CHC52021 Diploma of Community Services

COURSE DESCRIPTION

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.

To achieve this qualification, the candidate must have completed at least 200 hours of work as detailed in the Assessment Requirements of units of competency.
The skills in this qualification must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State or Territory legislation, Australian standards and industry codes of practice.

Entry Requirements

International students must:

Be at least 18 years of age and have completed the equivalent of Year 12.
Participate in a course entry interview to determine suitability for the course and student needs.
Have an IELTS* score of 5.5 (test results must be no more than 2 years old). English language competence can also be demonstrated through documented evidence of any of the following:
- Educated for 5 years in an English-speaking country; or
- Completed at least 6 months of a Certificate IV level course in an Australian RTO; or
- Successful completion of an English Placement Test

*Note that other English language tests such as PTE and TOEFL can be accepted. Students are required to provide their results so that it can be confirmed they are equivalent to IELTS 5.5

Course Duration

This qualification will be delivered over 104 weeks, including 80 weeks of training and assessment spread over 8 terms and 24 weeks of holidays.

The qualification requires that a work placement of 100 hours will be completed

Work Placement

Students will be required to complete 100 hours of work placement which they will complete during the term breaks at a time to suit themselves and the work placement provider. Each block will be 12.5 hours.

Work placement agreements will be signed with participating organisations and a facilities check will take place prior to the agreement being signed. Work placement providers will be provided information about clear expectations for the work placement. iLearn Oz will also ensure that agency supervisors are suitably qualified as documented in our Work placement guidelines.

Assessment will also be conducted in the workplace by the iLearn Oz trainer and assessor.

Students must undergo a police check prior to placement which will be at the student’s own cost.

Trainer/assessors visit students during each work placement block. The purpose of these liaisons will be for assessment and to discuss, facilitate and evaluate the educational progress of the student and to resolve any problems which may have arisen during a placement.

Units of Competency

Code	Title	Core or Elective
CHCCCS004	Assess co-existing needs	Core
CHCCCS007	Develop and implement service programs	Core
CHCCCS019	Recognise and respond to crisis situations	Core
CHCCSM013	Facilitate and review case management	Core
CHCDEV005	Analyse impacts of sociological factors on people in community work and services	Core
CHCDFV001	Recognise and respond appropriately to domestic and family violence	Core
CHCDIV001	Work with diverse people	Core
CHCDIV002	Promote Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultural safety	Core
CHCLEG003	Manage legal and ethical compliance	Core
CHCMGT005	Facilitate workplace debriefing and support processes	Core
CHCPRP003	Reflect on and improve own professional practice	Core
HLTWHS003	Maintain work health and safety	Core
Elective Units
CHCCSL002	Apply specialist interpersonal and counselling interview skills	Elective
HLTWHS004	Manage work health and safety	Elective
CHCDIV003	Manage and promote diversity	Elective
CHCCOM003	Develop workplace communication strategies	Elective
CHCPRP001	Develop and maintain networks and collaborative partnerships	Elective
CHCMHS005	Provide services to people with co-existing mental health and alcohol and other drugs issues	Elective
CHCADV002	Provide advocacy and representation services	Elective
CHCADV001	Facilitate the interests and rights of clients	Elective

Delivery Approach

The qualification is delivered over 104 weeks comprising of:
• 8 terms of 10 weeks each (80 weeks total).
• Holiday breaks amounting to 24 weeks (as specified in the timetable)
Students are required to attend 16 hours of classroom training per week and complete structured self-study of 4 hours per week.
Homework is expected to be approximately 5 hours a week.
The training and assessment schedule shows the weeks during which training is delivered and assessment conducted for each unit.
The total amount of training provided being structured classroom sessions is 888 hours and for structured self-study is 320 hours. Time scheduled for assessment in class is 392 hours. Homework which is unsupervised and may include research for assessments and general reading is expected to be on average 5 hours a week.
A work placement of 100 hours is also required.

Pathways

Potential employment options are in a range of community services management roles.
Students who complete this course may wish to continue their education into CHC62015 Advanced Diploma of Community Sector Management or higher education qualification in community services.