Community services - a career that matters

The community services sector assists people to live a safe, inclusive and valued life.

Working in the community services sector, you’ll be providing a wide range of services, supports and programs to assist vulnerable Victorians and those who need extra help. Your work will make a huge difference in many lives. Community service sector employers include local and state governments, and private or community organisations, including not-for-profits.

The community services sector provides both short term and ongoing support and programs across a range of areas including:

• healthcare
• housing and homelessness
• children and family services
• family violence and sexual assault
• food relief
• counselling
• job seeking
• legal aid
• education and training.

In any of these settings, your skills, expertise and passion will make a real difference and help change lives. Your work will directly benefit:

• children and their families
• older people
• people from a culturally and linguistically diverse background
• asylum seekers and refugees
• people with a disability
• people living in rural or remote areas
• people who have experienced a natural disaster.

Types of roles in the community services sector

The roles in the sector are many and varied. They span and intersect across areas that include child protection, family violence and sexual assault, disability, housing, children and families. The roles cover a wide breadth of rewarding and dynamic work from entry level and above, including:

• crisis care response
• respite and support care
• advocacy
• casework
• counselling
• program and policy development
• administration and management
• finance, IT and human resources.

The sector values and welcomes a diverse workforce made up of different ages and cultural backgrounds. Once you’re working in an organisation, there are many opportunities for training and professional development to further your career.

Day in the life videos