Diploma of Community Services

Overview

Develop the professional and empathetic skills to work within a community organisation to effectively assist individuals, families and communities in their social environments. You will gain the skills and knowledge for roles that involve service delivery, either direct client work and/or community education or development projects. Job opportunities include community services and case management work involved in the managing, coordinating and/or delivering of person-centred services to individuals, groups and communities.

At this level, workers have specialised skills in community services and work autonomously under broad directions from senior management. Workers are usually providing direct support to individuals or groups of individuals. Workers may also have responsibility for the supervision of other workers and volunteers and/or case management; program coordination or the development of new business opportunities.

Successful completion of Certificate IV in Community Services will give you credits towards the Diploma of Community Services.

Also apply for the GROW Community Services Careers Program! Wodonga TAFE and La Trobe University have partnered to provide opportunities for pathways and additional support from TAFE to university studies with the new GROW Program. Find out more about the GROW Program here.

Delivery Methods

• On-campus – The majority of teaching and assessment is conducted on-campus

Locations

• McKoy Street, Wodonga Vic (Main campus)

When You Can Enrol

Midyear 2024 intake commencing in July: Apply via the ‘Apply now’ button in the course information page. If the course is not available for online application, register your details via the ‘Enquire Now’ form to be notified when future dates are scheduled, or to chat to our friendly Customer Experience team.

Duration

Full-time: 21 months

Schedule

On-campus/blended: commencing Monday 15 July 2024, two days per week, 9am-4pm (Mondays and Thursdays).

This course is offered as face-to-face classes. This is supported by self-directed online learning (via Moodle, our online student learning system) which also requires the completion of directed learning activities and assessments in your own time. You will also be expected to initiate your own individual study, research and learning. Learning resources, learning activities and assessment processes are accessible via Moodle. As significant critical learning occurs during class time, you are required to attend the scheduled classes (these may be face-to-face and/or virtual via Zoom due to COVID-19 restrictions.)

Requirements

• Successful applicants for this course will be required to obtain a Working with Children’s Check and may be asked to apply for a National Police check and an NDIS Worker Clearance prior to field placement.
• Successful applicants for this course will be required to provide evidence of immunisation records (if placement occurs in a healthcare or aged care setting). You must now be fully (third dose or booster) vaccinated to attend student placement in a healthcare or aged care setting. This requires students undertaking placement to provide evidence of their COVID-19 third dose vaccination status, or a medical exemption by an authorised medical practitioner, to be permitted to work onsite in a healthcare or aged care setting.

Field Placement

Students will participate in two field placements across the Diploma. Students must be a minimum of 18 years of age at the time of their first placement. Placement will be industry based and be approximately 200 hours each year (400 hours total must be completed). Classes are not scheduled during field placement blocks. The specific aims of the field placements are to:

• apply knowledge learnt during your course in the workplace
• gain skills recognised by industry;
• become familiar with employers’ expectations;
• increase your employment options and employability skills;
• make contact with employers;
• meet the membership requirements of 400 hours of the Australian Community Workers Association (ACWA) and;
• meet the Community Services & Health Industry Skills Council work application requirements.

When enrolling into the course it is important to begin planning for the field placement requirements. Placements occur full time (five days per week) unless otherwise negotiated with the Placement Coordinator. It is recommended that placement occurs at least three days per week if a part-time mode is negotiated as this will reduce the impact on attendance with scheduled classes.

A Working With Children’s Check (WWCC) and a National Police Check are mandatory for the participation and completion of placement. Industry partners will not provide field placement opportunities without these checks being undertaken. Evidence of the WWCC letter of approval or the WWCC identification card must be provided during orientation.

The NDIS Worker Clearance may be required across community services.

Successful applicants for this course will be required to provide evidence of immunisation records (if placement occurs in a healthcare or aged care setting). You must now be fully (third dose or booster) vaccinated to attend student placement in a healthcare or aged care setting. This requires students undertaking placement to provide evidence of their COVID-19 third dose vaccination status, or a medical exemption by an authorised medical practitioner, to be permitted to work onsite in a healthcare or aged care setting.

Other Information

Applicants with relevant industry experience may apply for recognition of prior learning (RPL). This is determined on a case by case basis.

Skills developed

At this level, workers have specialised skills in community services and work autonomously under broad directions from senior management. Workers are usually providing direct support to individuals or groups of individuals. Workers may also have responsibility for the supervision of other workers and volunteers and/or case management; program coordination or the development of new business opportunities.

