Unit of competency details

Descriptor 

This unit describes the knowledge and skills required by the worker to develop, implement and review formal skills development/maintenance plans with a person with a disability

Application 

This unit may apply to work with people with disability in a range of community service contexts

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. Assess learning ability and needs of person with disability

1.1 Work with the person with a disability and relevant others and within job role boundaries, to assess person's skill development/maintenance needs using recognised assessment/planning tools

1.2 Identify skills development and /or maintenance  opportunities for inclusion in individualised plans

1.3 Document assessment outcomes in line with organisation guidelines

1.4 Make referrals to other staff or specialist services as appropriate

2. Develop person-centred skill development/maintenance plan

2.1 Using appropriate communication techniques, engage the person with a disability in identifying their learning goals

2.2 Identify and describe a range of learning strategies  and opportunities to address person's goals

2.3 Develop formal person-centred skills development/ maintenance plans using appropriate methodology and, where appropriate, in conjunction with other relevant personnel

2.4 Document person-centred skills development/ maintenance plans in the person's support plan

3. Implement skills development/ maintenance plan

3.1 Work with the person with a disability to implement skills learning and maintenance strategies in a manner that is motivating and empowering and demonstrates respect for the person

3.2 Inform colleagues and relevant of the person-centred skills development/maintenance plans and provide guidance to ensure they are implemented in a consistent way

3.3 Access and utilise equipment and resources as required to facilitate the learning process

3.4 Maintain records to demonstrate achievements against person-centred skills development or maintenance plan and assist with monitoring and review

4. Evaluate skills development and review plan

4.1 Monitor progress and provide feedback to person with disability and/or their advocate/s regarding progress towards learning objectives

4.2. Review records as a basis for evaluating effectiveness of person-centred skills development/ maintenance plan and make changes as required

4.3 Identify opportunities to maintain and enhance skills in an ongoing way

5. Use incidental learning opportunities to enhance skills development

5.1 Identify situations as potential informal learning opportunities and encourage learning

5.2 Withdraw support to an appropriate level as directed in order to encourage experiential learning

5.3 Provide appropriate constructive advice and feedback to person with disability as soon as possible in appropriate format

5.4 Provide encouragement when person with disability takes initiative in learning situation

5.5 Identify and describe a range of informal learning opportunities in context of organisation policies and procedures

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:

• Current practices, philosophies and theories, including:

• the social model of disability
• the impact of social devaluation on an individual's quality of life
• competency and image enhancement as a means of addressing devaluation
• practices which focus on the individual person
• strengths-based practice
• active support
• person-centred practice
• rightful place in community
• community education and capacity building
• self determination

• Social, sexual, emotional psychological and cognitive development across the lifespan
• Overview of adult and childhood learning theories
• Assessment processes relating to skills development and maintenance
• Tools, equipment and other resources utilised in the learning process
• Various teaching and learning strategies
• Strategies for identifying and maximising informal learning opportunities
• Services and resources available to people with special learning needs
• Task analysis
• Prompting, principles of prompting and fading prompting
• Strategies to create independence
• Reinforcers
• Motivators to learn
• Common de-motivators and blocks
• Understanding of maintenance techniques and generalisation
• Understanding of incidental learning

Essential skills :

It is critical that the candidate demonstrate the ability to:

• Demonstrate understanding and adherence to own work role and responsibilities
• Follow organisation policies and protocols
• Liaise and report to relevant personnel
• Demonstrate and apply knowledge of learning and development in order to assess, determine, implement, monitor and evaluate skills development of a person with a disability
• Collaborate and network with relevant people in order to achieve learning and skills development and maintenance objectives
• Demonstrate appropriate task breakdown
• Apply communication techniques that encourage and motivate
• Use appropriate prompting during training session
• Apply reinforcers appropriately during training session
• Demonstrate appropriate use of incidental learning opportunities
• Use communication techniques / devices that meet the client's communication needs

continued  ...

Essential skills  (contd ):

In addition, the candidate must be able 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 the ability to:

• Reading and writing skills required to fulfil work role in a safe manner and as specified by the organisation/service:

• this requires a level of skill that enables the worker to follow and give work-related instructions and directions and the ability to seek clarification and comments from clients, colleagues, health professionals and other service providers
• industry work roles will require workers to possess a literacy level that will enable them to, read and write client's service delivery plans, record in health records, complete assessment tools and write reports and submissions

• Apply oral communication skills required to fulfil work role in a safe manner and as specified by the organisation:

• this requires a level of skill that enables the worker to follow work-related instructions and directions and the ability to seek clarification and comments from supervisors, clients and colleagues
• industry work roles will require workers to possess effective verbal and non-verbal communication skills that will enable them to ask questions, clarify understanding and meaning, recognise and interpret non-verbal cues, adapt communication styles to meet specific needs, provide information and express encouragement and support

• Apply numeracy skills required to fulfil work role in a safe manner and as specified by the organisation:

• industry work roles will require workers to be able to perform mathematical functions, such as addition and subtraction up to three digit numbers and multiplication and division of single and double digit numbers

• Apply problem solving skills that require negotiation and mediation skills to resolve problems of a difficult nature within organisation protocols

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
• This unit will be most appropriately assessed in the workplace or in a simulated workplace and under the normal range of workplace conditions
• It is recommended that assessment or information for assessment will be conducted or gathered over a period of time and cover the normal range of workplace situation and settings

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 of this unit include access to:

• a relevant workplace or simulation of realistic workplace setting for assessment
• relevant organisation policy, protocols and procedures

Method of assessment may include :

• Observation in the workplace
• Written assignments/projects
• Case study and scenario analysis
• Questioning
• Role play simulation

Related unit :

This unit builds on the skills and knowledge acquired in the following unit, but there is no pre-requisite requirement:

• CHCDIS323A Contribute to skills development and maintenance

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.

People with disability may include :

• Individuals at any stage of the life span
• Individuals living in the community, alone, sharing with others or a partner or with family or carers
• Individuals living in supported community accommodation
• Individuals living in funded residential facilities

Contexts may include :

• An individual's own dwelling
• Shared households or group dwellings
• Specialist residential facilities
• Community centres
• Supported employment venues
• Open employment venues
• Community/government agencies
• Voluntary agencies
• Training agencies

Skills development and /or maintenance may be in :

• Life skills
• Vocational skills
• Social skills
• Personal support skills
• Developing and maintaining relationships including intimate relationships
• Maintaining physical health including sexual health
• Safety

Learning strategies may include :

• Role modelling
• Demonstration
• Skills component mastery
• Contextualisation
• Drama and role plays
• Peer education

Assessment tools include :

• Formal skills assessment tools
• Lifestyle planning tools
• Observation checklists
• Assessment tools specific to the organisation
• Assessment tools specified by the specialist

Formal skills development plans document :

• Learning objective
• Performance expectations
• Criteria for achievement
• When formal training occurs
• Resources and equipment required
• Baseline assessment
• Progress and independence
• Task analysis
• Prompting
• Reinforcement
• Training sequence

Relevant people may include :

• Advocate/s
• Behavioural consultants (for acquired brain injury)
• Carers
• Development officers
• Disability support worker
• Educational psychologists
• Employment officers
• Occupational therapists
• Outreach worker
• Programming staff
• Teachers
• Technicians