Unit of competency details

Descriptor 

This unit describes the communication and work practice skills and knowledge required to work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the health industry context

It deals specifically with cross-cultural awareness and issues involving working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, organisations and communities

Application 

The unit applies equally to those operating in health care policy or program planning, development and evaluation contexts or in direct service delivery contexts

Application of this unit should be contextualised to reflect any requirements, issues and practices specific to each workplace and/or local community

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. Reflect an awareness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and cultures in work practices

1.1 Acknowledge and respect the impact of events and issues in Aboriginal and /or Torres Strait Islander history  during service delivery

1.2 Demonstrate knowledge of and respect for the diversity of culture, skin and language groups, family structures, art and religion in Indigenous cultures as part of service delivery

2. Reflect an awareness of own and other cultural realities in work practices

2.1 Identify the potential impact of cultural factors on service delivery to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients

2.2 Address cultural realities in order to facilitate full participation in service delivery by Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and/or co-workers

2.3 Negotiate appropriate strategies to effectively accommodate cultural differences  in the workplace

2.4 Identify and utilise resources to facilitate effective service delivery in a cross cultural context

2.5 Ensure work practices used in a cross cultural context are grounded in an awareness of one's own culture and the cultural realities of others

3. Communicate effectively with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

3.1 Identify communication issues and ensure they are addressed to develop and maintain effective relationships with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and/or co-workers

3.2 Employ appropriate communication strategies  to support a culturally safe environment for delivery of health services

3.3 Identify ineffective and/or inappropriate communication strategies and remodel them to support delivery of health services

3.4 Identify and utilise resources to facilitate effective communication  within the workplace

3.5 Engage the services of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander interpreters , health workers and colleagues as cultural brokers as required to meet duty of care

4. Reflect cultural safety in workplace and professional relationships

4.1 Ensure workplace and professional relationships are based on mutual respect, tolerance of diversity and a shared understanding of cultural safety

4.2 Identify critical issues influencing workplace and professional relationships with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander co-workers and clients

4.3 Identify and utilise effective strategies to develop and maintain effective relationships with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander co-workers and clients as appropriate

4.4 Take responsibility for revisiting strategies to assist in the resolution of any difficulties, differences or misunderstandings that may occur

5. Work in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities

5.1 Develop and implement strategies to increase participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in health service delivery

5.2 Ensure delivery of health care, services and programs reflect culturally safe and appropriate practice

5.3 Ensure health care, services and programs encourage self-determination and community control to ensure improved health outcomes

5.4 Identify and utilise resources to promote effective partnerships with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, organisations and communities

5.5 Support the development of effective partnerships between staff, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their communities to facilitate accessibility, affordability, accountability, acceptability of appropriate healthcare and workplace services

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:

• An understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and history, the impact of European settlement, loss of land and culture, the importance of law and kinship
• Appreciation of cultural shock and its impact on health and well being
• Basic understanding and awareness of the differences between cultures, particularly the cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and others
• Factors which contribute to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ill health and common diseases experienced by these groups of people
• Knowledge of availability of interpreter resources
• Relevant legislation and policies, which may include:

• codes of practice
• commonwealth, and/or territory/state legislation
• community standards and regulations
• organisation's policies and practices

• Understanding and awareness of the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures
• Understanding and awareness of the social, political and economic issues affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• Understanding of own culture, western systems and structures and how this impacts on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures
• Understanding of past and present power relations and its impact on the workplace and communities
• Understanding of racism and discrimination, and laws pertaining to these issues

Essential skills :

It is critical that the candidate demonstrate the ability 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:

• Advocate for anti racism
• Demonstrate respect for a person and their culture
• Form effective relationships with a person from another culture
• Form mutual mentoring arrangements with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people
• Participate in developing and implementing strategies for sharing power and facilitating participation, self-determination and self-control by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities
• Participate in identifying and implementing culturally safe work practices
• Reflect on actions and events to make and maintain cross cultural relationships
• Reflect on self and make changes to work in a cross cultural context
• Sensitively and respectfully communicate in a cross cultural context
• Use cultural safety approaches

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 competency unit :

• The individual being assessed must provide evidence of specified essential knowledge as well as skills
• This unit may be assessed both on and off job
• In order to work with local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities, workers must demonstrate an understanding of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander culture and history, the local community and other communities
• Assessment of this unit is recommended to involve a person who is Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander or who has worked closely with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people and communities
• Assessment should be conducted on more than one occasion to cover a variety of circumstances to establish consistency
• Holistic assessment of this competency unit is encouraged, to ensure application of these skills in conjunction with specific work functions in the health industry but the unit may be delivered and assessed independently

