Community Education
Co-ordinator

The Job and What's Involved

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.

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.

You could work full- 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.

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.

Getting Started with this Career Choice

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.

Education and Training

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 qualifications.

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.

A Few More Exams You Might Need

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

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.