Community Support Worker
What is a Community Support Worker and what do they do?
Community Support Workers (CSWs) help people in their regular daily activities. Community Support Workers also build relationships with people and support them to manage their health and well-being. They may also assist people in attending appointments and activities.
For more information on what a Community Support Worker does check out the following website links:
What do Child and Adolescent Mental Health and AOD Community Support Workers do?
- help children and young people to access, and maintain involvement in, their community
- support children and young people in their regular daily activities
- assist children and young people to manage their health and well-being by supporting them to attend health appointments
- help children and young people to attend school or work, community events, appointments, go shopping etc
- support the work of clinically trained staff
- support family/whanau to understand what the child or young person is going through
What's great about this job?
- you support children and young people to lead a fulfilling life
- you get to relate to children and young people, often one-on-one
- it’s varied and can include such things as participating in outdoor activities, attending sports events, camping and weekends away
What personal qualities do you need?
A Community Support Worker needs to be:
- able to work effectively and get along with children and young people
- a good communicator
- creative
- able to problem-solve, work independently, organise their own time and resources, and work well in a team environment
- knowledgeable of own culture and preferably language
- able to 'see the big picture'
- flexible in their approach to work arrangements
Who could you work with?
Depending on where they work, Child and Adolescent Community Support Workers can work with all ages of children and youth. An important part of being a Child and Adolescent Community Support Worker is also working with families. CSWs often work alongside other mental health workers as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
What kinds of places could you work in?
Child and Adolescent Mental Health CSWs work in various settings. These can include the child or young person's home, respite facilities, in the workplace, in day programmes or with children and young people during their social, leisure and educational time.
How much could you expect to earn?
Salaries vary, but most Community Support Workers earn between $25,000 and $35,000+ per year.
Are there any scholarships you can apply for to help with the cost of studying?
Yes! There are a number of scholarships that you may be able to apply for. Click here for details.
For information on where you can study to become a Community Support Worker, how long it takes and what you should study at school click here for the Community Support Worker page on the Career Services website.
