet and pursue their goals.
We checked Marymound’s services and found that it offers foster care, parental support, abuse treatment, addiction stabilisation, and youth education services.
In fact, Marymound has its own school that has helped many graduate from elementary and get the proper credentials to enter high school.
Besides catering to troubled children and teens, we also appreciate Marymound for offering parental support to young parents with kids up to six years old.
This enables parents to foster safer and happy environments for their children to grow healthily, both physically and mentally. It may also help them heal from any trauma they may have been living with and avoid passing it on to the next generation.
Now, despite being a hub of wellness and healing, we were a bit alarmed to hear reports of some clients not feeling safe or cared for. These complaints include personal spaces being invaded or some staff denying some dependents bathing and eating privileges.
It was also upsetting to hear that some of the social workers are apparently selective on who to look after and aren’t always friendly and sociable to everyone. We think this is unfair and appalling, considering social workers shouldn’t be partial on whom to serve.
Marymound also has to look into these troubling reports as these clash with its mission and vision to help all people in need.
Pros
- Has its own educational institution
- School offers educational programs from elementary to grade 11
- Offers parental support to younger, inexperienced parents
Cons
- Reports on some staff being selective with whom to help and serve
- Instances of dependents being denied services and feeling unsafe in their rooms
Customer Reviews
Fantastic people with a fantastic range of services
“I did not realize the full scope of services offered by Marymound. What a fantastic group of people who are helping to better lives every moment of every day.” – Barry Swain
Appreciate them for helping my niece graduate.
“My niece just graduated from here. Could not be more proud of the work she did and how they helped her. Amazing.” – Kyle Vezina
3: N.E.E.D.S. Inc.
| CRITERIA | RATING |
| AVAILABILITY | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| ⮕Accessibility | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| ⮕Responsiveness | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| SOCIAL WORKERS’ EXPERTISE | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| PROFESSIONALISM AND PROTOCOL | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
| ⮕Prompt and respectful | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
| ⮕Accountable | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
| COMMUNITY IMPACT | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
If you’re looking for social workers trained to deal with issues involving people from different cultures and ethnic backgrounds, N.E.E.D.S. Inc. is the organisation to approach.
From what we’ve learned, it helps immigrants of refugee status apply for permanent residency, Manitoba health cards, and Social Insurance Cards. These enable immigrants to get jobs, access healthcare services, and finish schooling in Canada.
Although the application of eligibility and referral only covers those aged 6 to 29, we still think this is an excellent programme that lets people from different cultures and ethnicities experience better lives.
A slight drawback we found in this programme though, is that parents applying for their children’s eligibility need to be permanent Manitoba residents and have health cards and social insurance numbers.
That said, refugee parents and kids might not be qualified to get their eligibility status and documents from this organisation.
Another thing we appreciate about this organisation is that they take time to research the different cases it handles. From what we were told, the social workers learn about their clients’ issues and contexts so they’ll know how to help them deal with their trauma or problems.
Besides introducing services that allow refugees to apply for social security numbers and health cards, N.E.E.D.S Inc. also offers an Introduction to Canadian Education (Intro) programme.
This service provides free educational preparedness and orientation programming for government-assisted and privately sponsored refugee children and youth aged 6 to 21 years old.
Qualified refugees may learn computer skills, learn the aspects of a Canadian classroom, make friends, integrate into the Manitoban culture, and fundamental English language skills.
And while this programme has age restrictions, we still think that it serves as a springboard for young immigrants to gain essential knowledge to enter school and finish their studies.
Pros
- Offers eligibility services to immigrants
- Inclusive to different cultures and ethnicities
- Takes time to understand people’s traumas and issues
Cons
- Educational and eligibility programmes have age qualifications
- Application for eligibility requires parents to be permanent Manitoba residents
Customer Reviews
Helpful to kids and society
“This is the type of organization that is essential to help kids stay out of trouble and to keep out of trouble. It’s a tough job for little reward but the work they are doing is making a difference. Keep fighting the good fight.” – Ansel Vyrauen
Inclusive and respectful to all cultures
“As a Newcomer, joining NEEDS Centre’s Employment Program was one of the best decisions I made when I came to Canada. It really helped me a lot and it gave me plenty of hope to not give up and continue working hard. Dealing with a new country with different cultures and language barriers is hard and will never be easy. The Employment Program helped me gain new skills such as small talk so that I can behave professionally when I am at my workplace.” – Hibo
4: South Winnipeg Family Information Centre (SWIC)
| CRITERIA | RATING |
| AVAILABILITY | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| ⮕Accessibility | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| ⮕Responsiveness | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| SOCIAL WORKERS’ EXPERTISE | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| PROFESSIONALISM AND PROTOCOL | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| ⮕Prompt and respectful | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| ⮕Accountable | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| COMMUNITY IMPACT | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
The South Winnipeg Family Information Centre offers programmes for women seeking assistance in pursuing a successful future, social welfare, and wellness.
