Unit of competency

Modification History

Application

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to establish and maintain community relationships, work within cultural protocols and support people who have been affected by domestic and family violence. It requires sensitivity and understanding of diverse cultural protocols and practices, including appropriate interpersonal and networking skills.

This unit applies to community services workers providing services in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities.

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:

• provided domestic and family violence support in accordance with legal and procedural requirements in at least 1 Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community, and to at least 3 different clients
• provided services in ways that reflect understanding of Aboriginal and the Torres Strait Islander concepts of domestic and family violence
• used and adapted the following interpersonal and communication skills to suit specific community cultural and linguistic needs:

• questioning
• active listening
• storytelling
• rapport and relationship building.

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:

• legal and ethical considerations (national and state/territory) for workers interacting with clients affected by domestic and family violence in an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander context, and how these are applied in organisations and individual practice:

• codes of conduct
• discrimination
• duty of care
• human rights
• mandatory reporting
• privacy, confidentiality and disclosure
• records management
• rights and responsibilities of:

• workers and employers
• individuals, families, the community and society to minimise or prevent domestic violence

• work role boundaries – responsibilities and limitations
• work health and safety
• domestic violence and its context, including:

• social, historical, political and economic context of domestic violence, including types and nature of domestic violence, power and gender issues, child abuse and associated criminal issues
• prevalence of myths, unhelpful beliefs, attitudes and practices in the broader society regarding domestic violence and their effects on individuals’ rights to safety and autonomy

• impacts of cultural, sub-cultural, social, religious, gender, age, language issues etc on attitudes towards domestic and family violence in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities
• social, historic, spiritual and environmental factors which have an impact on the lives of the community and which are reflected in community relationships and practices
• key people and groups within the community and relevant protocols and restrictions for consultation and decision-making
• community development principles and strategies and their application
• ways to gain community acceptance
• cultural and language groups represented within the local/regional community, and a respect of their values, beliefs and traditions
• how to communicate with the community (adaptation of language, verbal and non-verbal, local language)
• domestic and family violence indicators and procedures for undertaking assessment of client needs
• organisation procedures, practices and standards for:

• client assessment
• allocation of services
• case management
• interviewing
• use of resources
• programmed intervention
• referral
• community involvement

• structural barriers and their impact e.g. institutional racism and their effects on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People accessing services
• Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander kinship systems
• own values and attitudes and their potential impact on clients.

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:

• organisation policies and procedures

• modelling of industry operating conditions, including:

• scenarios that involve interactions with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people.

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

Links

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