Prepare for a career providing quality of life for people in your own community

Pathway to Community Services

The Pathway to Community Services is a specialised program for people who are interested in working in a range of community services organisations, helping others who are in need of assistance. The course can assist anyone who meets the requirements to gain skills, knowledge, confidence and employment opportunities, and provide for further education opportunities.

If you want to make a difference, contribute and achieve great satisfaction, this is a step in the right direction!

What you'll learn

Help others identify and realise their interests, rights and needs.

Work respectfully with people from diverse social and cultural groups.

Identify and meet legal and ethical responsibilities.

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About this Pathway

Course Overview

This skill set is an introduction to the community services industry, providing students with exposure to the job role and task related skills of a Certificate III worker that is employed within a community-based support service.

Community Workers provide services, support, activities, information and referral for those in need of assistance. They link people with appropriate services, groups, communities, and each other.

Course Structure

This course is available in the following ways:

Blended Learning classes.

2023 Course Structure
This course will be completed over (approximately) 3 months as blended learning with training delivered in the following ways:

Face-to-face instruction and support to practise the skills for each unit
Virtual learning classrooms with other students via Zoom
24/7 access to online resources in the Learner Portal
Regular class interaction and support from your trainer.

The face-to-face workshops and virtual class sessions work together to strengthen overall learning.

Course material for each unit is presented during a full-day face-to-face workshop that will be scheduled approximately once a month at base camp¹. Students also work through supporting activities during the workshops and may be assessed on any practical component of their training.

Follow-up virtual classroom sessions held twice-weekly are used to discuss and explore topics related to the learning with the goal to increase understanding, to problem-solve and work through trainer-led tutorials. Zoom in from your chosen location.

¹ Training is delivered by a base camp. Students from throughout the region may enrol in their nearest (or any available) base camp. This is the campus you will need to attend in person to participate in face-to-face workshops.

Course Entry Requirements

All students are required to provide a Unique Student Identifier (USI) number which will be validated by the College. Qualification and/or Statements of Attainment cannot be issued without the USI number.

Outlined are the pre-requisites for student enrolment. Students must:

be 15 years or older;
participate in a course entry interview to determine their needs and assess suitability;
have sufficient language, literacy and numeracy skills, for example, to read materials relevant to the course, participate in discussions and observations and apply numerical concepts such as in relation to time management. This will be tested through a LLN assessment as part of the course entry process. Students will need to achieve ACSF Level 3 for reading, writing, numeracy and oral communication to enter the course.
provide a current email address for contact and communication.

The specific course entry requirements are:

There are no formal prerequisites or entry requirements however students will require LLN skills to meet industry documentation requirements.

Course Participation Requirements

As a student studying in a blended learning course, you'll need to attend the compulsory in-campus workshops as part of your training.

You'll also attend, and participate in, virtual classroom sessions held via Zoom. Zoom sessions are scheduled to take place one or more times each week for the duration of the course and are of 1.5 to 2.5 hours' duration.

You'll also need to work independently at home using the Learner Portal to access resources and complete or upload your work.

The learning program for the Pathway to Community Services includes:

face-to-face workshops;
virtual classes via Zoom;
work carried out online and in the real world, to broaden depth of knowledge or through self-directed research for projects and assignments;
written knowledge assessments;
research projects.

Recognition of Prior Learning

Units of Competency

Qualification Awarded

Career Pathways

Funding