Why You Should Embark on A Career in Community Services

It’s no surprise that being part of the fastest-growing industry in Australia – the health care and social assistance industry – has ensured that impressive development of the community services sector. Community services in Australia is made up of a number of vastly different sub-sectors, and it may very well surprise you how much variety there is. But no matter which sector interests you the most, you can be assured that you’ll be making a positive impact on the world if you decide to get involved. In this article, we take a look at a few reasons why you should think about making the move to study in the thriving community services industry sector.

Variety in community services

A diploma of community services is much more valuable than it might first appear – the industry offers a very wide variety of occupations that cater to a diverse set of interests. Generally, roles in community services (whether paid or unpaid) involve work that helps out the local community in some way. Roles are designed to help everyone, whether young or old, and can include working in family services, child protection, counselling, aged care, disability and mental health. Alongside the good you can do in each of these roles, jobs I community services also offer considerable perks, many of these associated with working in related government roles (as most of these high-importance jobs are associated with the government). Benefits of working in a government role include generous and competitive salary packages and leave benefits, excellent options for progression and development, flexible work arrangements and great job security. With the industry constantly experiencing growth, the potential to explore a variety of roles in the sector with the same set of qualifications makes studying community services even more valuable.

Some of the roles available in community services

Approximately 20 percent of Australians have a disability, making roles in the disability sector plentiful, on top of being extremely rewarding. Providing care and assistance to people with disabilities will usually be related to their circumstances and needs, and it is providing care for these individualised needs is what makes the process so fulfilling. The aging population in Australia – which is a significant 1 in 7 Australians – means that roles in aged care are in demand now more than ever, and will only increase. The responsibilities that are usually associated with this role include providing much-needed and also much-appreciated companionship and care to aged care patients, which can also include fun things like planning social activities! If you like the idea of helping children, working in child protective services will give you the opportunity to help out in many ways through family-focused, child-centred action. Responsibilities might include investigating reports of a child being endangered, pursuing legal action when required and providing advice to families, particularly those who are reporting cases of abuse.

Start a career in community services today

With so many avenues to explore, community services represents an excellent start to a highly rewarding and varied career. Even if you change your mind about what kind of services you are interested in, there is so much room for growth that you’ll be able to try it all. Even if you’re unsure what aspect you want to pursue, your studies might quickly show you what’s right for you.