Community Services Courses Australia

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

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:

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.

min $37K

max $56K

ave $49K

Learnhow to become a

Learn how to become a

Aged care nurse

Social worker

Indigenous social worker

Disability support worker

Industry Bodies

Location

Industry

Qualification

Payment Option

CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing, Home and Community) Open Colleges

CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing, Home and Community)

Bachelor of Social Work Charles Sturt University

Bachelor of Social Work

CHC40412 Certificate IV in Alcohol and Other Drugs Open Colleges

CHC40412 Certificate IV in Alcohol and Other Drugs

CHC43115 Certificate IV in Disability Open Colleges

CHC43115 Certificate IV in Disability

CHC40413 Certificate IV in Youth Work Open Colleges

CHC40413 Certificate IV in Youth Work

CHC52015 Diploma of Community Services Open Colleges

CHC52015 Diploma of Community Services

Dual Qualification: Certificate IV in Alcohol and Other Drugs and Certificate IV in Mental Health Open Colleges

Dual Qualification: Certificate IV in Alcohol and Other Drugs and Certificate IV in Mental Health

Graduate Certificate in Human Services Charles Sturt University

Graduate Certificate in Human Services

Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying) Charles Sturt University

Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying)

HLT43015 Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance (Community Rehabilitation) Open Colleges

HLT43015 Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance (Community Rehabilitation)

Bachelor of Community Health UniSA Online

Bachelor of Community Health

CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing, Home and Community) (WA & SA Only) Open Colleges

CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing, Home and Community) (WA & SA Only)

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What do community services graduates do?

Career Outcomes

Career Outcomes

Job opportunities

Average Salaries

Learn how to become a

Industry Bodies

CHC33015
Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing, Home and Community) Open Colleges

CHC40412
Certificate IV in Alcohol and Other Drugs Open Colleges

CHC43115
Certificate IV in Disability Open Colleges

CHC40413
Certificate IV in Youth Work Open Colleges

CHC52015
Diploma of Community Services Open Colleges

HLT43015
Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance (Community Rehabilitation) Open Colleges

CHC33015
Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing, Home and Community) (WA & SA Only) Open Colleges