A Certificate IV in Leisure and Health is an ideal qualification if you’d like to help people with high needs take part in health programs and leisure activities. Your clients may be elderly people or people with a disability and you might work one-on-one with individuals or take part in a group activity. This course will show you how to plan and deliver sessions for clients in their own homes, in a care facility or as part of a community program. The course includes a work placement so you’ll get valuable real world experience in this industry.
The Certificate IV in Leisure and Health will give you the knowledge and practical skills you need to work in this area of community services. You’ll cover topics such as building relationships through communication and minimising risk to your clients. The course looks at all aspects of planning, co-ordinating and evaluating a range of leisure and health activities. You’ll learn how to work with a diverse range of clients including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and you’ll understand how to work together with other health services to meet your clients’ needs.
Providing leisure and health services is a great career if you enjoy helping people. People in this industry need to be patient and reliable. You may need some level of fitness as some manual handling and lifting may be required, depending on the needs of your client. You’ll need good communication and listening skills and you’ll have to work as part of a larger community services team. If you have a passion for helping people with high needs to meet their health goals, this could be a good career pathway for you.
A Certificate IV in Leisure and Health is an excellent qualification for the following careers:
Care Manager
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Care Manager looks after the daily operations of a facility supporting people with high needs. They might work at an aged care facility, a nursing home or a residential facility for people with a disability. A Care Manager will oversee everything from rosters and budgets to meeting with families and health care professionals. Part of the role of a Care Manager is to ensure clients have suitable activities to meet their physical and emotional needs.
Diversional Therapy Assistant
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Diversional Therapy Assistant organises activities for people with particular needs such as people with a disability or people living in an aged care facility. They might organise physical activity sessions, social events or activities such as art or music. Diversional Therapy Assistants sometimes work with individual clients or they might work in a group setting. They may tailor their programs to suit a specific need or address the interests of the clients they are working with.
Residential Care Officer
A Residential Care Officer works in a housing facility supporting people with high needs. They might be taking care of clients in an aged care facility, a nursing home, a rehabilitation unit or a group home for people with a disability. They’ll often be supervising a team of carers and making sure the personal and health needs of each client are being met. Part of their role may be to organise activities and events for residents.
Higher education pathways
A Certificate IV in Leisure and Health is a great way to start a career in health and community services. If you decide to continue your studies you could consider a Diploma of Leisure and Health which will provide further insight into improving the well-being of people with high needs. If you’d like to expand your knowledge and skills in this industry you could also think about a Certificate IV in Community Services, a Certificate IV in Ageing Support or a Certificate IV in Disability.
If you decide to take your studies further you could enrol in a university degree such as a Bachelor of Health Science (Leisure and Health) or a Bachelor of Community Health. A university degree may broaden your career opportunities and allow you to work in a position with higher authority. You may be able to use a Certificate IV in Leisure and Health as a pathway to these courses.
Getting started
If you’re thinking about enrolling in a Certificate IV in Leisure and Health your first step should be to get information from a range of course providers. Providers often vary in the way they deliver their course so it’s important you find the right option for your needs. Find out details such as the content the course will cover, how long the course will take, the cost of enrolment and if there are any prerequisites. The Certificate IV in Leisure and Health usually takes 12 months to complete and may be offered online or on campus.