Community Services

If you have a passion for social justice and want to empower people to be the best they can be, then a career in Community Services is an ideal choice for you. 

The Community Services industry offers many rewarding career paths in child protection, counselling, youth and family support, aged care, youth work and more.

Who is a Community Services Worker?

A Community Services workers provide services, support, activities, information and referral for those in need of assistance, including individuals, families, social groups and communities to restore social functioning. 

Community Services Workers can specialise in aged care, disability services, Indigenous and multicultural support, asylum seekers and refugee services, mental health, child and family services, counselling, schools, emergency relief, youth, justice, housing and community development. 

Careers in Community Services

There are over fifty occupations that make up the Community Services sector, which consists of four major areas, including community and development; client services; education and care; and direct client care and support.

• Addiction Support Officer
• Child Protection Officer
• Community Services Officer
• Community Support Worker
• Counsellor 
• Crisis Intervention Worker
• Disability Services Officer
• Youth Justice Officer
• Aged/Residential Care Worker
• Welfare Worker
• Youth and Family Intervention Worker
• Rehabilitation Support Worker

What Qualities Do Community Service Workers Need?

If you’re interested in working in the Community Services industry, you’ll need the following qualities to be successful.

• Enjoy Helping Others
  If you enjoy helping people and want a career that fills you with a sense of doing good, then Community Services is a good fit for you.

• Caring and Compassionate
  Having a caring and compassionate nature is essential in a Community Services role. You will often see people at their worst so will need to be empathetic and understanding to develop a trusting relationship that facilitates emotional recovery and change.

• Desire to Promote Social Justice and Change
  The desire to promote social good and to advocate for change is an important aspect of a career in Community Services.

• Active Listening Skills
  Listening carefully to a client and asking relevant questions is vital to establish trust and to help understand their unique circumstances, which makes practical listening skills essential in a Community Services role.

• Relatability
  You will need the ability to relate to people from a variety of backgrounds in a Community Services role to understand their unique circumstances and build trust.

Where Do Community Service Professionals Work?

Community Service workers are employed in a variety of settings in both paid and voluntary roles and may choose to work for a not-for-profit, government departments or in the private sector.

• Government Departments
• Community Service Organisations 
• Welfare Centres
• Home and Community Care 
• Aged and Residential Care Facilities
• Health Care Facilities 
• Group Homes/Housing 

There are many professional development courses available in Community Services, such as counselling, youth and family work, addiction support, mental health, community development and more. 

When you study with Australian Online Courses, you have access to an eLearning platform that facilitates a flexible, online and self-paced learning experience. This means you can fit your study around other commitments and put your new skills to work faster.  

So, what are you waiting for? If you’ve been considering a career in Community Services or want to upskill or enhance your existing qualifications, check out the many professional development courses available in Community Services today.