What are common tasks human services workers perform? check all that apply.

Day in the life of a community service worker

Do you have a passion for helping others? Are you looking for a way to give back to your community, make a real, tangible, positive difference in the world and feel good every day? If so, consider a career in the community service sector. Studies show that workers in this industry enjoy higher levels of job satisfaction than in other industries – and who can argue? You get to help others every day, improving their lives and, in turn, improving yours. As the Dalai Lama says, “If you want others to be happy, practise compassion. If you want to be happy, practise compassion.” Workers in the Community Service sector care for the people throughout their community, including the elderly and the disabled. Your compassionate and empathetic nature can help people face their challenges, live better lives and reach their goals. It can be a rewarding career path where you can really make a difference to someone’s quality of life, and in turn it will also provide you with the satisfaction of helping others.

A wide variety of roles to choose from

The community services sector covers a broad area that includes; home and community care, aged care, disability support, mental health and counselling. As a community service worker, a number of career opportunities are open to you to choose from. Some of the roles that fall under the banner of ‘community service worker’ include; case worker, crisis intervention worker, advocate, counsellor, community program coordinator, personal care giver, child protection officer and halfway house supervisor. With such a wide variety, you are sure to find your passion.

Community service workers; truly caring for others

Community service workers provide care and support to their clients, allowing them to become more independent in their lives, as they assist with everyday activities such as personal care, feeding, household chores and cleaning, amongst others. Community service workers also help those who are marginalised and excluded from society to change their situation. They tackle the problems that face their community, working to ensure that all adults, children and young people with their families have access to nurturing and stimulating environments in which to grow and reach their full potential. It can be a rewarding career pathway, providing personal, social, physical and emotional support when it is most needed. When you choose a career as a community service worker, your actions give others hope for a better and brighter future.

Community service worker; what does your day look like?

So, what does a day in the life of a community service worker look like? This really depends on what area you are employed in, as community service workers are employed in a wide variety of areas and work in many capacities. This is the beauty of working in this industry – there is such variety of roles. You might find employment in a community centre, a group home, long-term care facilities or residential housing units. Some areas you could specialise in include; aged care, disability support, mental health and counselling, child protection or family services.

Community service worker; working at an organisation

Many community service workers are employed by community centres or organisations and their duties are primarily undertaken in an office environment. These duties can involve assessing the needs of clients; planning, developing and implementing support programs; providing a personal level of care to clients, such as grooming and feeding; and providing emotional support to clients. Clients can include pregnant teenagers, homeless people, families or the elderly.

Community service worker; working on a personal level

At a personal level, a community services worker might work with their client at their home, assisting with cleaning, washing, vacuuming, bathing, dressing, feeding and grooming. You may have a variety of different clients and perform a variety of roles for them each day. Your morning might start with an elderly client who is independent but unable to drive, and so you take them grocery shopping and to any appointments. Your day could finish with a client that is socially isolated and you spend some time with them, taking care of their emotional and social needs.

Community service worker; shift work

If you find employment in a long-term care facility or similar, you might find yourself with shift work. You could start your shift with a meeting to catch up on any events from the previous shift staff. Then you’ll work through your day, greeting patients, organising activities and helping them with their needs. By the end of the day, you’ll be ready to write up your daily reports and update the next round of staff as they begin their shifts.

A fast-growing industry

There is a growing demand for Community Service Workers in Australia. The industry is considered Australia’s second-largest employing industry, with over 1.5 million people employed in the industry last year. The Community Services sector is one of the fastest growing industries with a growth rate of five percent year on year. Community service worker jobs have also been forecast for strong growth over the next few years, with job openings to rise sharply at about 6000 per year.

Community service worker; skills and attributes

Employers are on the lookout for employees who have a passion for helping others, are self-motivated, well-presented with good communication and interpersonal skills. If that sounds like you, become a community service worker and get ready to make a real difference to the quality of someone’s life. Consider a course where you can learn how to support the elderly or individuals experiencing issues with alcohol or drugs, and get the skills to support the people around you and be the first point of contact in a crisis situation.

If you’re interested, Industry Skills Training offers training in Community Services. Start your journey in this field by discovering more about getting the skills you need here.

• Face-to-Face Discussions — How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?

• Contact With Others — How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?

  • Constant contact with others

  • Contact with others most of the time

• Electronic Mail — How often do you use electronic mail in this job?

  • Once a week or more but not every day

• Telephone — How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

  • Once a week or more but not every day

• Work With Work Group or Team — How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?

• Deal With External Customers — How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?

• Letters and Memos — How often does the job require written letters and memos?

