Unit of competency

Modification History

Application

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to apply theory underpinning behaviourism and social learning to formulate and monitor a program for behaviour change in a counselling context.

This unit applies to individuals whose job role involves working with clients on personal and psychological issues within established policies, procedures and guidelines.

The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation, Australian/New Zealand Standards and industry codes of practice.

Elements and Performance Criteria

Foundation Skills

The Foundation Skills describe those required skills (language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills) that are essential to performance.

Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.

Unit Mapping Information

No equivalent unit

Links

Companion Volume implementation guides are found in VETNet - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=5e0c25cc-3d9d-4b43-80d3-bd22cc4f1e53

Assessment requirements

Modification History

Performance Evidence

The candidate must show evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the context of the job role. There must be evidence that the candidate has:

• used critical thinking skills to research and evaluate information from at least 3 different sources about 3 different learning theories
• integrated theoretical approaches to develop programs for behaviour change with at least 3 different clients.

Knowledge Evidence

The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the context of the work role. This includes knowledge of:

• overarching types of learning theories and their application to counselling practice, including:

• behaviourism
• cognitivism
• constructivism

• principles and practices of at least 3 different specific learning theories
• applications of stimulus and response theory in counselling practice
• environmental impacts on behaviour, including:

• major influences from childhood and impact of strength and duration
• learning environments – family and school
• functional and dysfunctional environments
• pre-adolescent and adolescent peer group pressures/influences

• modelling and reinforcement influences and how they may affect behaviour
• features of and differences of operant and classical conditioning
• learning theory supporting conditioning models
• principles and practices of reinforcement and consequences, including:

• concept of schedule reinforcement – fixed and variable interval, fixed and variable ration
• reinforcement techniques
• reinforcement of specific behaviours.

Assessment Conditions

Skills must have been demonstrated in the workplace or in a simulated environment that reflects workplace conditions. The following conditions must be met for this unit:

• use of suitable facilities, equipment and resources, including:

• client information
• individualised counselling plans

• modelling of industry operating conditions, including:

• scenarios that involve complex interactions with real people in face-to-face situations where candidate and client are physically present in the same room
• scenarios that involve problem-solving.

Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors.

In addition, assessors must have 2 years experience working in a counselling role and hold a qualification in counselling or related field that involves counselling, at Diploma level or higher (or equivalent qualification).

Links

Companion Volume implementation guides are found in VETNet - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=5e0c25cc-3d9d-4b43-80d3-bd22cc4f1e53