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Diploma · national qualification

Diploma of Youth Work

This diploma prepares you to work with young people in community, government and youth agencies, usually within a defined program and under broad supervision.

Compare 13 providers
Illustration of a person working as youth Worker
How long it takes
1 year
full time at TAFE NSW
What it costs
From $11,738
Subsidised at Chisholm Institute, full fee up to $21,910
How you can study
Online or on campus
Includes a work placement
Main job
Youth Worker
$95,900 median pay
Taught by
13 providers
Every state and territory

Is this course right for you?

What the Diploma of Youth Work asks of you, and what you might want to check first.

It helps to have

  • a genuine interest in supporting young people
  • patience and a calm approach
  • good communication skills
  • a willingness to work with people from all backgrounds

Before you start

There are no entry requirements for this qualification.

Diploma or Bachelor?

The Bachelor of Youth Work is the higher level. This diploma prepares you to work in youth work under broad supervision, with responsibility for program development and outcomes within clearly defined organisational guidelines.

See the course

Where this course can take you

Jobs this qualification is a recognised route into, and the study that can follow it.

Jobs you can do with it

  • Youth Worker

    Youth workers support young people through the personal, family or social difficulties that put their safety, education or independence at risk.

    What else you need

    Complete required workplace hours and applicable safeguarding and employer checks.

    Median pay$95,900

If you study further

Pay is the median for everyone in the job, and “In demand” means the job is on the national shortage list.

What it costs

Subsidised place

From $11,738

at Chisholm Institute. Whether you get a subsidised place depends on your state, residency, age and earlier study.

Paying the full fee

$11,635 to $21,910

across the TAFEs listed below. Private providers set their own fees.

  • Chisholm InstituteVIC

    Subsidised
    $11,738
    Full fee
    $21,910

  • TAFE QueenslandQLD

    Full fee
    $11,635

Fees as each TAFE shows them on its website, read 20 September 2026. Private providers set their own fees.

Where you can study this course

There are 13 places you can study this course. When you compare them, check they teach it the way you want to study, how far you'd be from a campus, what it will cost you and what past students say about the teaching and support. They're listed by how often people search for them, and none of them pays to be here or to move up.

What you’ll learn

21 units: 16 that everyone takes and 5 you choose.

  • Building trust with young people
  • Case management and support plans
  • Planning and running group activities
  • Responding to young people in crisis
  • Mental health and cultural safety
  • Identifying and reporting risk
See all 16 core units

Core units

Everyone completes these. Select a unit to see what it covers.

  • Loading the details for CHCCCS007…

Questions to ask before you enrol

Providers run this course differently, so the answers change from one to the next.

  1. When is the next intake, and how many are there each year?
  2. What is the total cost, including materials, checks and any placement costs?
  3. Can I study part time or online, and how does that change the length?
  4. Who arranges the work placement, and how many hours does it involve?
  5. Do the units count towards a higher qualification if I go on to study further?

Questions people ask

Who is this qualification for?

It prepares you for youth work in community, government and youth agencies, within a defined program and under broad supervision. You build trust with young people, plan group activities, handle crisis and risk, and do case management.

Do I need experience or other qualifications first?

There are no entry requirements for this qualification. Individual providers can set their own conditions, so check with the provider you choose.

How is it different from Bachelor of Youth Work?

The Bachelor of Youth Work is the higher level. This diploma prepares you to work in youth work under broad supervision, with responsibility for program development and outcomes within clearly defined organisational guidelines.

How is it different from Certificate IV in Youth Work?

This diploma is the higher level. It prepares you to work under a broad supervision framework, with responsibility for the development and outcomes of programs and services for young people.

Related courses

The national training register, training.gov.au. TAFE course pages, read 20 September 2026. Google reviews. Pay and shortage status from Jobs and Skills Australia.