About KCSC

The King’s Community Support Centre (KCSC) provides social work support to those most vulnerable in the London community while providing rich and relevant social work practicums to Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and Master of Social Work (MSW) students. The project was developed by King’s School of Social Work’s Professional Practicum Education program in response to the city’s Health and Homelessness Whole of Community System Response plan.

The first two phases of the program include the provision of support services by social work students under direct supervision, where service users can receive free, accessible, and ongoing counselling and support to address more complex personal issues. In January 2023, KCSC began delivering service in a clinic within the Salvation Army London Centre of Hope where students provide counselling and support to existing shelter service users. This support will expand in September 2023 to include Mission Services of London.

In September 2023, social work support will commence for Phase 2 with the City of London’s Housing Stability programs. This support is intended to address the immediate issues affecting service users’ ability to find and maintain housing, while also allowing them to discuss deep-seated personal issues that would facilitate housing stability. Additionally, KCSC includes program development and group programming, system navigation and community coordination for service provision. This provision of support is a response to the significant demand for service and resulting wait lists for existing community programs.

The third phase of the program will focus on workforce development: supporting our community of frontline workers with professional development opportunities, options for supervision and events for peer consultation and resource sharing. The program also includes peer support training for those with lived experience, to allow for another layer of support to our community.

KCSC is a valuable component of the strategic plans of both King’s University College and the City of London in supporting existing community partnerships and services. This program will supplement existing human services support while offering the next generation of social work professionals extensive practical experience.

KCSC is

  • Accessible – no wait lists
  • Affordable – no fee for service
  • Open-ended – no cap on the number of sessions
  • Flexible – services can be delivered on site or remotely
  • Useful – a referral resource for frontline workers

KCSC offers

  • A social service support for shelter users
  • A referral resource for existing community social support services with waitlists
  • A support service for the City of London’s Housing Stability programs to respond to the biopsychosocial needs of service users and to aid in housing stability
  • A supplement to the services of the London Family Centres
  • A resource to support and augment the skills of current frontline workers

All support services for all phases of the KCSC will be provided by King’s School of Social Work students under direct clinical supervision.