7 Top Reasons To Start Career In Community Services

Suddenly in the last few years, Community services have become a pursuable career in Australia. These are not my words, if you see the reports on Linkedin and an article in Indeed both of them are saying that in 2021 the demand for a career in community services skyrocketed.

Building a career in community services in Australia means that you’ll be dealing with vulnerable and helpless people who might be experiencing poverty, discrimination, domestic violence, or hardship. 

Community services deliver important help when it comes to providing emergency housing, food relief, counseling, health clinics, child care services, aged care, and other services that affect the community’s most vulnerable members. 

A career in community services can be challenging at times, but it can also be hugely fulfilling. If you’re the kind of person who is passionate about social justice, has an optimistic and patient nature, and is determined to help people enact positive changes in their lives, then a career in community services might be an excellent fit for you.

 

1. Making A Difference In The Society 

Community support workers play a direct impact in changing people’s day-to-day lives and it is an amazing feeling. Helping vulnerable individuals overcome their problems, community workers have an immediate and profound impact on the welfare of those who need help the most. 

Community workers make a difference in the quality of people’s lives by giving them hope for a brighter future. Working with individuals or groups to solve the issues they are facing within the community, community workers aim to facilitate change, create solutions, support unconditionally, provide information/resources, and assist through community-based services and programs. 

Let’s say you are a recent migrant or refugee resettling in Australia. A community support worker, specializing in relocation services, would provide you with all the necessary resources and information to successfully start your new life. 

They would support your integration into the local community, assist with employment and training and counsel you through issues surrounding social and cultural shock. This support would give you the confidence to start settling into your new home, instead of feeling lost or alone.

 

2. Access To A Variety Of Job Roles 

Many facilities and organizations have different roles you might explore. You can provide front desk support or one-on-one care in elderly care homes. As community service jobs are often highly collaborative, you might learn what others do or even volunteer in their positions to learn more. 

Similarly, different environments might have similar roles. You might serve as a community outreach specialist for environmental services and qualify for an outreach specialist in another area, like food services.

Here is the list of roles you can explore in community services,

• Aged care
• Disability care
• Alcohol and other drug rehabilitation services
• Family support and counseling
• Refugee, migrant, and asylum seeker services
• Domestic violence services
• Child services/ youth issues
• Marriage counseling
• Employment and training
• Emergency relief
• Accommodation and housing services
• Problem gambling and addiction grief counseling

 

3. Lead A Purposeful Life With Others

If you want to avoid working a 9 to 5 PM job with no purpose, then a qualification in community services is worth investing your time, money, and effort in. By doing something you are passionate about, you can confidently wake up every morning with a smile on your face, go to work, and know you are making a difference in the world. 

Each day, community service workers have a cause, and a purpose to improve the quality of life of those who can’t help themselves. They help open doors to life-saving opportunities such as education, housing, and employment.  

If you were a community support worker who specialized in alcohol and rehabilitation services you could come to work knowing you are actively working towards making someone’s life significantly better. 

Your purpose is to support a vulnerable individual make good choices, to get back on track. Imagine the joy you’d feel at the end of each day knowing you helped someone turn their life around. If that isn’t a good enough reason to go to work every day then we don’t know what is.

 

4. Fight For The Rights Of Others

Do you believe in fighting for the rights of people who are unable to stand up for themselves? If yes then you should pursue a career in community services.

As a community services worker, you are a superhero. You take on and fight for the rights of your clients, who often are people that can’t fight for themselves. 

Going in to bat for your clients, you tackle the social, legal, and economic barriers that trap people and keep them in at-risk situations. By using your voice, influences, and connections, you can fight for others’ rights.

 

5. Work At Anywhere You Want

Community Service Workers are needed nationwide, in big and small cities, regional towns, as well as rural and remote locations. The bonus of this nationwide demand is that workers have a lot of options when it comes to where they want to live and work.

There are community service jobs across the country, so you can work in any area you prefer. Cities offer many community service programs to help the homeless and hungry, among other community needs, and suburban areas might offer community cleanups or social services. 

Once you earn experience, you can consider exploring the different areas of community service at different locations to find what you enjoy doing the most.

 

6. Flexible Working Hours

Some community services roles will be 24/7. This means you can find a job that fits your schedule, and you can work the hours that are suitable for you.

Community service jobs offer different working hours. Facilities like nursing homes or food banks often need employees for different shifts throughout the days, often nights and weekends. 

If you want to start with part-time or volunteer work, you can likely find opportunities that fit your schedule until you wish to pursue more permanent or full-time work.

 

7. Personal Growth 

Giving back to society provides you with a sense of satisfaction, and makes you feel good about yourself. Meanwhile, the interesting challenges involved in the career push you to grow as a person. 

You’ll work closely with different people from all walks of life, which may help you to become a more empathetic and emotionally intelligent person.

Aside from professional benefits, you can also realize personal benefits. Performing jobs in community service can help increase your overall satisfaction and fulfillment. 

By working with diverse groups of people, you might also learn a lot more about people and the world and develop your emotional intelligence.

 

If you’re interested in starting a meaningful career in community services, I would suggest you start a Diploma of Community Services. You can do it online if you want, so you can study in your own time, wherever you are. 

Look at the bright side, a career in community services is always respected in society, there is always something new to do and whatever you’ll do has a cause.

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