The role of a community development worker is a rewarding one, as it involves providing emotional, physical and social support to those in society that need it the most. Allowing vulnerable people to become more independent is a fantastically worthwhile occupation in which you’ll be asked to perform day-to-day personal care tasks, cooking, cleaning and whatever else needs doing.
So, if you’ve never worked in the industry, how do you get started? Which community services courses should you be taking? Here we delve into the profession to provide some clarity on the subject so that you have a better idea about whether it’s a career you want to pursue.
Online Community Services Courses
The first step on your road to a career in community care is to get qualified. The industry is a heavily regulated one, as you’d expect it to be, which means that it’s not a job you can simply walk into without any experience. The good news is that there is a wide array of community services courses online that can be taken in the comfort of your own home at your own speed.
There are many career paths open to you in community care, as can be seen by the huge range of online courses available. For example, you could train in counselling or do a course in aged care. The training path you take will largely depend on the specific area of community care you want to specialise in. Whatever form that takes, you can fit your learning around your current responsibilities, meaning that it’s never too late to get started.
Work Placements
Depending on the type of care you’re training for, you’ll be asked to carry out a minimum of work placement hours. This is time spent working alongside qualified community support workers, and it will expose you to the everyday challenges you’ll face in your new line of work. You may have to identify and apply for the work placement yourself, so keeping an idea on the websites of organisations that offer these kinds of placements is a good idea.
Excellent Earning Potential
One reason why courses in community services are so popular is that they can lead to a career with an excellent salary. Averagely in Australia, you can earn anywhere between $25-$30 per hour as a community development worker, which equates to an annual salary of between $60k-$70k. Of course, this is not the only reason why people get into community care, but it is nice to know that it’s rewarding in more ways than one.
In terms of the qualities you’ll need to be a community development worker, the job is suited to those who are understanding, patient, organised and able to empathise with those you care for. Putting yourself in their shoes allows you to meet their needs better.
If you're looking to enrol in online counselling courses, speak to our friendly team at 1300 611 404.
Obviously, this is just a very brief look into the life of a community development worker, but what we’ve spoken about here should give you a good idea about whether it’s a career you’re suited to. If you’re interested in finding out more about the online community services courses available, you can visit us online at www.onlinecoursesaustralia.edu.au and take a look around.
