Diploma of Community Services CHC52021

Learners may choose to enrol in the CHC52021 Diploma of Community Services as an entry point to youth work or to be able to apply for positions at a supervisor or manager level. Alternatively, they may undertake the qualification as a pathway to the CHC51015 Diploma of Counselling.

This qualification reflects the role of community services workers involved in the delivery, management and coordination of person-centred services to individuals, groups, and communities.

At this level, workers have specialised skills in community services and work autonomously within their scope of practice under broad directions from senior management.

Workers support people to make change in their lives to improve personal and social wellbeing and may also have responsibility for the supervision of other workers and volunteers. They may also undertake case management and program coordination.

During this course, you'll learn how to:

• Develop workplace communication strategies
• Work with diverse people
• Promote Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultural safety
• Manage legal and ethical compliance
• Maintain work health and safety
• Analyse impacts of sociological factors on people in community work and services Establish and confirm the counselling relationship
• Facilitate the counselling relationship and process
• Assess co-existing needs
• Work with people with mental health issues
• Develop and implement service programs
• Confirm developmental status
• Provide case management supervision
• Facilitate and review case management
• Recognise and respond to crisis situations
• Recognise and respond appropriately to domestic and family violence
• Identify and respond to children and young people at risk
• Facilitate workplace debriefing and support processes
• Provide first aid
• Reflect on and improve own professional practice

The duration for the course is maximum 24 months. As a self-paced online course, the time it will take you to complete is flexible and dependent on ability and time available.

Recommended Local Entry Requirements

Students will need to be at least 18 years old. Students under 18 will need a parent or guardian to complete the parent or guardian declaration on the Enrolment Form.

Students are recommended to have the language, literacy, and numeracy skills that ensure the ability to read and comprehend technical terms and communicate effectively through email. These skills are equivalent to:
ACSF Level 4
OR
• Successful completion of a nationally recognised Certificate IV qualification or higher

Tools, equipment, and skills required:

• Access to up to 3 people to participate in role plays and assessments
• Access to a device with audio & video capabilities to record simulated role-play tasks for submission
• A simulated environment that reflects workplace conditions for role-play with facilities and equipment
• Tripod to provide a stable and secure platform to mount the digital recording device
• Basic computing skills
• Access to a modern computer with high-speed internet
• Access to Microsoft Office

Additional Requirements:

• Students need to have a reasonable level of fitness, as the role may involve a variety of physical tasks, such as providing manual handling and other physical activities
• Additionally, where first aid is a requirement of the host organisation, students must have the requisite fitness level that enables them to complete 2 minutes of uninterrupted CPR on an adult manikin placed on the floor.

NDIS worker screening and blue card:

Students can link their NDIS worker screening and blue card to Integrated Care and Management Training so that they can receive a student version. Students are provided a link on how to do this in OpenSpace in the FAQs.

Simulated Environment:

Role Plays are the practical element of an assessment that a student is required to complete via a simulated environment that reflects workplace conditions with facilities and equipment including:
• home / office environment
• tables and chairs
• outdoor activity areas
• up to 3 people to support you in the role-play. For some role-play scenarios, this may include:
o persons approved of by relevant local First Nation community elders.
o opportunities for engagement with real people utilising community services
o It is the responsibility of the learner to find suitable role-play participants.

• By undertaking a work placement you’ll get a chance to put the knowledge you’ve learned on your course into practice.
• You’ll also develop practical, on-the-job skills and could make contacts that could help you find a job once you graduate.
• Work placement is often the most rewarding part of a student’s course. Working face-to-face with clients and colleagues in your chosen field makes a huge difference to your career confidence.

Focus on your studies while we handle your work placement. Through our partnership with SkilTrak, our Guaranteed Work Placement ensures you gain hands-on experience in your dream career—right in your local area. Learn more

• Meet with SkilTrak – Their team will discuss your skills, goals, location, and travel preferences to arrange the best placement for you.
• We’ll do the work – While you continue your coursework, we’ll be behind the scenes securing the perfect placement match.
• Get the details – Have a quick chat with us to go over what to expect from your work placement experience.
• Start your placement – Gain real-world experience while we check in along the way to ensure everything is running smoothly.5. Complete your course – Once your placement is done, upload your workbooks, finish your final assessment, and receive your certificate.

The Host Organisation needs to be able to provide the student with access to equipment and resources necessary to undertake Workplace Assessments. The host organisation must be operating in accordance with Commonwealth and State or Territory legislation, Australian standards and industry codes of practice.

Examples of suitable workplaces are:

· Home and Community Care

· Disability Support

· Homelessness Support and Social Housing

· Mental Health Services

· Foster Care and Out of Home Care

· Child Safety and Support

· Employment Services (government funded and community based services only)

· Family and Domestic Violence Services

· Community Education

· Youth Support

Students are required to complete a minimum of 240 hours of placement. This enables them sufficient time to practice the skills they have learnt and get familiar with their organisations ways of working before commencing their assessment tasks.

These 240 hours are split into two sections

· 40 hours – attributed to workplace learning

· 200 hours – attributed to workplace assessment

For students that are already working in industry and completing placement with their current employer, this may be reduced to 200 hours. To be eligible for this reduction existing workers must be able to provide a job description that shows they are employed in a relevant job role and a recent payslip to show that their employment is current. These documents should be provided as part of the workplace approval process. The reason for this reduction is that existing workers can practice during their work time and are already familiar with the organisations policies and procedures.

Please note that your host organisation may require you to provide an up to date immunisation history prior to the commencement of your work placement. Open Colleges has no control over this requirement so if you are unable to provide this, you will need to discuss it with your intended Host Organisation.

It should also be noted that some immunisations, such as Hepatitis B and COVID-19, need multiple injections to be administered over a specific time period before you are deemed immune. It is important that you consult with your GP as soon as possible to avoid delays in starting your work placement.

Workplace supervisors are required to have 3 years experience in the community services sector with at least 1 year experience as a supervisor and/or any of the following qualifications

· Diploma of Youth Work

· Diploma of Community Services

· Bachelor of Social Services

· Any other community services based degree or qualification

Open Colleges may need to obtain further evidence to show confirm that the supervisor has the skills and experience to sign off on the required tasks.