Course Title: Advocate for clients

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2012

Course Code: JUST5170C

Course Title: Advocate for clients

School: 365T Global Studies, Soc Sci & Plng

Campus: City Campus

Program: C2199 - Certificate II in Community Services

Course Contact : Elizabeth-Anne Cotter

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 4870

Course Contact Email:elizabeth-anne.cotter@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Nominal Hours: 20

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

There are no prerequisites for this unit of competency.

Course Description

This unit describes the knowledge and skills required by the worker to support clients to voice their opinions or needs and to ensure their rights are upheld. This unit may apply to work undertaken across a range of sectors in the delivery of community services.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

CHCAD401D Advocate for clients

Element:

1. Assist clients to identify their rights and represent their own needs

2. Advocate on behalf of clients on request

3. Advocate for clients

Performance Criteria:

1. Assist clients to identify their rights and represent their own needs

1.1 Assist client to identify their own needs and rights and to determine if their rights are being infringed or are not being met
1.2 Undertake an assessment with the client, and if necessary with significant others and colleagues to identify client’s ability to advocate for self
1.3 Provide client with information about available options for meeting their needs and assist them to identify their preferred option, and to make contact and negotiate with relevant people and agencies where appropriate
1.4 Ensure information provided to clients about client rights and responsibilities is researched, relevant and timely

2. Advocate on behalf of clients on request

2.1 Initiate, negotiate and implement relevant strategies for addressing client needs
2.2 On request from the client and in on-going consultation with the client, identify and contact the most appropriate individuals or organisations and represent the client’s point of view clearly to optimise outcomes for the client
2.3 Ensure information is kept in confidence unless authorisation is given to release it
2.4 Discuss progress and outcomes with the client and take further action as necessary

3. Advocate for clients

3.1 Where assessment indicates the client requires advocacy support:
- raise issues with the most appropriate person/ people in a way that upholds the rights and supports reasonable expectations of the client
- initiate and implement strategies for addressing client needs in consultation with appropriate personnel
- identify and redress potential conflict of interest


Learning Outcomes


By completing this unit of competency you will achieve and demonstrate competence in the following skills

 Assisting clients to identify their rights and represent their own needs

Advocating on behalf of clients on request

Advocating for clients


Details of Learning Activities

Students will participate in classroom discussions, problem solving, role play scenarios and work place simulations. Key concepts will be explored through the investigation of these real world and simulated environments. Learning activities include questionnaires and case studies.


Teaching Schedule

Classes / workshops will be offered on a weekly basis during the academic year.


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References


Other Resources


Overview of Assessment

Assessment in this unit of competency will be through a mix of in-class tasks, case studies, scenarios, workplacement based projects, group work and team work, problem based learning and responses to a range of underpinning knowledge questions as well as the development of an evidence portfolio linked to the unit of competency elements and workplace practice.


Assessment Tasks

A learner must be able to demonstrate an understanding of of the essential knowledge required to effectively do the task outlined in the elements and performance criteria for this unit.


Assessment Matrix

CHCAD401D Advocate for clients

  Task                           Questions                      In class activities                  Project Work                         Evidence portfolio of work practice
Element 1                            X                                             X                                            X                                                               X
Element 2                            X                                             X                                            X                                                               X
Element 3                            X                                             X                                            X                                                               X

Course Overview: Access Course Overview