Diploma of Community Services

Program Overview

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This 51-week program prepares students for a career in community services, providing comprehensive training in legal and ethical compliance, health and safety, diversity management, and case management. Through a combination of classroom instruction, practical simulations, and vocational placement, students develop the skills and knowledge to work effectively with diverse populations, promote cultural safety, and facilitate responsible behavior.

Program Outline

Outline:

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Program Content:

• Manage legal and ethical compliance
• Maintain work health and safety
• Manage personal health and well-being
• Analyze impacts of sociological factors on people in community work and services
• Promote Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultural safety
• Manage and promote diversity
• Work with diverse people
• Recognize and respond appropriately to domestic and family violence
• Develop and implement service programs
• Facilitate and review case management
• Work within a practice framework
• Reflect on and improve own professional practice
• Research and apply evidence to practice
• Assess co-existing needs
• Develop and maintain networks and collaborative partnerships
• Establish and confirm the counselling relationship
• Facilitate responsible behavior
• Recognize and respond to crisis situations
• Facilitate workplace debriefing and support processes
• Engage with health professionals and the health system

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Program Structure:

Completion of 20 units of competency, including:

• CHCLEG003 Manage legal and ethical compliance
• HLTWHS003 Maintain work health and safety
• BSBPEF401 Manage personal health and wellbeing
• CHCDEV005 Analyze impacts of sociological factors on people in community work and services
• CHCDIV002 Promote Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultural safety
• CHCDIV003 Manage and promote diversity
• CHCDIV001 Work with diverse people
• CHCDFV001 Recognise and respond appropriately to domestic and family violence
• CHCCCS007 Develop and implement service programs
• CHCCSM013 Facilitate and review case management
• CHCPRT029 Work within a practice framework
• CHCPRP003 Reflect on and improve own professional practice
• CHCPOL003 Research and apply evidence to practice
• CHCCCS004 Assess co-existing needs
• CHCPRP001 Develop and maintain networks and collaborative partnerships
• CHCCSL001 Establish and confirm the counselling relationship
• CHCCCS009 Facilitate responsible behavior
• CHCCCS019 Recognise and respond to crisis situations
• CHCMGT005 Facilitate workplace debriefing and support processes
• CHCPRP005 Engage with health professionals and the health system

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Course Schedule:

• 51 weeks of training and assessment, 21 weeks of vocational placement, 32 weeks of holidays

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Individual Module Descriptions:

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CHCLEG003 Manage legal and ethical compliance:

• Understand legal and ethical compliance in a community services context
• Work effectively in a legal and ethical manner
• Apply ethical decision-making to practice

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HLTWHS003 Maintain work health and safety:

• Understand work health and safety requirements
• Maintain a safe and healthy work environment
• Respond appropriately to work health and safety emergencies

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BSBPEF401 Manage personal health and wellbeing:

• Understand the importance of personal health and wellbeing
• Manage own personal health and wellbeing
• Maintain a healthy lifestyle

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CHCDEV005 Analyse impacts of sociological factors on people in community work and services:

• Understand sociological factors that impact on individuals and communities
• Analyse the impact of sociological factors on community work and service provision
• Use sociological knowledge to inform practice

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CHCDIV002 Promote Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultural safety:

• Understand Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultural protocols and practices
• Promote cultural safety in practice
• Foster respectful and culturally sensitive relationships with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients

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CHCDIV003 Manage and promote diversity:

• Understand the importance of diversity and inclusion
• Promote diversity and inclusion in practice
• Work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds

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CHCDIV001 Work with diverse people:

• Understand the needs of diverse population groups
• Communicate effectively with people from diverse backgrounds
• Provide support and services to people from diverse backgrounds

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CHCDFV001 Recognise and respond appropriately to domestic and family violence:

• Understand domestic and family violence
• Recognise the signs and symptoms of domestic and family violence
• Respond appropriately to domestic and family violence

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CHCCCS007 Develop and implement service programs:

• Understand the principles of program development and implementation
• Develop and implement service programs
• Evaluate the effectiveness of service programs

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CHCCSM013 Facilitate and review case management:

• Understand the principles of case management
• Facilitate and review case management processes
• Use case management to improve client outcomes

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CHCPRT029 Work within a practice framework:

• Understand the principles of a practice framework
• Work within a practice framework
• Use the practice framework to guide practice

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CHCPRP003 Reflect on and improve own professional practice:

• Understand the importance of reflection and continuous improvement
• Reflect on own professional practice
• Identify areas for improvement
• Develop and implement strategies for improvement

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CHCPOL003 Research and apply evidence to practice:

• Understand the principles of evidence-based practice
• Research and apply evidence to practice
• Use evidence to inform practice

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CHCCCS004 Assess co-existing needs:

• Understand the importance of assessing co-existing needs
• Assess co-existing needs
• Develop and implement plans to address co-existing needs

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CHCPRP001 Develop and maintain networks and collaborative partnerships:

• Understand the importance of networking and collaboration
• Develop and maintain networks
• Collaborate with other professionals

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CHCCSL001 Establish and confirm the counselling relationship:

• Understand the principles of counselling
• Establish and confirm the counselling relationship
• Provide effective counselling

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CHCCCS009 Facilitate responsible behavior:

• Understand the principles of responsible behaviour
• Facilitate responsible behaviour
• Promote responsible decision-making

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CHCCCS019 Recognise and respond to crisis situations:

• Understand the principles of crisis intervention
• Recognise and respond to crisis situations
• Provide support and assistance to people in crisis

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CHCMGT005 Facilitate workplace debriefing and support processes:

• Understand the principles of workplace debriefing and support
• Facilitate workplace debriefing and support processes
• Provide support to staff and colleagues

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CHCPRP005 Engage with health professionals and the health system:

• Understand the importance of interprofessional collaboration
• Engage with health professionals and the health system
• Access and provide health services to clients

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Assessment:

• Assessments are conducted using a variety of methods for theory and practical.
• Details of assessment tasks will be provided at the beginning of each unit.
• Workplace-based assessments are also conducted during vocational placement.

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Teaching:

• Training is scheduled for 20 hours attendance per week during terms.
• Students are recommended to spend an additional 4 hours per week on study, research, practice and assessment preparation.
• Facilities and equipment provided include:
• Training rooms
• Simulated community services work environments
• Personal protective uniform work shirt
• Students are required to provide their own:
• Laptop with Microsoft Office or similar
• Uniform: black trousers, black non-slip shoes
• Textbooks and equipment

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Careers:

• Community Services Coordinator
• Community Services Case Manager
• Support Facilitator
• Case Coordinator