Welfare Workers assist individuals, families, and groups with social, emotional or financial difficulties to improve quality of life, by educating and supporting them and working towards change in their social environment.

Skill Level

1

Alternative Titles

• Welfare Case Worker

Unless you are exempt in very limited circumstances, you are required to have a positive Skills Assessment to apply for the visas listed above.

Skills Assessment authority for Welfare Worker is Australian Community Workers Association (ACWA). To have a positive skills assessment, you must meet the following criteria:

• Relevant Qualification
  • Must possess a relevant qualification at AQF Level 5. This can be one of the following:
    • An ACWA accredited qualification – diploma or higher
    • A professionally accredited course assessed and recognised by ACWA as equivalent to an ACWA accredited AQF Level 7 degree or higher
    • A relevant bachelor’s degree or higher related to community services
• Proficiency in English
  • Applicants must demonstrate their English proficiency in one of the following ways:
    • English language test results – must be within 3 years of the application
      • IETLS Level 7.0 in all bands
      • PTE Academic 65 in each band
      • Advanced (CAE) 185 in each band
      • TOEFL IBT PTE 24 in listening and reading, 27 in writing and 23 in speaking
    • Study conducted in English from a country where English is the main language
    • Two years of relevant industry experience in an English-speaking country
    • A suitable skills assessment that expired within the last 6 months
• Employment and Currency
  • Applicants must demonstrate employment within the industry at an appropriate skill level within the last 4 years
    • Applicants with an ACWA accredited or recognised relevant qualification are deemed to have sufficient industry experience;
      • Note: if there are shortcomings identified, ACWA may ask the applicant to reapply after completing 3 months full time or part time equivalent industry experience
    • Applicants with a relevant bachelor’s degree must have a minimum of 2 years full time or part time equivalent industry experience within the last 4 years
  • Applicants must demonstrate their skills and knowledge are up to date by:
    • Holding a qualification that is less than 4 years old; or
    • A minimum of 3 months full-time employment or part-time equivalent in a relevant current role at the required skill level; or
    • At least 6 months relevant employment at the appropriate skill level in the past 18 months

Design and implement strategies and programs to meet community and individual needs and assist individuals, families and groups with social, emotional and financial difficulties to improve quality of life by educating and supporting them and working towards change in their social environment.

Tasks

• Researching and analysing community issues, needs and problems
• Developing, evaluating and maintaining community resources and programs
• Evaluating data and writing reports such as submissions requesting funding for continuing programs and new projects
• Identifying issues of local need, concerns and aspirations through community consultation
• Organising local sporting, cultural and recreational events and activities such as community functions, hobby classes, community arts projects and sporting competitions
• Providing support while exploring alternatives with clients who experience difficulties such as marital problems, unemployment, illness and drug abuse
• Assessing risks and providing intensive short-term crisis counselling for victims of domestic violence, child abuse, disasters and other crises
• Assisting to establish and administer neighbourhood houses, community groups, employment training programs and other services

Skill Level

Most occupations in this unit group have a level of skill commensurate with a bachelor degree or higher qualification. At least five years of relevant experience may substitute for the formal qualification. In some instances relevant experience and/or on-the-job training may be required in addition to the formal qualification (ANZSCO Skill Level 1).

Occupations in this Group

• 272611 Community Arts Worker
• 272612 Recreation Officer (Aus) / Recreation Coordinator (NZ)
• 272613 Welfare Worker