Community and support workers
Community and support workers provide essential practical and emotional assistance to individuals facing mental health challenges, helping them navigate everyday life and build valuable life skills. Learn about how they deliver reliable support when people need it most.
What is a community and support worker?
A community and support worker supports people with mental health problems. This can involve both practical and emotional support. Mental health support workers help people develop life skills. As well as often encouraging them to participate in community activities.
Support workers also help people navigate issues that may be difficult for them to face. This could involve helping with housing, employment, or attending appointments and social groups. Mental health support workers often develop a strong understanding of their client’s needs. Because of this, they can also act as advocates and liaise with other professionals.
Here are some of the types of community and support worker roles you may find in Queensland.
Aged Care Worker
Provides emotional and physical support to elderly people in residential care facilities or their own homes.
Child Protection Worker
Investigates reports of child abuse and neglect, ensuring the safety and well-being of children.
Disability Support Worker
Assists people with disabilities in their daily lives, promoting independence and participation in the community.
Family Support Worker
Offers support and guidance to families facing challenges, such as domestic violence, financial hardship, or parenting issues.
Mental Health Support Worker
Provides support and companionship for people living with a mental health condition, typically through an NDIS plan.
Youth Worker
Works with young people to address their needs and concerns, providing support with education, employment, and social issues.
Become a Community and Support Worker in Queensland
What qualifications do I need?
To qualify as a community and support worker, a Certificate IV in Mental Health is usually required. However, this may not be necessary if you have a certificate in a related field.
Different organisations often have different requirements that their support workers need to meet. Most often, First Aid and CPR certifications are necessary to work as a support worker. This is so organisations can ensure their clients are in safe hands. Support workers help people who struggle to look after themselves. As such they need to be able to provide a certain level of care and security.
Some organisations may accept relevant experience instead of formal qualifications. Having worked as a carer in your personal life may qualify.
Where do support workers work?
Community and support workers often work in a lot of different settings. Many are found in community mental health services and residential support facilities.
Support workers can also work at outreach programs, day programs and drop-in centres. However, some support workers can also work in schools as well as offer personal one-to-one support.
The daily life of a community and support worker in Queensland
Depending on where you work, your specific daily duties may be different. However, most support workers meet with their clients to start the day. Support work involves communicating clearly with your client. This is so that you can address the challenges and issues they deal with.
This may involve helping them with recovery plans or organising their day. It may also involve providing emotional support or encouragement to attend community activities. As well as helping them navigate and liaise with other mental health professionals.
Acting as a mental health support worker generally involves helping people manage their mental health. This is achieved by teaching valuable coping skills and strategies they can use. The client’s current needs decide the daily life of a mental health support worker.
Common questions about community and support workers
While it can be beneficial, this role does not require previous experience in mental health. Many organisations will accept your work as long as you meet their requirements. A strong desire to work in the field and a willingness to learn is often enough to get an entry-level position.
A support worker provides generalised care to help individuals with their daily living needs. A mental health support worker focuses on improving mental health. They use specific strategies and techniques to achieve this.
Mental Health Support Workers focus on providing practical and psychosocial support. Mental Health Nurses differ in their training. With their qualifications, mental health nurses can administer medication. They can also perform clinical assessments where support workers cannot.
Mental health support workers can make an average of $72,000 a year. While entry-level positions can start at around $65,000, experienced positions can reach up to $100,000 annually.
Mental health support workers rely heavily on their communication skills. If they don’t connect properly with their clients, they’ll struggle to provide the support they need. Along with communication, support workers need to be able to adapt quickly and manage their own emotions well. With these qualities, you can provide great support work.
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