Diploma of Community Services (2022)

About this course

Some course providers are also offering a new version of this course - CHC52025 Diploma of Community Services. Talk to your preferred provider for details.

Are you looking for a leadership role in community services? This training will help you to manage or supervise employees and volunteers.

Community service professionals work in government-funded, not-for-profit and charitable organisations.

You may find employment in:

aged care
welfare support
social housing
child, youth and family welfare
alcohol and drug intervention
health promotion
mental health
disability services.

You will study core units and choose from a range of electives, which can guide your area of specialisation.

Note that the availability of electives may vary depending on your selected training provider.

The course will give you real-world experience through 100 hours of work placement. This must be completed to achieve the qualification.

This qualification is recognised nationally under the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF).

Licensing and regulatory information

The skills in this qualification must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State or Territory legislation, Australian standards and industry codes of practice. Contact your preferred course provider for more information.

This course can be done as a traineeship. You’ll get technical knowledge through coursework and hands-on experience through paid work. On completion you will receive a nationally recognised qualification.

To enrol as a trainee, you’ll need:
1. a job in a relevant workplace in the same field as your course, and
2. an employer willing to sign a Commonwealth Government ‘Training Contract’ and support your learning at work.
To get started:
- contact an Apprentice Connect Australia Provider for information on finding an employer and for ongoing support
- find a course provider that delivers the course as a traineeship.
To get help:
- contact the TAFE and Training Line
- visit our apprenticeships and traineeships page
- visit Apprenticeships Victoria.

Units of study

Core units

Unit title	Unit code
Assess co-existing needs	CHCCCS004
Develop and implement service programs	CHCCCS007
Recognise and respond to crisis situations	CHCCCS019
Facilitate and review case management	CHCCSM013
Analyse impacts of sociological factors on people in community work and services	CHCDEV005
Recognise and respond appropriately to domestic and family violence	CHCDFV001
Work with diverse people	CHCDIV001
Promote Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultural safety	CHCDIV002
Manage legal and ethical compliance	CHCLEG003
Facilitate workplace debriefing and support processes	CHCMGT005
Reflect on and improve own professional practice	CHCPRP003
Maintain work health and safety	HLTWHS003