  • Once a week or more but not every day

  • Once a month or more but not every week

• Coordinate or Lead Others — How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?

• Indoors, Environmentally Controlled — How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?

• Time Pressure — How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?

  • Once a week or more but not every day

• Importance of Being Exact or Accurate — How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?

• Structured versus Unstructured Work — To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?

• Freedom to Make Decisions — How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?

• Responsible for Others' Health and Safety — How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?

• Frequency of Conflict Situations — How often are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job?

  • Once a week or more but not every day

  • Once a month or more but not every week

• Frequency of Decision Making — How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?

  • Once a week or more but not every day

  • Once a year or more but not every month

• Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results — What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?

• Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People — How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements?

  • Once a week or more but not every day

  • Once a month or more but not every week

  • Once a year or more but not every month

• Physical Proximity — To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people?

  • Very close (near touching)

  • Moderately close (at arm's length)

  • Slightly close (e.g., shared office)

  • I work with others but not closely (e.g., private office)

• Sounds, Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable — How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable?

  • Once a week or more but not every day

• Importance of Repeating Same Tasks — How important is repeating the same physical activities (e.g., key entry) or mental activities (e.g., checking entries in a ledger) over and over, without stopping, to performing this job?

• Spend Time Sitting — How much does this job require sitting?

  • Continually or almost continually

• Public Speaking — How often do you have to perform public speaking in this job?

  • Once a week or more but not every day

  • Once a month or more but not every week

• Responsibility for Outcomes and Results — How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?

• Exposed to Disease or Infections — How often does this job require exposure to disease/infections?

  • Once a week or more but not every day

  • Once a month or more but not every week

  • Once a year or more but not every month

• Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions — How much does this job require making repetitive motions?

  • Continually or almost continually

• In an Enclosed Vehicle or Equipment — How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or equipment (e.g., car)?

• Consequence of Error — How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not readily correctable?

• Exposed to Contaminants — How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)?

  • Once a week or more but not every day

• Duration of Typical Work Week — Number of hours typically worked in one week.

• Level of Competition — To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?

• Spend Time Walking and Running — How much does this job require walking and running?

• Very Hot or Cold Temperatures — How often does this job require working in very hot (above 90 F degrees) or very cold (below 32 F degrees) temperatures?

  • Once a year or more but not every month

• Spend Time Standing — How much does this job require standing?

• Outdoors, Exposed to Weather — How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?

  • Once a week or more but not every day

  • Once a year or more but not every month

• Degree of Automation — How automated is the job?

• Deal With Physically Aggressive People — How frequently does this job require the worker to deal with physical aggression of violent individuals?

  • Once a month or more but not every week

  • Once a year or more but not every month

• Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls — How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?

  • Continually or almost continually

• Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting — How often does this job require working in extremely bright or inadequate lighting conditions?

  • Once a month or more but not every week

  • Once a year or more but not every month

• Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled — How often does this job require working indoors in non-controlled environmental conditions (e.g., warehouse without heat)?

  • Once a year or more but not every month

• Spend Time Bending or Twisting the Body — How much does this job require bending or twisting your body?

• Outdoors, Under Cover — How often does this job require working outdoors, under cover (e.g., structure with roof but no walls)?

  • Once a year or more but not every month

• Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets — How much does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets?

  • Once a year or more but not every month

• Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance — How much does this job require keeping or regaining your balance?

• Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling — How much does this job require kneeling, crouching, stooping or crawling?

• Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions — How often does this job require working in cramped work spaces that requires getting into awkward positions?

• Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings — How often does this job require exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings?

  • Once a year or more but not every month

• Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment — How important is it to this job that the pace is determined by the speed of equipment or machinery? (This does not refer to keeping busy at all times on this job.)

• Exposed to Radiation — How often does this job require exposure to radiation?

• Work Schedules — How regular are the work schedules for this job?

  • Irregular (changes with weather conditions, production demands, or contract duration)

  • Regular (established routine, set schedule)

• Exposed to High Places — How often does this job require exposure to high places?

• Exposed to Hazardous Conditions — How often does this job require exposure to hazardous conditions?

• Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection — How much does this job require wearing specialized protective or safety equipment such as breathing apparatus, safety harness, full protection suits, or radiation protection?

• Exposed to Hazardous Equipment — How often does this job require exposure to hazardous equipment?

• Exposed to Whole Body Vibration — How often does this job require exposure to whole body vibration (e.g., operate a jackhammer)?

• In an Open Vehicle or Equipment — How often does this job require working in an open vehicle or equipment (e.g., tractor)?

• Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles — How much does this job require climbing ladders, scaffolds, or poles?

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