Sometimes people mistakenly believe that working in community services is all volunteer work. While there are certainly volunteers that work in this sector, most people are employed in paid positions, as community services actually encompasses a lot of industries and professions.
This article is going to take a look at some of the benefits and advantages of starting a career in community services, so you’ll have a better understanding of the job options available and why it’s a positive career choice.
The Variety of Job Roles In Community Services
There are a lot of different jobs in community service work. In fact, there are not many sectors in employment that encompass such a large and diverse variety of job descriptions.
The reason some people mistakenly believe community services is only about volunteer work is that they don’t realise just what kind of jobs come under the umbrella of this broad industry. Let’s list just a few occupations and positions that are regularly associated with the community services industry:
- Crisis intervention worker
- Halfway house supervisor
- Child protection officer
- Personal caregiver
- Caseworker
- Counsellor
- Aged care
- Disability support worker
- Community program coordinator
- And many others…
The above list is just a small section of careers in community services. There are likely hundreds of different job roles.
Community Service Work Can Pay Well
Another misconception when people hear the term “community services”, apart from believing it’s likely volunteer work, is that any paid job positions in the industry don’t pay much. Sure, there will be some entry level positions that pay just a basic wage, but there are also many satisfying careers in the field that can be very lucrative financially.
As a quick example, if you’re a community support worker, the minimum hourly rate for this role at the time of writing is $26.47 per hour. That’s the minimum. There are other careers in community services that can pay up to four times this rate. It depends on your role, where you’re working, along with your qualifications and experience.
There is certainly a good and comfortable living to be made if you chase a career in community services work.
Achieve Job Satisfaction By Helping Others
The majority of roles in community service work involve helping others. If you’re a people person, are compassionate and understanding, sympathetic and have a strong desire to make a difference in the lives of others, then a career in community services could be the perfect match for your qualities and aspirations.
You’ll experience both a lot of variety during your workday as a community services worker, as well as loads of job satisfaction. There’s nothing quite like seeing the results of your efforts and how they positively impact someone else’s life. It’s a rewarding career path on a number of different levels.
Problem solving in a variety of situations is an integral part of this industry, so if you enjoy a challenge whilst making a difference, every day will feel like a productive and good day at work.
Enjoy a Flexible Lifestyle
Because the roles in community services are many and varied, there is a lot of scope for enjoying a flexible lifestyle with your choice of work hours. Depending on your job position and where you work, you may have the option of switching your days off around with other workers, or even choosing how many hours per work you wish to work.
If you want a lifestyle with more freedom of choice, then community service work could be what you’ve been looking for.
Getting a Start In Community Services Work
The starting point for a career in community services work is to gain some basic relevant qualifications. This comes in the form of successfully completing Cert 3 Community Services. This nationally recognised certificate course is your entry point into this rewarding and lucrative industry.
After you’ve accomplished Certificate III In Community Services, you can get started in an entry level job role and also undertake further training to achieve a more sought after position in the field.
There are lots of goals you can aim for in community services in Australia.
In Conclusion
Community services work is a fantastic choice, so do some research and consider a career in community services today.
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