COMMUNITY SERVICES

> Qualifications & Pathways • Traineeships • VET In Schools • Peak Bodies & Key Stakeholders • Resources

NSW Context

‘Community services work’ is a general term that describes the work undertaken within the community services industry as a whole. Qualifications with the designation community services or in some cases community welfare or community management relate to work that is shared across many job roles and service types. They deliver frameworks for identifying foundational and essential knowledge and skills that characterise cross industry roles at a number of levels.

Various specialty qualifications have the designation ‘Community Services’ in the title but focus on specific areas such as Information, Advice and Referral, Case Management, Advocacy, Mental Health, Alcohol and other drugs and Financial Counselling. Advice regarding these specific community services sectors can be found elsewhere on NavigatingNSW.

In NSW, the level regarded as sufficient for entry to the industry is Certificate III level. Currently there are no vocational outcomes for Cert II in community services and no clear requirement by employers for higher level vocational qualifications as a prerequisite for employment suitability. However employers would regard a Cert IV through to Advanced Diploma favourably where vocational qualifications are acceptable.

Qualifications and Pathways

CHC20108 Certificate II in Community Services

CHC30108 Certificate III in Community Services Work

Recognition

Recognition of prior learning (RPL) is a significant pathway for candidates to attain a national training package qualification. There has been strong support from Commonwealth and NSW governments for RTOs to find innovative and accessible RPL strategies and approaches.

NSW Department of Education and Training is actively assisting this quest for improved RPL pathways and has worked in partnership across many industry sectors to pilot best practice models of recognition and develop supporting resources. Some of the innovation recognition pathways trialled included group, project and workplace based models.

Resources and further details are available at State Training Services

Traineeships

The Vocational Training Board establishes traineeships in NSW. Through a consultative process between peak industry groups, employers and unions, facilitated by the ITAB, qualifications are identified that meet industry requirements and have appropriate award arrangements. This information is submitted to the Board for the declaration of a vocational training order in accordance with NSW legislation.

As qualifications have a vocational training order established, they are posted on the NSW DET Commissioner’s Bulletin. Further advice is available from NSW DET www.training.nsw.gov.au

Current community services work traineeships in NSW are:

CHC20108 Certificate II in Community Services

CHC30108 Certificate III in Community Services Work

VET in Schools

The above Community Services qualifications in the CHC08 Community Services Training Package have not been identified as suitable for VET in Schools pathways.

For more information about VET in Schools in NSW visit: https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/vetinschools/

The NSW Board of Studies is responsible for the inclusion of training package qualifications in the HSC studies. Further information is available at www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au .

Peak Bodies and Key Stakeholders

NCOSS

The Council of Social Service of New South Wales (NCOSS) is the peak body for the social and community services sector in New South Wales. Their members range from the smallest community-based services to the largest welfare organisations. They include refuges, charities, church groups, local councils, consumer organisations, hospitals, and aged, disability and child care services. They also include peak support and advocacy groups that represent services at a regional and statewide level.

Resources

Please contact NSW Community Services and Health ITAB regarding training and assessment resource needs for the qualifications or skills sets in this industry sector.

Other resources may be available from industry peaks, Registered Training Organisations and Community Services and Health Industry Skills Council.

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