Unit of competency details

Unit Descriptor 

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to provide professional supervision for social and emotional well being workers practising in an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community context

Application 

Senior Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander SEWB workers may apply these skills and knowledge as part of their role in relation to delivery and management of primary health care services

Successful completion of this unit equips Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Workers to provide support related to social and emotional wellbeing and does not infer that they are qualified counsellors

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. Provide debriefing and support for SEWB workers

1.1 Provide workers with a supportive environment to discuss SEWB work issues

1.2 Maintain confidentiality of clients and workers

1.3 Guide workers through a process of self reflection and review of key issues relating to SEWB work

1.4 Assist SEWB workers to identify personally confronting issues  and utilise them constructively in SEWB work

1.5 Assist SEWB workers to identify and apply appropriate strategies and techniques for protection of self and clients in SEWB work

2. Analyse and evaluate SEWB processes and outcomes

2.1 Obtain information to clarify issues arising and strategies used to address these issues in SEWB work

2.2 Clarify client outcomes achieved through SEWB work

2.3 Analyse strategies and practices used by SEWB worker

2.4 Evaluate the effectiveness of strategies and practices used in SEWB work in terms of outcomes for clients and impact on worker

3. Provide feedback and support to SEWB worker

3.1 Discuss strategies and practices used by SEWB worker in relation to client outcomes and impact on worker

3.2 Provide feedback to reinforce appropriate SEWB work and/or to support change where required

3.3 Provide professional guidance to SEWB worker as required

3.4 Support SEWB worker to change and/or enhance practices as appropriate

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

This includes knowledge of:

• A range of strategies and practices used to achieve desired client outcomes in relation to SEWB work
• Advanced skills, knowledge and attributes required to perform effectively in SEWB work
• Potential for SEWB work to impact the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Worker in relation to own personal, family and community issues
• Strategies and practices to assist and support the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Worker to prepare for, monitor and deal effectively with the impact of SEWB work

Essential skills :

It is critical that the candidate demonstrate the ability to:

• Analyse and evaluate SEWB processes and outcomes
• Provide debriefing and support for SEWB workers
• Provide professional feedback and support to SEWB workers

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

This includes the ability to:

• Draw on relevant and extensive experience as a qualified Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Health Worker in the field of SEWB and/or mental health work
• Provide professional support, debriefing and education to Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander workers involved in social and emotional wellbeing and support work
• Provide services for and work with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people in an empathic and empowering manner

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 of assessment :

• The individual being assessed must provide evidence of specified essential knowledge as well as skills
• Consistency of performance should be demonstrated over the required range of situations relevant to the workplace
• Where, for reasons of safety, space, or access to equipment and resources, assessment takes place away from the workplace, the assessment environment should represent workplace conditions as closely as possible

Context of assessment :

• To deliver and assess in this unit it is essential that the trainer/assessor have special skills in therapy group facilitation with particular experience and expertise in working with and empathy for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people in community settings

Conditions of assessment :

This unit includes skills and knowledge specific to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander culture

Assessment must therefore be undertaken by a workplace assessor who has expertise in the unit of competency or who has the current qualification being assessed and who is:

• Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander him/herself

or:

• accompanied and advised by an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person who is a recognised member of the community with experience in primary health care

Related units :

This unit may be assessed independently or in conjunction with other units with associated workplace application

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.

Cultural respect 

This competency standard supports the recognition, protection and continued advancement of the inherent rights, cultures and traditions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

It recognises that the improvement of the health status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people must include attention to physical, spiritual, cultural, emotional and social wellbeing, community capacity and governance

Its application must be culturally sensitive and supportive of traditional healing and health, knowledge and practices

Community control 

Community participation and control in decision-making is essential to all aspects of health work, and the role of the health worker is to support the community in this process

Supervision 

Supervision must be conducted in accordance with prevailing state/territory and organisation legislative and regulatory requirements

References to supervision may include either direct or indirect supervision of work by more experienced workers, supervisors, managers or other health professionals

A person at this level should only  be required to make decisions about clients within the organisation's standard treatment protocols and associated guidelines

Legislative requirements 

Federal, state or territory legislation may impact on workers' practices and responsibilities. Implementation of the competency standards should reflect the legislative framework in which a health worker operates. It is recognised that this may sometimes reduce the application of the Range of Variables in practice. However, assessment in the workplace or through simulation should address all essential skills and knowledge across the Range of Variables

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Workers may be required to operate in situations that do not constitute 'usual practice' due to lack of resources, remote locations and community needs. As a result, they may need to possess more competencies than described by 'usual practice circumstances'

Under all circumstances, the employer must enable the worker to function within the prevailing legislative framework

Confronting issues may include  (but are not limited to ):

• Stolen generations
• Family or personal traumas
• Suppressed/revived memories
• Personal identity
• Working with one's own family, community
• Managing a crisis
• Critical incidents (e.g. clients' self harm, suicide)
• Counselling
• Local cultural practices
• Resistance from clients