Unit of competency details

Unit Descriptor 

This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to facilitate or lead a psycho-educational group under appropriate supervision

Application 

This unit provides the practice of a group work specialisation in a controlled environment

Employability Skills 

This unit contains Employability Skills

Elements define the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

The Performance Criteria specify the level of performance required to demonstrate achievement of the Element. Terms in italics are elaborated in the Range Statement.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Plan a psycho-educational group

1.1 Identify the focus for the psycho -educational group 

1.2 Identify the target group for the psycho-educational group

1.3 Apply a selection process  to identify group members

1.4 Communicate selection and non-selection outcomes to possible group members

1.5 Identify alternative services to meet the needs of group applicants who don't meet the criteria

2. Facilitate a psycho-educational group

2.1 Develop appropriate program for psycho-educational group including learning activities  to match group needs

2.2 Maintain effective facilitation of learning  through phases of the group 

2.3 Recognise and respond to individual needs while maintaining group cohesion

2.4 Monitor interactions between group members to ensure full participation and maximise learning outcomes

2.5 Respond appropriately to individuals displaying distress or concern in a manner that maximises safety and confidentiality for each individual

2.6 Demonstrate inclusive work practice 

3. Review group and participant progress toward set goals

3.1 Progressively review and monitor individual progress toward set goals

3.2 Progressively review and monitor the psycho-educational group program and adjust as required to ensure the program's ongoing relevance for the psycho-educational group

3.3 Apply learning from supervision to current and future psycho-education groups

3.4 Plan for the future and follow up  as required

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level required for this unit.

Essential knowledge :

The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role

These include knowledge of:

• Group work specialisations and the role of psycho-educational group work
• Development or modification of existing psycho-educational programs to suite group members needs
• Current best practice in relation to psycho-educational groups
• Models and tools for facilitating a psycho-educational group
• Appropriate boundaries for psycho-educational groups
• Appropriate criteria and processes for selection of psycho-education groups
• Appropriate record-keeping processes for the psycho-education group
• Adult learning principles
• Stages of group development
• Range of activities/interventions/strategies

Essential skills :

It is critical that the candidate demonstrate the ability to:

• Facilitate a psycho-educational group in the community
• Work effectively and inclusively with the whole client, considering the full range of possible influences in their lives including personality, culture, language, religion, age, gender, family of origin, education levels, learning abilities, health, disabilities and issues and the interplay and dynamics of each of these
• Model effective, respectful and inclusive communication skills including listening, empathetic responding, paraphrasing, summarising, questioning, body language, models of conflict resolution, assertiveness, tact and sensitivity
• Implement best practice in psycho-education
• Engage in critical reflection and self-evaluation of work practice
• Facilitate a range of suitable interventions
• Use clear and appropriate communication
• Respond appropriately to group dynamics
• Effectively manage conflict within the group
• Protect self whilst leading/ facilitating the group
• Respond to strong emotional expression in the group
• Use strengths-based approaches for the development of growth and learning for group members
• Maintain records appropriate to the group
• Demonstrate awareness of self, own values, beliefs and experiences which may impact on work practice

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria, Required Skills and Knowledge, the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate this unit of competency :

• The individual being assessed must provide evidence of specified essential knowledge as well as skills in the application of working effectively with a psycho-educational group
• Evidence of competency in this unit will need to be assessed over a period of time in order to gather evidence of performance
• This will include contexts applicable to the work environment, such as actual or simulated workplace situations involving a combination of direct, indirect and supplementary forms of evidence
• Assessment must confirm sufficient ability to effectively facilitate and review a psycho-educational group

Access and equity considerations :

• All workers in community services should be aware of access, equity and human rights issues in relation to their own area of work
• All workers should develop their ability to work in a culturally diverse environment
• In recognition of particular issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, workers should be aware of cultural, historical and current issues impacting on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• Assessors and trainers must take into account relevant access and equity issues, in particular relating to factors impacting on Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and communities

Context of and specific resources for assessment :

• This unit can be assessed independently, however holistic assessment practice with other community services units of competency is encouraged
• Resources required for assessment include access to an appropriate workplace or simulation of realistic workplace setting where assessment can take place

Method of assessment :

• Evidence for assessment of competence may be gathered by appropriate combination of the following:

• demonstration of competency within the working environment through the facilitation and review of psycho-educational groups as a guide, current international benchmarks for psycho-educational group work is thirty hours of supervised practice
• realistic simulations, projects, previous relevant experience or oral questioning on 'what if?' scenarios, case presentations, written assessment
• observation of processes and procedures, oral and/or written questions on essential knowledge and skills and consideration of required attitudes
• where performance is not directly observed and/or is required to be demonstrated over a period of time and/or in a number of locations, any evidence should be authenticated by colleagues, supervisors, clients or other appropriate persons

• The assessment environment should not disadvantage the candidate
• Assessment practices should take into account any relevant language or cultural issues related to Aboriginality, gender or language barriers other than English
• Where the candidate has a disability, reasonable adjustment may be applied during assessment
• Language and literacy demands of the assessment task should not be higher than those of the work role

Related units :

This unit is to be assessed after or in conjunction with the following related units of competency:

• CHCFAM406B Engage and resource clients to improve their interpersonal relationships
• CHCFAM407B Work effectively in relationship work
• CHCGROUP403D Plan and conduct group activities

RANGE STATEMENT 

The Range Statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Add any essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts.

