🤝 Social & Community Jobs

0 active vacancies in South Africa

Social workers, community development officers, youth officers and welfare roles.

🤝 Social & Community jobs in South Africa

Social services and community development is a large and under-resourced sector in South Africa. The Department of Social Development at national and provincial level is the primary public employer, alongside municipalities (community development workers), the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, and the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA). NGOs funded by government and foreign donors also employ significant numbers of social workers, community health workers, and development practitioners. The profession is governed by the South African Council for Social Service Professions (SACSSP).

📋 Qualifications

Social workers must hold at least a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree and be registered with the SACSSP. Community development workers may hold a National Diploma in Community Development or a relevant NQF level 6 qualification. Child and youth care workers are registered under a separate SACSSP register. SASSA staff handling grants administration are not required to be social workers but require public administration or related qualifications.

💰 Salary context

Social workers in government are employed on the OSD (Occupation-Specific Dispensation) for social workers, earning between R280,000 and R450,000 per year depending on experience. Community development officers on the standard public service scale earn less. NGO salaries for social workers are often below government equivalents but vary considerably based on the funder and location.

Application tips for 🤝 social & community roles

  • ·Your SACSSP registration number and category (Social Worker, Social Auxiliary Worker, Child and Youth Care Worker) must appear on the first page of your CV.
  • ·Rural posts in Limpopo, Eastern Cape, and Northern Cape have the highest vacancy rates and sometimes include a rural allowance - these posts are worth applying for if you are willing to relocate.
  • ·SASSA and the Department of Social Development post vacancies through the DPSA PSC Circular and their own websites. Check both sources weekly.
  • ·NGO positions are rarely advertised through mainstream platforms - follow SANGOCO, the Inyathelo knowledge centre, and sector-specific Facebook groups for NGO vacancies.