Course Title: Promote and represent the service

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2010

Course Code: HWSS5333C

Course Title: Promote and represent the service

School: 365T Global Studies, Soc Sci & Plng

Campus: City Campus

Program: C6054 - Advanced Diploma of Disability Work

Course Contact : Mary Collins

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 99254598

Course Contact Email:mary.collins@rmit.edu.au

Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Nominal Hours: 90

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

Students are assumed to be experienced disability staff working in the disability or community services fields.

Course Description

In this unit you will focus on effective representation and promotion of the organisation.

National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:	CHCORG20B Promote and represent the service
Element:	1. Promote community awareness of the clients, their needs and their importance 2. Promote the service to increase its profile in the community 3. Represent the service 4.  Respond to negative publicity and perceptions as required
Performance Criteria:	1.1 Presentations are prepared and delivered in a way appropriate to the target group 1.2 Presentations are designed to be relevant to the concerns/interests of the target group 2.1 Stakeholders and supporters in the community are identified and their particular interest and resources are identified 2.2 Communications are targeted to areas where the profile needs raising or clarifying 2.3 Opportunities for the community to view and contribute to the service are facilitated 2.4 A range of materials and resources providing information to the community are prepared and used 2.5 A range of different methods of promotion are used 2.6 A strategy to review the profile of the service in the community is developed and in use 2.7 Information campaigns are developed to address particular issues, as required 2.8 Opportunities for involvement in the community are considered and utilised as relevant 2.9 Staff participation in appropriate forums is encouraged 2.10 Press and other publicity is utilised appropriately 2.11 Accurate and positive information is provided to the community to develop a positive community image 3.1 The service's philosophy, purpose, policies and procedures are represented clearly and accurately 3.2 Questions and concerns about the service are responded to and followed up 3.3 The service's need for resources is represented to appropriate forums/organisations 3.4 The perspective and experience of the service is represented to relevant forums 4.1 Negative publicity and perceptions are analysed for potential outcomes and implications for the service 4.2 Spokespersons are listened to carefully in order to develop an understanding of their position 4.3 Advice is sought from stakeholders and supporters in the community if required 4.4 A spokesperson is nominated to represent the service if required 4.5 Communications used do not exacerbate existing negative perceptions 4.6 Organisational policies are reviewed in light of issues raised, as appropriate 4.7 A strategy to deal with negative publicity and perceptions is developed and implemented

Learning Outcomes

Please refer to elements.

Details of Learning Activities

You will attend a program of workshops which will focus on key themes and issues and which will include guest presenters from the disability area and other industry areas.
The student cohort is comprised of experienced industry staff so the workshops are based on extending your knowledge and skills focussing on current work practices, industry initiatives and issues, legislative and policy changes and developments. Some in-class assessment tasks are included in workshops. 

Teaching Schedule

workshop number	topics
1	Program introduction, student administration, RPL, workplace learning
2	Semester 1 Learning and Assessment Tasks - distribution and discussion Systemic Advocacy -presentations and discussion
3	Library orientation In-class task 2.1 - statistics and analysis
4	Community services in Australia at a local, state and federal level.
5	In-class assessment 2.2 -Student discussions on Advocacy Projects
6	Disability worldwide - an international perspective
7	Counselling - principles and practices In- class assesment 2.3 - Counselling, first contact and referrals
8	Cultural diversity in disability and community services work In-class assessment 2.4 - networking and cultural perspectives
9	Student Presentations - Advocacy Projects

Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts

References

Other Resources

Overview of Assessment

Assessment will be through a mix of in-class tasks, workplace based projects and a workplace assessment. A workplace assessment appointment will be undertaken once per year with each student to allow students to present and discuss workplace evidence.  

Assessment Tasks

This unit is assessed by the following tasks:

1 - Professional communication. Students will be presented with a scenario. They will use their professional knowledge and skills to analyse the issues, research resources and linkages and then develop a response to the scenario.

2.2 Student discussions - students will each lead a discussion giving an overview of their Advocacy Project (L & A Task 3)

2.3 Counselling - first contact and referral. Students will consider a set of scenarios and the appropriate responses from a range of perspectives

2.4 Cultural perspectives - how culture and disability affect a person’s life and our service provision

3. Systems Advocacy Project - students will identify, explore and research a current issue in the disability or related fields. They will then develop an advocacy campaign to promote systemic change to address that issue.

You may be asked to provide supplementary evidence from your workplace to demonstrate competence.


Assessment tasks will be graded as follows:

Competency Achieved - CA

Not Yet Competent - NYC

Assessment Matrix

The Assessment Matrix will be distributed and discussed in class. The matrix is used to track the student’s progress to "Competency Achieved" through the full set of learning and assessment tasks each semester.

Other Information

The following 5 units are delivered as a cluster with a common workshop schedule. The learning and assessment tasks are designed to address the set of units.

CHCAD3A Undertake systems advocacy

CHCDIS11C Coordinate disability work

CHCNET3B Develop new networks

CHCORG20B Promote and represent the organisation

CHCCOM3C Utilise specialist communication skills to build strong relationships

Learning and Assessment tasks for cluster:

1 - Professional communication. Students will be presented with a scenario. They will use their professional knowledge and skills to analyse the issues, research resources and linkages and then develop a response to the scenario.

2.1 Statistics - analysis and, argument and advocacy. Students will access statistics profiling the incidence of disability in Australia. They will work in groups to analyse the data and identify trends, patterns and suggest future service needs in the system

2.2 Student discussions - students will each lead a discussion giving an overview of their Advocacy Project (L & A Task 3)

2.3 Counselling - first contact and referral. Students will consider a set of scenarios and the appropriate responses from a range of perspectives

2.4 Cultural perspectives - how culture and disability affect a person’s life and our service provision

3. Systems Advocacy Project - students will identify, explore and research a current issue in the disability or related fields. They will then develop an advocacy campaign to promote systemic change to address that issue.

Course Overview: Access Course Overview