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About Community Services
You'll become
Average Salaries
Community Services workers may earn between $37,000 and $56,000 per year
Have a real and immediate impact on the lives of vulnerable Australians and build a rewarding career by studying a community services course.
You care deeply about people and want a career where you can make a real difference. Practical, professional and rewarding, a career in community services gives you the opportunity to work hands-on with marginalised people, helping them improve their quality of life and gain access to a brighter future.
In an increasingly volatile and unstable world, vulnerable people are at a significant risk of being excluded from meaningfully participating in society. By working in community services, you’ll play a critical leading role in bridging the gap and ensuring vulnerable Australians have the tools, support and abilities to live meaningful, engaged and rewarding lives.
Covering a diverse range of roles, the community service sector enables professionals to work in a variety of areas. After completing a community services course, you may choose to work in a range of fields, including aged care, disability services, mental health counselling, emergency relief, housing or youth services.
As a community service worker, you’ll work closely with clients to identify the unique challenges they face, and design interventions and activities to best support the client and their community. With the client at the centre of your care, you’ll also tackle issues within a broader social context, and address issues including poverty, unemployment, domestic violence and discrimination.
If you’re passionate about the rights of all people and want to work to make a difference, a career in community services is for you.
You may study a community services course as a certificate or diploma course, or as a bachelor’s or master’s degree. After completing your qualification, you’ll likely seek employment as a community worker, and work closely with individuals and communities to ensure they can meet their own needs.
What do community services graduates do?
As a community service worker, you’ll work closely with vulnerable people and their communities to provide support, advice and assistance on a range of social, emotional and welfare matters. You’ll also be responsible for coordinating the services of a variety of different agencies and stakeholders in your client’s life.
Community service workers can work across a broad range of sectors, and as a result, your day-to-day tasks will depend on the field in which you’re working. However, you can expect to perform tasks like:
- Meeting with new clients to assess their needs and investigate the extent of issues and problems;
- Planning, designing and implementing educational, training and support programs with clients;
- Identifying community need and available resources for health, welfare, recreation, housing, employment and other community services;
- Liaising with community groups, welfare agencies, government bodies, private entities and other agencies that can provide additional support;
- Promoting availability of services with clients, including housing, education, employment, counselling and health services;
- Monitoring and reporting on the progress of clients;
- Meeting with families, employers and other people in the client’s environment;
- Working closely with community organisations, social agencies and other service delivery providers to improve services for clients and develop new initiatives;
- Providing leadership and assistance for the implementation of pilot projects in community development and self-help;
- Analysing, developing, promoting and implementing social policies through the use of practical experience, research, analytic frameworks and negotiation skills;
- Managing case files and records; and
- Preparing reports, research and submissions to government and service bodies, and advocating on behalf of clients.
Career Outcomes
Career Outcomes
Community service is a broad field, and graduates of community service courses may enjoy seeking employment in a range of support and client-focused roles in areas such as:
- Aged care
- Disability services
- Indigenous support
- Asylum seekers and refugee services
- Child protection and family services
- Housing services
- Schools
- Emergency care
- Youth work
You may pursue work in a range of different roles, including:
- Community Worker
- Youth Worker
- Community Development Youth Worker
- Indigenous Youth Worker
- Residential Support Worker
- Youth Support Worker
- Youth and Community Worker
- Residential Care Officer
- Disability Support Worker
- Behavioural Support Officer
- Senior Personal Care Assistant
- Rehabilitation Counsellor
- Counsellor
- Support Worker
- Career Counsellor
- Team Leader
- Case Manager
- Case Coordinator
- Community Services Manager
- Program Coordinator
- Community Support Worker
- Mental Health Officer
- Mental Health Outreach Worker
- Family Support Worker
- Personal Care Assistant
- Accommodation Support Worker
- Aged Care Worker
- Home Care Assistant
- In-Home Respite Worker
- Assistant Community Services Worker
- Care Manager
- Care Coordinator
- Community Development Officer
- Centre Manager
- Community Services Coordinator
- Aged Care Activity Worker
- Resident Activities Officer
- Disabilities Services Officer
- Disability Service Worker
- Mental Health Support Worker
- Welfare Support Worker
- Program Service Coordinator
- Drug and Alcohol Counsellor
- Welfare Worker
- School Counsellor
- Government Services
- Orderly Nursing Assistant
- Patient Support Attendant
- Health Services Officer
- Disability Support Officer
- Disability Officer – Day Support
- Social Trainer
- Personal Care Giver
- Respite Care Worker
- Community Health Worker
- Personal Care Worker
- Residential Care Worker
- Aged Care Coordinators
- Community Liaison
- Indigenous Community Liaison Officer
- Policy and Project Officer
- Public Policy Researcher
- Public Policy Adviser
- Research Officer
- Social Policy Researcher
- Government Program Consultant
- Research Assistant
- Allied Health Worker
- Allied Health Assistant
- Physiotherapy Assistant
- Occupational Therapy Assistant
- Community Rehabilitation Assistant
- Exercise Assistant
- Disability Officer
- Residential Supervisor
- Lifestyle and Leisure Coordinator
- Job Coordinator (Disability)
- Grief Counsellor
- Family and Marriage Counsellor
- Student Counsellor
- Youth Health Worker
- Social Worker
- view all
Is community services right for you?
You’ll thrive working in community services if you:
- Are empathetic and patient
- Are resilient
- Believe in the value and dignity of everyone
- Thrive when working with people
- Have excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Like problem-solving
- Enjoy building relationships
- Have strong organisational and time management skills
- Can work well independently and with groups
- Have a desire for learning
- Are committed to supporting others
- Are passionate about human rights
- Care deeply about equality
Job opportunities
The Australian Government’s Job Outlook reports that the community sector in Australia is large and growing. Currently employing approximately 60,900 people, the industry is expected to grow significantly until at least 2020, where it will employ approximately 72,500 people. Job Outlook reports that employment opportunities in this sector have been growing steadily over the last decade, and expects the community sector will contribute up to one in four new jobs in Australia this decade.
Average Salaries
PayScale reports that graduates of community services courses can expect to earn a salary between $37,000 and $56,000 per year, with an average industry salary of approximately $49,000 per year. While a positive relationship exists between experience and earning capacity, PayScale notes that entry-level community workers can still earn a competitive average salary of approximately $48,000 per year.
PayScale notes that approximately 80 per cent of community workers have less than 10 years of work experience, indicating that people move from this profession as their careers progress. After gaining experience as a community worker, you may choose to work in a more senior role in management or administration or become involved in policy development.