We commend this organisation for putting up Dress for Success, a programme that provides women the training, tools, and attires suitable for their chosen professions. Talk about women empowerment!
Thankfully, women aren’t the only ones SWIC services. Upon checking, it also offers an array of programmes that help youth get back to school, adults train for employment, and parents foster safer and loving homes for their children.
We also love SWIC for offering support to kids whose parents are separating or divorcing. Such service may also give children the chance to feel safe, loved, and welcome despite their current problems.
And in cases where dependents were physically abused or sexually assaulted, SWIC works with several crisis community centres that provide resources and support for such delicate issues.
Perhaps a downside to SWIC is that some of its services require fees, such as the babysitting and solo parenting workshops, as well as the peer and family support services.
While the rates are cheap and often come with subsidies, this might not sit well with those who can’t even afford employment training.
Another drawback we found is that the training programmes are scheduled seasonally. So, if you missed any of the programmes assigned in spring, summer, autumn, or winter, you’ll have to wait for next year to get slots.
Pros
- Great range of programmes for different individuals
- Works with several community resources and crisis centres
Cons
- Some services have fees
- Training programmes are seasonal
Customer Reviews
They’ll help you get the job you’ll love to dress for
“The Dress for Success program is a great place to give a second life to any work-appropriate women’s clothing you’re thinking of donating. One of the best ways to help women and their children is to set them up for career success. Looking professional and feeling confident going to an interview makes a big difference.” – Emily CPY
Helpful in giving people employment opportunities
“SWFIC provides several great services to the community: they take donations of gently worn business clothes so that women can go on professional job interviews. They also do a lot of family training- babysitting and “home alone” classes.” – Tannis Hewitt
5: Epic Opportunities, Inc.
| CRITERIA | RATING |
| AVAILABILITY | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
| ⮕Accessibility | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
| ⮕Responsiveness | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
| SOCIAL WORKERS’ EXPERTISE | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| PROFESSIONALISM AND PROTOCOL | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| ⮕Prompt and respectful | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| ⮕Accountable | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| COMMUNITY IMPACT | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
If you want to help your loved ones with disabilities train for their dream professions, we recommend EPIC Opportunities, Inc. This organisation specialises in support and training programmes catered to those with intellectual, cognitive, and developmental disabilities.
Upon checking, EPIC’s services are categorised into three types: home, employment, and everyday life. These programs enable dependents to seek greener pastures and enjoy their lives to the fullest.
For example, under the category EPIC Transitions, dependents can learn the skills to live independently and build healthy relationships with friends and roommates.
Under EPIC Everyday, dependents will have access to adaptive resources and therapeutic support that will help them develop life skills in fostering healthier connections and pursue various interests and skill sets.
We also praise EPIC for helping people find new homes to purchase, decorate these spaces that foster safety and comfort, and develop the essential skills for homemaking and paying bills through its EPIC at Home category.
Besides providing support for the home, education, and employment, EPIC also hosts events for caregivers and people with disabled family members.
These aim to gather information on certain issues regarding taking care of people with disabilities, as well as advocating for their rights and benefits.
One slight downside we found in this organisation is that it might not always live up to its advocacy of inclusivity and accessibility.
For example, some announcements for events online don’t have image alt text to help those who are visually impaired or have cognitive disabilities.
While EPIC’s programmes help dependents read and understand what they see, not all will have the same level of cognitive speed as others.
Another is that it currently doesn’t have an 800 phone number that clients can call for free. Given that some might not have the means to make charged calls, this sets a barrier for some disabled people to access opportunities for better lives.
Pros
- Programs empower people with developmental disabilities
- Helps clients find safer and more comfortable homes
- Provides events for caregivers and allies of people with disabilities
Cons
- Some instances of image announcements not having alt text
- No 800 number available as of now
Customer Reviews
A great place to work
“The vision, mission, and values of the organization make it a great place to work.” – Gurpreet Kaur
FAQs About Social Workers
And that sums up our impartial review of the best social worker agencies in Winnipeg! Use these assessments to select which institution will be the most suitable to help you with certain challenges in your community or family.
Social workers aren’t the only professionals who help people with life challenges. If you’re looking for professionals to reach out to about your personal problems or trauma, we recommend looking into the best psychologists in Winnipeg.