Compulsory Units

CHCCCS004 Assess co-existing needs
CHCCCS007 Develop and implement service programs
CHCCCS019 Recognise and respond to crisis situations
CHCCSM013 Facilitate and review case management
CHCDEV005 Analyse impacts of sociological factors on people in community work and services
CHCDFV001 Recognise and respond appropriately to domestic and family violence
CHCDIV001 Work with diverse people
CHCDIV002 Promote Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultural safety
CHCLEG003 Manage legal and ethical compliance
CHCMGT005 Facilitate workplace debriefing and support processes
CHCPRP003 Reflect on and improve own professional practice
HLTWHS003 Maintain work health and safety
CHCMHS013 Implement trauma informed care
CHCCCS033 Identify and report abuse
CHCADV002 Provide advocacy and representation services
CHCCOM003 Develop workplace communication strategies
CHCCSL001 Establish and confirm the counselling relationship
CHCCSL002 Apply specialist interpersonal and counselling interview skills
CHCDEV004 Confirm developmental status
CHCMHS001 Work with people with mental health issues

Certification

By successfully completing this course you will receive a nationally recognised AQF Qualification that is also recognised by the Australian Community Workers Association.
This Diploma of Community Services qualification as delivered by Wodonga TAFE is accredited by the Australian Community Workers Association (ACWA). As greater numbers of employers, including government departments, take a risk management approach to recruitment, they are increasingly relying on third-party endorsements from peak body organisations such as ACWA, for assurance that community service qualifications are sound and in line with industry requirements.

Fees

From 1 January 2019, Free TAFE for Priority Courses is a Victorian Government program that will pay your tuition fees to study in this selected course at Wodonga TAFE, if you’re eligible, subject to minimum numbers.

Government Funded $11,351.50 (Tuition $11,287.50, Materials $64.00)

Fee For Service $13,609.00 (Tuition $13,545.00, Materials $64.00)

Fees Additional Information

Additional course costs that may apply
Please note depending on individual circumstance there may be additional costs that apply throughout the completion of your qualification. These will be discussed further with your Course Coordinator, and may include:

- Working With Children Check
- National Police Check
- NDIS Worker Clearance
- Vaccination requirements
- Travel to placement.

The student tuition fees published are indicative only and can be subject to change given individual circumstances at the time of enrolment. Funding made available to eligible individuals by State and Commonwealth Governments. If funding is utilised, this may affect future opportunities to access additional funding in the future. For more information see ‘Fee information and eligibility’ under the ‘How to Apply’ tab on the Wodonga TAFE website.

VET Student Loans may be available to eligible individuals. For more information, visit https://www.education.gov.au/vet-student-loans or see the ‘VET Student Loans’ page on our website under the ‘How to Apply’ tab.

Materials Fees

• Student name badge
  - Industry resources

Careers

This Diploma of Community Services qualification as delivered by Wodonga TAFE is accredited by the Australian Community Workers Association (ACWA) through a rigid registration process to ensure the course content meets industry requirements. The Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, as well as Corrections and Justice in Victoria only provides vocational education and training-level work experience and job opportunities to students from ACWA-accredited courses, as do other government organisations in the Northern Territory, Western Australia, and Queensland.

Employment opportunities may include roles in community services, or case management, or as social housing workers involved in the managing, coordinating and/or delivering of person-centred services to individuals, groups and communities. Related occupations may include: aged care or disability support worker; child or youth residential care assistant; community worker; community arts worker; counsellor; disability services officer, drug and alcohol counsellor; family and marriage counsellor; family support worker; hostel parent; parole or probation officer; refuge worker; rehabilitation counsellor; residential care officer; social worker; therapy aide; welfare worker; youth worker.

Pathways

Complete your diploma with Wodonga TAFE and continue to university studies. Start working in the industry following successful completion of your TAFE studies; to advance your skills and knowledge even further and enrol in a degree. With your TAFE qualification you are able to work in your chosen industry and gain experience while you study at university. Gain the best of both teaching styles and apply your real-world knowledge in day one of your new career! You may also be eligible for credits into further studies at university. Also apply for the GROW Community Services Careers Program! Wodonga TAFE and La Trobe University have partnered to provide opportunities for pathways and additional support from TAFE to university studies with the new GROW Program. Find out more about the GROW Program here.

Study pathways with Wodonga TAFE

How to apply

Apply online now via the ‘Apply Now’ button. If the course is not available for online application, register your details via the ‘Enquire Now’ form to be notified when future dates are scheduled, or to chat to our friendly Customer Experience team.

Once you submit an application for this course you will receive a separate email from LLN Robot to complete both a Digital Assessment and a Learning, Reading, Writing, Oral and Numeracy Assessment (LLN Assessment) online.

Please check your junk mail if this does not come to your inbox. All students are asked to complete the Digital and LLN assessments to determine any support requirements and to ensure the course and mode of delivery is suitable for the student.

Please allow one hour to complete the Digital and LLN assessments. You will need a computer with speakers or headphones as there is an audio section in the LLN assessment.

Your LLN and Digital assessments will need to be completed one week after receiving it to progress your application to the next stage, or your application may be withdrawn due to inactivity.

If you are unable to access the LLN assessment or the Digital assessment links please contact our Customer Experience team as soon possible.

Note: Completion of the LLN and Digital assessments does not guarantee a place in the course at Wodonga TAFE. Numbers are limited and selected applicants will be contacted to attend an interview. If an applicant is not accepted into their preferred course they will be contacted and provided information on alternate pathways and/or courses.

Please note: We reserve the right to close course intakes early. Many courses have limited places and high demand. Early applications are recommended. We reserve the right to cancel intakes and courses if there are insufficient student numbers.