How To Get Started In Community Services, And Why You Should

Q: What Do Community Service Workers Get Paid?

According to Indeed , the average salary for a Community Service Officer is $82,933 per year.

Community Service jobs in Australia are by their very nature rewarding. They appeal to the best of us to help the rest of us. Community service workers of all stripes help the less fortunate lift themselves up and become better versions of themselves than they were the day before. Community Services in Australia is really an umbrella term for a variety of social programs and their workers that provide services necessary for life to Australians.

From food banks to emergency shelters for those fleeing domestic violence, combatting homelessness and poverty reduction are among the critical elements of Community Services delivered by Community Service workers across the country.

You should know that a career in Community Services isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, sometimes the job is difficult and the situations that you may be faced with as a Community Service worker are challenging. It takes a particular type of person to do such a job, but if you find yourself drawn to helping people, then a job in the field of Community Services may very well be for you. Here are five reasons to get a career in Community Services.

You Get to Help People

One of the main draws for empathetic people to a life of community service is that you are helping people. A job in this field usually means that if you’re not on the front lines handing out soup at soup kitchens, or doing intake work for victims of domestic violence, you’re still playing some sort of role in helping a variety of community service organisations help people. If you enjoy helping others and find it rewarding, then this career path is definitely one for you.

Every Day is Different

No two days are the same in Community Services, as there is a great degree of variability in the day to day of even the simplest of tasks. Days are often spent meeting new people and doing new things, and as you are dealing with vulnerable people, each day is generally rewarding in a different way.

One Qualification, Multiple Opportunities

The great thing about Community Service work is that a singular qualification will open the door to multiple different opportunities. For example, an Advanced Diploma of Community Sector Management– CHC62015 awarded by Spectrum Organization (RTO: 2441) could open the door to a variety of different opportunities. Depending on your qualifications, you could work for the national, regional or local governments, helping craft their response to people in crisis. Or you could work for a non-profit organisation. Qualifications in the relevant field lead to opportunities.

Flexibility

Another great thing about working in Community Services is that most Community Service employees have the capability to be flexible. So, if you're a single mother for example, they're more likely to be understanding and make allowances than a more traditional employee, largely due to the nature of their work. The flexibility of hours is another great advantage to a career in Community Services.

Personal Growth

A career in the Community Service field is a great opportunity for personal growth. You get to help people every single day, which leads to increasing your own sense of self-satisfaction. Helping people to help themselves will help you. You might find that this sense of self-satisfaction is something that you're missing out on in your everyday life that you might find by choosing a rewarding career in social work or Community Services.

If you want a fresh start, or you simply want to put your knowledge and experience to good use (alongside your compassionate heart and open mind), a career in Community Services might be a great fit for you. With a variety of roles to choose from, you get to pick what field works for you and what position you think you'll be best suited to and excel in.

Get started with the right qualifications. Whether it’s a CHC32015-Certificate III in Community Servicesthrough recognition of prior learning via Spectrum Organization (RTO: 2441), a CHC52015- Diploma of Community Serviceswith Spectrum Organization (RTO: 2441) or Frontier Training and Technology (RTO: 21244), an Advanced Diploma or Certificates in related fields, we have a range of qualifications available to suit your requirements.

If you’ve been thinking about a career in community services, now’s the time to get started. Get in touch with our team today to find out how we can help.