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- Make sure education, training and recreation courses meet the needs of the local community
- Requires excellent written, verbal and IT skills, the ability to encourage and motivate people and have sensitivity and understanding
- Option to specialise in training, working with particular groups, or move into consultancy work
As a community education officer, you'll help to organise and promote participation in local education or training opportunities. You'll work closely with course providers, community support workers and external partners.
DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES
- Work with local groups and find out their needs and interests
- Encourage course providers to develop new learning opportunities
- Work with local schools, colleges and community centres to arrange places and times for courses
- Prepare and give out information to the community
- Help overcome barriers to learning
- Help recruit tutors and organise training
- Make sure targets are met e.g. learner numbers
- Do administrative work such as keeping financial records
- Control budgets and bid for funding (at a senior level)
DAY-TO-DAY ENVIRONMENT
You'll usually be based in an office in a school, college or local centre where courses are held.
Earnings may be lower in the voluntary sector. Hours are sometimes flexible, and part-time hours are often available.
You'll need
This role is ideal for someone with excellent written, verbal and IT skills, the ability to encourage and motivate people and have sensitivity and understanding.
You'll usually need one of the following to become a community education coordinator, depending on the job: a further education teaching qualification and experience, a youth and community qualification and experience, or paid or voluntary community education or development experience.
You can apply directly for jobs if you've got paid or voluntary experience of working in the community. For example, in adult education, teaching or youth work and experience of working with disadvantaged or vulnerable groups will also be helpful.
Volunteering is a good way to build up contacts and can help you to get work in community education or development. You can find volunteering opportunities through The National Council for Voluntary Organisations and Do-it.
You could have an advantage for this role if you have a foundation degree or degree in a subject like education, sociology, or youth and community work.
Alternatively you could take a college course, which may help when applying for a trainee job. Courses include a level 2 and 3 Certificate in Community Development and level 4 Higher National Certificate in Social and Community Work.
You could also start by doing an advanced apprenticeship in youth work, learning and development or community arts management.
CAREER PROSPECTS
With experience you could move into management, specialise in working with particular groups, training, or move into consultancy work. You could also move into community development work.