Access and equity considerations :

• All workers in the health industry should be aware of access and equity 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 health issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, workers should be aware of cultural, historical and current issues impacting on health of 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 health of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and communities

Products that are required as evidence include :

• Documentation on the development and implementation of strategies employed to address issues identified in relation to:

• cultural differences
• workplace communication
• workplace and professional relationships
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participation, self-determination, and community control in relation to health care policies, programs and/or service delivery

Processes that are required as evidence include :

• How opportunities were provided for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participation in the planning, delivery and evaluation of health care policies, programs or services
• Why particular communication strategies and/or work practices were chosen or modified
• How resources were identified and utilised to:

• facilitate service delivery in a cross cultural context
• facilitate effective communication within the workplace
• promote effective partnerships

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 differences may include :

• Interpersonal approach
• Thinking/learning styles
• Expectations
• Responsibilities
• Priority setting
• Experience and working styles
• Gender and kinship differences

Strategies to accommodate cultural differences in the workplace may include :

• Workplace induction program
• General guidelines and standards for approaching specific tasks and issues
• Develop understanding of own culture and history
• Develop awareness of key aspects and impacts of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander culture and history on current health issues
• Understanding similarities to identify common ground of cultural groups in the workplace
• Contextualising given workplace
• Code of practice at all levels of the organisation

Resources to facilitate effective service delivery in a cross cultural context may include :

• People identified with appropriate cultural knowledge
• Workplace design to accommodate cultural needs
• Workplace policy
• Reference groups

Events and issues in Aboriginal and /or Torres Strait Islander history may include but are not limited to :

• Pre- and post-colonisation history
• Legislation
• Stolen generations
• Deaths in custody
• Health
• Land Rights
• Maralinga
• Mabo
• Religion

Communication strategies to ensure safe service deliver may include :

• Common workplace strategies:

• identify the barriers to effective cross cultural communication and the causes of ineffective cross cultural communication
• visual/iconic strategies - diagrams, tables, graphs, pictures
• flow charts, video images
• use of computer technology and other media

• Strategies for individuals:

• gestures and non-verbal techniques
• display of positive regard and respect
• non-judgemental approaches
• on going personal/interpersonal skill development
• forming partnerships with all cultural groups to achieve particular work goals
• monitoring and reflecting on own actions to ensure cultural values are not imposed on others

Resources to facilitate effective communication may include :

• Resources to support visual and iconic strategies
• Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health workers, liaison officers and other colleagues

Interpreters may be :

• Registered
• Other multilingual people not related to the person

Strategies for developing effective relationships may include :

• Negotiation of roles and responsibilities in the workplace
• Development, monitoring and review of culturally safe work practices
• Identification of and consultation with key contact people such as Aboriginal liaison officers
• Display empathy appropriately
• Be flexible
• Develop the capacity to take turns - stand back wait for your turn

Strategies to resolve difficulties may include :

• Negotiation of culturally appropriate guidelines
• Identification of appropriate mediators
• Negotiating a workplace code of practice

Strategies to increase participation in health service delivery may include :

• Consultation with community representatives
• Community participation in decision making processes at all levels

Culturally appropriate practices may include :

• Strategies for providing a service for women's and men's health issues
• Allowances made for cultural obligations

Resources to promote effective partnerships may include :

• Formation of appropriate reference groups
• Policy/guidelines - memorandum of understanding
• Two way flow of information and resources

Work practices may include but are not limited to the following functions or be in the following settings :

• Hospital or other facility/services admission, entry and discharge processes
• Referral protocols
• Reception and enquiry services
• Diagnostic services
• Inpatient services
• Non-inpatient and community services
• Screening services
• Health promotion
• Public health
• Non-government or agency
• Urban, rural and remote community settings

Factors contributing to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people's ill health include :

• History of European/Aboriginal contact
• Loss of culture, land, identity and Indigenous law
• Loss of family links
• Geographical remoteness
• Lack of relevant and culturally appropriate education
• Lack of meaningful employment or occupation
• Lack of relevant health knowledge
• Food and nutrition
• Smoking
• Alcohol and substance abuse
• Mental stress
• Poor maternal health
• Feelings of isolation and vulnerability and being culturally unsafe
• Violence
• Environmental health factors (housing, sewerage, water supply, hygiene)
• Late presentation, diagnosis and treatment

Culturally appropriate work practices may recognise :

• Food customs
• Kin relationships
• Lifestyle preferences
• Gender
• Language preferences