Psycho -educational group may include :

• Structured designs that help participants develop knowledge and skills for coping adaptively with potential or immediate problems, developmental transitions, or life crises

• participants in a psycho-educational group are able to apply their newly acquired knowledge and skills to current and future life circumstances beyond their experiences in the group
• participants within a psycho-educational group have the capacity to learn from each other as well as from the facilitator and the program activities
• the outcomes of participation in a psycho-educational group may involve changes in beliefs, values and ideas and will often result in changes to behaviour as a result of these

• The focus for other groups may include:

• task/work groups which involve organisation settings for group and team work and where the focus is to complete a task or set of tasks
• group counselling which is a less structured group and involves specifically working with individuals' issues within the group context
• group psychotherapy which is a less structured group that focuses on individual experiences where participants have not had their emotional needs met during childhood and have developed some psychopathology

Selection process may include :

• Suitable group members are identified based on the relevance of the group to meeting their personal needs
• Matching of appropriateness of group content and planned processes to potential participants
• Ensuring sufficient similarity is shared between the group members to allow learning and trust to develop
• Consideration of the ability of the group members to fulfil the requirements of the group and achieve a satisfactory attendance
• Consideration of an existing or identified community issue
• Selection criteria which may include:

• relevance of target issues for the client
• age
• gender
• life circumstances or situations
• location
• ability to commit to group process

• Screening activities which may include:

• phone interview
• one-on-one discussions
• referral information
• responses to questionnaires

• Consideration of appropriateness of the psycho-educational group to meet the needs of the client including:

• suitability for intervention focus
• presence of serious mental illness
• drug and alcohol abuse
• incompatibility with selection criteria
• language, literacy, numeracy and education abilities prevent effective engagement with program and achievement of program outcomes

Learning activities may include but is not limited to :

• Fish-bowls
• Written reflections
• Drawings/collages
• Dyads and triads
• Creative props
• Fantasy reflections
• Reading reflections
• Experiential exercises
• Values clarifications
• Group discussion
• Video questions
• Miracle questions:

• 'You wake up tomorrow morning and a miracle has happened, your problem has less affect on you
• On a scale of 0 to 5 how much is the problem now affecting you?
• How will you know things have improved? What will be different?
• What will others notice is different?'

• Scaling questions:

• 'On a scale of 0-5, how much is the problem affecting you?'
• scaling questions help to identify the problem, set achievable goals, have a starting point for change, notice what is already working well, identify strengths and limitations, and measure progress

• Discussing teachable moments
• Letter writing exercises

Effective facilitation of learning may include :

• Engagement of group members at commencement of the group:

• recognised by leader and called by name
• have learned one thing
• something about the group is attractive to them
• know what to expect in the next session

• Clear communication:

• active listening
• body language
• I-messages
• clarifying
• responding
• modelling respectful language and behaviour in the group

• Responding to group dynamics:

• conflict between group members
• conflict between group members and the group leader
• boredom and disinterest

• Managing conflict within the group:

• responding to strong emotional expression in the group
• cutting off scape-goating and personal attacks
• clarifying and normalising feelings
• sensitively challenging where required
• addressing appropriate underlying issues

• Protecting self whilst leading/facilitating the group:

• appropriate self-disclosure
• clear purpose for self-disclosure
• supervision and debriefing difficult sessions

• The use of strengths-based approaches for the development of growth and learning:

• identification of the potential for positive change
• articulating positive change that has already occurred
• identifying blocks or challenges for further change to occur

• Managing silent periods within a group situation:

• identification of silence that allows people to learn
• recognising the value and importance of appropriate silence
• building on new learning once the silence has finished

continued  ...

Effective facilitation of learning may include : (contd )

• Debriefing group members after an intervention has been used:

• recognition of feelings and new learning
• recognition of challenges
• identification of the further need for more debriefing

• Maintaining appropriate boundaries and safety:

• confidentiality and mandatory reporting requirements
• appropriate supervision of the facilitator/s during the life of the group
• recognition of the type of group facilitated
• transparent group environment
• personal disclosure
• sensitivity to individual readiness
• appropriate expression of feelings
• use of interventions where sufficient training exists
• appropriate closure of group sessions or group program
• referral to other services as necessary
• appropriate debriefing after the use of interventions

Phases of the group must include :

• Tuning-in phase
• Beginning phase
• Middle phase
• Termination phase

Group work may include :

• When working with groups consideration of relevant group work theory for example:

• Tuckman
• Lang
• Heron
• Schwartz

Inclusive work practice must include :

• The ability to work effectively and inclusively with the whole client, considering the full range of possible influences in their lives including personality, culture, language, religion, age, gender, family of origin, education levels, learning abilities, health, disabilities and issues and the interplay and dynamics of each of these
• To work inclusively requires the worker to respond respectfully to the whole person demonstrating cultural competence through sensitively valuing each and every person as a whole unique individual

Follow up may include :

• Writing up of program outcomes and evaluations
• Documenting the program for statistical and reporting requirements
• Follow up with program participants to ensure their needs have been met or to provide additional referral where required