Elective units

Unit title	Unit code
Manage personal health and wellbeing	BSBPEF401
Provide advocacy and representation services	CHCADV002
Represent clients in court	CHCADV003
Represent organisation in court or tribunal	CHCADV004
Provide systems advocacy services	CHCADV005
Assess needs of clients with alcohol and other drugs issues	CHCAOD004
Provide alcohol and other drugs withdrawal services	CHCAOD005
Develop strategies for alcohol and other drugs relapse prevention and management	CHCAOD007
Provide advanced interventions to meet the needs of clients with alcohol and other drugs issues	CHCAOD008
Develop and review individual alcohol and other drugs treatment plans	CHCAOD009
Increase the safety of individuals at risk of suicide	CHCCCS003
Facilitate responsible behaviour	CHCCCS009
Identify and report abuse	CHCCCS033
Support people with autism spectrum disorder	CHCCCS035
Facilitate the empowerment of people receiving support	CHCCCS038
Develop and deliver community projects	CHCCDE023
Support community action	CHCCDE024
Develop and support community leadership	CHCCDE025
Develop and lead community engagement strategies to enhance participation	CHCCDE026
Implement community development strategies	CHCCDE027
Work within organisation and government structures to enable community development outcomes	CHCCDE028
Develop and implement a community renewal plan	CHCCDE031
Develop workplace communication strategies	CHCCOM003
Present information to stakeholder groups	CHCCOM004
Establish and confirm the counselling relationship	CHCCSL001
Apply specialist interpersonal and counselling interview skills	CHCCSL002
Facilitate the counselling relationship and process	CHCCSL003
Support counselling clients in decision-making processes	CHCCSL007
Facilitate goal directed planning	CHCCSM009
Implement case management practice	CHCCSM010
Coordinate complex case requirements	CHCCSM012
Provide case management supervision	CHCCSM014
Undertake case management in a child protection framework	CHCCSM015
Undertake advanced assessments	CHCCSM016
Confirm developmental status	CHCDEV004
Analyse information for service planning and delivery	CHCDEV006
Provide support to children affected by domestic and family violence	CHCDFV002
Provide domestic and family violence support in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities	CHCDFV004
Counsel clients affected by domestic and family violence	CHCDFV006
Work with users of violence to effect change	CHCDFV007
Establish change promoting relationship with users of domestic and family violence	CHCDFV009
Make safety plans with people who have been subjected to domestic and family violence	CHCDFV012
Develop and provide person-centred service responses	CHCDIS015
Develop and promote positive person-centred behaviour supports	CHCDIS016
Facilitate community participation and social inclusion	CHCDIS017
Provide person-centred services to people with disability with complex needs	CHCDIS019
Manage and promote diversity	CHCDIV003
Plan health promotion and community intervention	CHCEDU002
Provide sexual and reproductive health information to clients	CHCEDU003
Develop, implement and review sexual and reproductive health education programs	CHCEDU004
Provide parenting, health and well-being education	CHCEDU009
Operate in a family law environment	CHCFAM001
Support people to improve relationships	CHCFAM003
Facilitate changeovers	CHCFAM004
Facilitate and monitor contact	CHCFAM005
Assist families to self-manage contact	CHCFAM006
Plan and conduct group activities	CHCGRP002
Meet statutory and organisation information requirements	CHCINM001
Respond to client language, literacy and numeracy needs	CHCLLN001
Develop, implement and review quality framework	CHCMGT001
Manage partnership agreements with service providers	CHCMGT002
Lead the work team	CHCMGT003
Secure and manage funding	CHCMGT004
Coordinate client directed services	CHCMGT006
Work with people with mental health issues	CHCMHS001
Establish self-directed recovery relationships	CHCMHS002
Provide recovery oriented mental health services	CHCMHS003
Work collaboratively with the care network and other services	CHCMHS004
Provide services to people with co-existing mental health and alcohol and other drugs issues	CHCMHS005
Facilitate the recovery process with the person, family and carers	CHCMHS006
Work effectively in trauma informed care	CHCMHS007
Promote and facilitate self advocacy	CHCMHS008
Assess and promote social, emotional and physical wellbeing	CHCMHS011
Implement trauma informed care	CHCMHS013
Develop and implement policy	CHCPOL002
Research and apply evidence to practice	CHCPOL003
Develop and maintain networks and collaborative partnerships	CHCPRP001
Promote and represent the service	CHCPRP004
Engage with health professionals and the health system	CHCPRP005
Identify and report children and young people at risk	CHCPRT025
Support the rights and safety of children and young people	CHCPRT026
Work collaboratively to maintain an environment safe for children and young people	CHCPRT027
Work within a practice framework	CHCPRT029
Provide supervision in a secure system	CHCPRT032
Provide support to children and youth in out-of-home care	CHCPRT033
Work with children and young people with complex trauma and attachment issues and needs	CHCPRT034
Work with forced migrants	CHCSET003
Undertake bicultural work with forced migrants in Australia	CHCSET004
Work with people experiencing or at risk of homelessness	CHCSOH013
Manage and maintain tenancy agreements and services	CHCSOH014
Manage head lease	CHCSOH019
Develop quality systems in line with registration standards	CHCSOH020
Work with clients within the social housing system	CHCSOH021
Develop social housing enterprise opportunities	CHCSOH022
Acquire properties by purchase or transfer	CHCSOH023
Engage respectfully with young people	CHCYTH013
Respond to critical situations	CHCYTH016
Develop and implement procedures to enable young people to address their needs	CHCYTH017
Provide services for the needs and circumstances of young people	CHCYTH022
Manage service response to young people in crisis	CHCYTH024
Provide information/strategies to enhance capacities of Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander families	HLTAHW031
Provide Advanced First Aid	HLTAID014

Course providers

This course is offered by the following providers. Click on the links to the provider websites for the latest information on course details, fees and how to apply.

Government funding for eligible students:

Locations: Bendigo
Delivery modes: Full time on-campus
- Visit Bendigo TAFE for course details, fees and how to apply
- Check our FAQs on choosing a course and provider
Government funding for eligible students:

Locations: Elgar (Box Hill), Whitehorse (Box Hill), City (Melbourne), Nelson (Box Hill), Lilydale Lakeside (Lilydale)
Delivery modes: Full time on-campus, Part time on-campus
- Visit Box Hill Institute for course details, fees and how to apply
- Check our FAQs on choosing a course and provider
Government funding for eligible students:

Locations: Online, Moorabbin
Delivery modes: Part time on-campus, Online, Full time on-campus
- Visit Holmesglen Institute for course details, fees and how to apply
- Check our FAQs on choosing a course and provider
Government funding for eligible students:

Locations: Broadmeadows
Delivery modes: Full time on-campus
- Visit Kangan Institute for course details, fees and how to apply
- Check our FAQs on choosing a course and provider
Government funding for eligible students:

Locations: Swan Hill, Mildura
Delivery modes: Full time on-campus
- Visit SuniTAFE for course details, fees and how to apply
- Check our FAQs on choosing a course and provider
Government funding for eligible students:

Locations: Warragul, Off campus, Traralgon
Delivery modes: Full time on-campus, Online
- Visit TAFE Gippsland for course details, fees and how to apply
- Check our FAQs on choosing a course and provider
Government funding for eligible students:

Locations: Online, Corryong
Delivery modes: Online, Flexible delivery, Full time on-campus, Part time on-campus
- Visit Australian Institute of Flexible Learning for course details, fees and how to apply
- Check our FAQs on choosing a course and provider