Yalga-binbi Institute for Community Development

WHAT DOES A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WORKER DO?

The role of a community development worker is to work with local groups and communities so that they become empowered to achieve their own goals of development, social justice, self-reliance, equality and so on.

The work is about supporting others to achieve the kind of social change or projects that they aspire to, rather than the goals and priorities that are often set for them by others.

This might mean, for example, helping a group to establish a business enterprise, women to establish their own support group, young people to gain education and employment. It could also mean assisting people in their struggles for land rights, the recognition of their own law and traditions, and combating racial prejudice.

Community development work can sometimes be demanding and challenging. Achieving positive social change and justice does not always come easily.

Therefore workers need to be personally motivated and committed to the people they are working with.

The Diploma of Community Development (CHC51402) is designed to give students and workers a wide range of practical skills and knowledge that are needed to work effectively in the field. Within the workplace and community setting, it is expected that Diploma level graduates will be able to operate with a degree of independence and with broad direction from senior managers.

Community development work may involve a wide range of styles of work that all contribute to the development of a community or group, such as public education, planning, health promotion, community consultation, advocacy, research, social policy development, organising public campaigns, and so on.

COURSE DETAILS

Yalga-binbi Institute offers the Diploma course on a part-time basis only through a mixed mode of delivery. It is designed to be completed over a four year period.

Residential workshops are held in Townsville, or other suitable locations, four times a year. Each workshop runs for a ten day period, although the first workshop on entry to the course may be up to three weeks long. Students will work through assignments and reading materials, undertake work placements and field work, and prepare reports. They may be supported in
their community by a tutor or a workplace supervisor

This kind of course delivery allows students to continue to live and work in their communities or jobs and undertake practical projects and private study related to their community involvements.

Assessment will be based on the successful completion of all Units of thecourse.

The course is competency-based. That is to say, assessment will be based on how well students do the performance criteria for each Unit that they study.

This makes the course a practical one, and field work projects will be an important part of the course.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
DOWNLOAD the COURSE HANDBOOK HERE as a pdf document.