Community Development jobs in Brisbane
Community Development in Brisbane involves the same work as it does anywhere in Australia, but who employs you, and under which registration or clearance, is local. Brisbane's largest employing industries are Health care and social assistance, Construction, Professional and scientific and technical services, which shapes both where the work is and how steady it tends to be. Licensing is set by Queensland, not nationally — the requirements below are the ones that apply here.
Vacancies
Current community development vacancies in Brisbane
No community development roles are advertised in Brisbane right now. Licensing and who hires locally still apply — this page updates when a matching role appears.
Licensing
Licensing for community development in QLD
Community development is not a licensed or registered occupation, and there is no national registration body. The main compliance requirement is the child-related clearance for your state or territory whenever your work brings you into contact with children — which is common in neighbourhood centres, youth programs and school-linked initiatives. Some roles in disability-inclusive community programs also require an NDIS Worker Screening Check. A National Police Check and a driver licence are near-universal employer requirements, and local government roles often add their own probity checks.
- Queensland
- Blue Card from Blue Card Services (Department of Families, Seniors, Disability Services and Child Safety) is required for any regulated child-related activity, including many youth and family programs run by neighbourhood centres. NDIS-funded community access programs also require an NDIS Worker Screening Check through the Queensland Worker Screening Unit.
Licensing rules change. Confirm with the regulator named above before quoting or contracting — this page is a starting point, not advice.
Local market
Who hires in community development in Brisbane
Brisbane's labour market is led by health, construction and public administration; Metro North Health is one of Australia's largest public health services and Brisbane City Council is the country's largest local government by population served. Infrastructure and construction employment is elevated by Cross River Rail and the build-out ahead of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The city also serves as the corporate base for much of Queensland's resources and agribusiness sector.
Metro North Health, Metro South Health, The University of Queensland and Queensland University of Technology are among the largest employers in Brisbane. Most people working in community development here, though, are hired by small and mid-sized businesses rather than by the names everyone recognises — which is why so many local vacancies never reach a big job board.
Largest employing industries
2,833,524 people (Greater Brisbane (GCCSA), ABS Estimated Resident Population at 30 June 2025).
Role
What the job involves
Community development workers help communities identify their own priorities and build collective solutions to issues such as health, housing, recreation, employment and social isolation. Rather than casework with individuals, the focus is on facilitation, partnership building, funding submissions and place-based programs run with local government, neighbourhood centres and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations.
- Consult community members and groups to identify local needs, assets and priorities
- Design, deliver and evaluate community programs, events and place-based initiatives
- Facilitate meetings, reference groups and community forums, including with people who disagree
- Prepare grant applications, funding acquittals and reports to funders and boards
- Build partnerships across local government, schools, health services, business and community organisations
- Recruit, train and support volunteers and community leaders
- Collect and report data on participation, reach and program outcomes
- Advocate on community issues to government and represent the community in planning processes
Training
Qualifications and training
- CHC42021 Certificate IV in Community Services — a common entry qualification for community and neighbourhood centre roles
- CHC52021 Diploma of Community Services — the usual qualification for coordinator and program roles
- A bachelor degree in community development, social science, human services, social work or public health is common for local government and larger program roles
- Short courses in grant writing, project management and community engagement are widely valued and often employer-funded
Skills
Skills employers ask for
Community engagement and consultation facilitation · Grant writing and funding acquittal · Project and event management on a small budget · Partnership building and stakeholder negotiation · Volunteer recruitment, training and retention · Program evaluation and outcomes reporting · Cultural competence, particularly with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and multicultural communities · Plain-English communication, including public speaking and written submissions
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Community Development work in Brisbane — licensing, hiring and what employers look for.
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Also covered for community development
Sources
- Community Development — occupation data · verified 2026-08-04. ABS ANZSCO 2022, Unit Group 4117 Welfare Support Workers (https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/classifications/anzsco-australian-and-new-zealand-standard-classification-occupations/2022/browse-classification/4/41/411/4117); training.gov.au (https://training.gov.au/training/details/CHC42021 and https://training.gov.au/training/details/CHC52021); Fair Work Ombudsman (https://awards.fairwork.gov.au/MA000100.html); Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections May 2024 – May 2034 (https://www.jobsandskills.gov.au/data/employment-projections); Queensland Blue Card Services (https://www.qld.gov.au/law/laws-regulated-industries-and-accountability/queensland-laws-and-regulations/regulated-industries-and-licensing/blue-card); NSW Office of the Children's Guardian (https://ocg.nsw.gov.au/working-children-check); Working with Children Check Victoria (https://www.vic.gov.au/working-with-children-check); WA Department of Communities (https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/department-of-communities/working-children-check); SA DHS Screening Unit (https://dhs.sa.gov.au/how-we-help/screening-and-background-checks); Tasmania CBOS (https://www.cbos.tas.gov.au/topics/licensing-and-registration/work-with-vulnerable-people); ACT Access Canberra WWVP (https://www.accesscanberra.act.gov.au/business-and-work/working-with-vulnerable-people); SAFE NT (https://pfes.nt.gov.au/police/community-safety/safe-nt)
- Brisbane — local data · verified 2026-07-31. ABS Regional population, 2024-25 (released 31 March 2026) — https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/regional-population/latest-release; Jobs and Skills Australia, Labour Market Insights regional profiles — https://www.jobsandskills.gov.au/
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