Community education officer job profile

Encouraging lifelong learning and increasing access to education within disadvantaged communities is an important aspect of community education work

As a community education officer, you'll aim to get communities involved in local education or training opportunities and will promote what's on offer.

This can include programmes to develop skills in literacy and numeracy, life skills or practical skills, such as budgeting, cooking or learning how to use a computer.

You'll usually work in areas of social deprivation or high unemployment and it's likely you'll be involved in diverse communities. You may be based in non-traditional venues such as community centres, children's centres, libraries and churches.

In this role, you'll work closely with course providers, community support workers and external partners such as staff at the Department for Work and Pensions.

Responsibilities

You'll typically need to:

engage with individuals and community groups, such as residents' associations, parents' groups and young people
identify local interests and needs and ways to meet them
help potential learners to overcome existing barriers to learning
work with individuals to create learning plans
formulate service plans and priorities in cooperation with other providers
encourage and influence the development of new learning opportunities through formal and informal classes as well as individual tutoring and mentoring
support the development of community or local voluntary groups
identify the training needs of local volunteers and provide for them
source grants and funding for community projects
allocate and monitor budgets
undertake the administration and evaluation of provision and report to advisory bodies and management groups
manage staff and volunteers and deal with team training (more usual in senior roles).

Salary

Starting salaries in the public sector range from £23,500 to £28,000. Salaries in the voluntary sector may be lower.
Salaries for more senior posts range from £26,000 to in excess of £32,000.
Staff combining management or strategic roles with tutoring and curriculum development, or those in school management posts with a community remit, may receive higher salaries.

Income figures are intended as a guide only.

Working hours

Working hours are typically around 37 to 40 hours per week. Flexible working may be offered and you could also be expected to work evenings and/or weekends to reach local communities.

There are good opportunities for part-time work and career breaks may be available.

Many posts depend on funding and are initially short-term contracts lasting up to two years at a time. This can prove frustrating, particularly due to the long-term developmental nature of the work.

What to expect

Although the work is generally office based, for example in a college, community centre, school or local authority office, you may spend time travelling to meet clients or training providers, or to attend meetings.
There are job opportunities throughout the UK, but the number of vacancies fluctuates according to the availability of funding.
Much of the working day is spent in casual settings and the dress code is relaxed. You may be required to dress smartly for meetings with senior management or funders.
The work often requires sensitivity, creativity and determination to overcome barriers and engage learners. You may need to be prepared for setbacks before success is achieved.
Encouraging lifelong learning and increasing access to education in areas of the community that haven't traditionally taken part before can be challenging. For example, helping the homeless, those with substance addiction, perpetrators and/or victims of crime or domestic violence. However, when successful, results can be very rewarding.

Qualifications

You can become a community education officer with any degree, however the following subjects at degree or HND/foundation degree level increase your chances of employment:

community development
community education
educational studies
English or communication studies
social sciences
sociology or social policy
social work
sport development
youth work.

For most posts, you'll need a degree plus relevant paid or voluntary community experience. Many community education officers come from a youth and community background, while others have teaching or adult tutoring qualifications and experience.

Although not essential, a postgraduate qualification relating to community work or community education may be useful, especially if your degree is in an unrelated subject.

Entry without a degree is sometimes possible if you've got extensive experience, especially for posts in the voluntary sector, or posts linked closely with recreational or family activities. Entry requirements can vary widely depending on the specific role, so check job adverts carefully.

Skills

You'll need to have:

excellent interpersonal and communication skills
the ability to relate to, motivate and empathise with a range of people from different backgrounds
a demonstrable respect for equality and diversity and the ability to promote equal opportunity practices
an understanding of different value bases
persistence and resilience, as results are often not immediate, and outcomes can't be guaranteed
the capacity to create and lead groups, as well as be a participative member of them
the ability to work independently, making decisions and using initiative to establish projects
good planning and organisational skills
a high level of creativity and problem-solving ability as helping people to overcome barriers can be challenging
a flexible approach and the ability to cope with change
the ability to interpret, communicate and implement complex information
an understanding of methods of engagement for 'hard to reach' groups
the ability to reflect constructively on current practice and adapt accordingly.

Work experience

Try to get some relevant work experience or get involved in volunteering, as this will provide important practical experience and help you to decide if community work is really for you. This could be within youth work, adult education or working with disadvantaged groups. Contact your local volunteer bureau or student volunteer centre or search for opportunities at:

Your university careers service may be able to advise you on widening participation initiatives and vacancies within your institution. Getting a paid job is often the result of networking and maintaining contacts made through voluntary experience.

Find out more about the different kinds of work experience and internships that are available.

Employers

Most community education officers are employed in the voluntary sector, the public sector or in local government. Main employers include:

local authorities
schools and colleges of further and higher education
voluntary educational bodies, such as the Workers' Educational Association (WEA) - adult education in England and Scotland
youth and community organisations
sports clubs, arts organisations such as orchestras, theatres, galleries, museums and heritage organisations, such as Historic Environment Scotland and the National Trust
voluntary organisations, particularly those with a specific remit for work with young people, the homeless, those with mental health issues and special interest groups.

Jobs may also be available in areas of widening participation and lifelong learning, such as:

outreach work
flexible educational provision - such as family learning programmes
programmes designed to encourage participation in vocational training and life skills development
particular educational specialist areas - for example, partnerships between local colleges and local authority departments, such as social work, community services and housing.

You may work alongside community organisations such as residents' associations, ethnic minority organisations or faith groups. Community education is just as likely to happen informally through community action projects as through formal programmes of learning.

Look for job vacancies at:

Professional development

Once in the role, you can develop your skills and knowledge through short courses.

These are often provided in-house or by other organisations associated with community development and lifelong learning. Such training opportunities are often funded through regional development agencies and may be coordinated by:

It's also possible to take a postgraduate course in community studies/work or community education.

If you're heavily involved in outreach roles, you may find that NVQ or diploma qualifications in youth and community work enhance your career prospects. Such courses may be available part time for you to complete alongside your job and may be encouraged and/or paid for by your employer.

Specific qualifications in teaching in further education may be useful for certain roles. See Education & Training Foundation - FE Advice for details.

Career prospects

As community education work is so diverse, you may make sideways moves in your career as you gain experience in a range of community education roles - before considering promotion opportunities.

Your career prospects will depend partly on the employer you work for. For example, structured progression to management is more likely within large education services, further education colleges or local authorities. If you work for a smaller organisation, you may find it necessary to seek out a new role with a different employer.

Career development could mean a move towards more formal settings such as careers advice, adult tutoring, social work or other areas of community work. If you move into a management role, it's likely this will involve working on policy, planning and the coordination of provision with less direct work with communities themselves.

You can also find ways to progress your career by specialising in particular client groups.

Community education officer