Community education co-ordinator Job Information | National Careers Service

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Community education co-ordinator

Hours

30-40 per week
Starting salary

£20,000 + per year

If you are enthusiastic about adult learning, and you can encourage and motivate people, this job could be ideal for you.

As a community education co-ordinator, you would make sure educational and recreational courses are available to meet the needs of the local community, and encourage people to take part in them.

In this job you would need to be a good communicator. You would need to be a good planner and organiser. You would also need to understand the education system.

Many people who get into this job have experience and qualifications in areas like further education teaching, youth and community work, or voluntary work.

The work

You could work with the whole community or a particular group, such as families, ethnic minority groups or young people. Many jobs are in areas where there are high levels of unemployment or social deprivation.

Your tasks would typically include:

working with local groups to identify their needs and interests
planning ways to meet these needs
encouraging course providers to develop new learning opportunities to meet community needs
preparing and distributing information about learning opportunities
working with local schools, colleges and community centres to arrange venues and times for courses
making sure that local and national targets are met
taking part in the recruitment of tutors
administrative work (you may have an assistant to help with this)
controlling budgets and bidding for funding (at a senior level).

You may also be responsible for encouraging people to get involved in activities in a particular setting, such as a museum or theatre.

Hours

You could work full-time or part-time hours, usually including evenings, and sometimes Saturdays.

You would usually be based in an office in a school, college or local centre where courses are held. You would need to travel locally to visit classes and attend meetings.

Income

Community education co-ordinators can earn between £20,000 and £25,000 a year. Earnings for senior posts can be £30,000 or more.

Earnings may be lower in the voluntary sector.

Figures are intended as a guideline only.

Entry requirements

You will usually need one of the following, depending on the job:

a further education teaching qualification and experience
a youth and community qualification and experience
paid or voluntary community education or development experience.

See the LSIS Information and Advice website for full details of further education teaching

You may find it useful to have a degree in a subject like educational studies, community education, communication studies or youth and community work, although this is not essential.

As you will need to travel locally, you will usually need a driving licence and access to a vehicle.

Training and development

Once you are working as a community education co-ordinator, you can develop your skills and keep up to date with lifelong learning developments by attending short courses. These may be provided in-house, or by lifelong learning or community development organisations.

You can develop your career by completing any of the following:

a postgraduate course in community studies or education (if you have a degree)
a Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector
another further education teaching qualification.

See LSIS's Excellence Gateway website for full details of further education teaching.

Excellence Gateway

Depending on your job, you could find it useful to complete a qualification such as a diploma in youth and community work, which is often available part-time.

Skills and knowledge

To be a community education co-ordinator you should have:

the ability to encourage and motivate people
good communication skills
the ability to help people overcome barriers to learning
commitment to equal opportunities
an understanding of the education and qualifications system
the ability to prioritise work and meet deadlines
good planning and organising skills
flexibility and adaptability.

More information

LSIS Information and Advice
Tel: 0300 303 1877
Email: lluk.advice@lsis.org.uk
www.excellencegateway.org.uk/320142

Opportunities

You could be employed by organisations including:

local education authorities
colleges of further education
voluntary community organisations
educational organisations such as the Workers' Educational Association (WEA)
youth and community organisations such as the YMCA.

Some jobs, particularly with voluntary organisations, may be on projects which are funded for a set period, so are short-term.

Vacancies are advertised in local and national newspapers, on local authority or individual organisations websites, and on LG Jobs.

LGjobs

Your prospects for progression will vary – in large adult education services or further education colleges there is more likely to be a clear career structure, and you may have the opportunity to take on more management responsibilities.

You may be able to move into community development work, perhaps with further training.

Job profiles are based on the latest information supplied to us by industry bodies, such as Sector Skills Councils. Please be aware that with the introduction of the Qualifications and Credit Framework there has been, and will continue to be, changes to vocational qualifications. For more information, please check with industry bodies directly.

We do not accept responsibility for the content of external sites.

Related industry information

Industry summary

The community learning and development industry is part of the lifelong learning sector, represented by Lifelong Learning UK Sector Skills Council, which also includes: further education; higher education; libraries, archives and information services; and work‐based learning. The sector as a whole currently employs over 1.2 million people in a range of educational institutions, as well as public and private sector organisations.

The community learning and development industry comprises staff working in community based settings, in for example: community based adult learning; community development; community education; development education; family learning; working with parents; and youth work. Much of the activity in the industry is voluntary.

Key facts:

There are 334,041 people working in the community learning and development industry across the UK.
In England, 7% of the workforce is employed full‐time, 45% are seasonal/hourly paid, and 40% work part‐time.
In England, 91% of the workforce described ‘teaching’ as their main activity.

Jobs in the industry include: community development worker, community education officer, youth worker, youth support worker, youth work manager, family learning practitioners; parenting practitioners.

National and regional data

East Midlands – There are an estimated 17,391 people in the community learning and development workforce (including youth workers) in the region.

East of England – There are an estimated 16,890 people in the community learning and development workforce (including youth workers) in the region.

London – There are an estimated 33,223 people in the community learning and development workforce (including youth workers) in the region.

North East – There are an estimated 10,239 people in the community learning and development workforce (including youth workers) in the region.

North West – There are an estimated 21,499 people in the community learning and development workforce (including youth workers) in the region.

South East – There are an estimated 35,528 people in the community learning and development workforce (including youth workers) in the region.

South West – There are an estimated 20,081 people in the community learning and development workforce (including youth workers) in the region.

West Midlands – There are an estimated 17,914 people in the community learning and development workforce (including youth workers) in the region.

Yorkshire and the Humber – There are an estimated 25,810 people in the community learning and development workforce (including youth workers) in the region.

Northern Ireland – There are an estimated 27,212 people in the community learning and development workforce, of which over 72% are female. Around 23,305 are in youth work, of which 91% are volunteers (37% of the volunteers are male). 20% of paid staff in youth work are employed full‐time. There is a shortage of women at senior levels.

Scotland – There are an estimated 58,802 people in the community learning and development workforce (including youth workers) in the region.

Wales – There are an estimated 49,452 people in the community learning and development workforce (including youth workers) in the region.

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