Course Title: Work effectively in the community sector

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term2 2011

Course Code: HWSS5559C

Course Title: Work effectively in the community sector

School: 360T Education

Campus: Bundoora Campus

Program: C4266 - Certificate IV in Career Development

Course Contact : Judy Heard

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 7513

Course Contact Email:judy.heard@rmit.edu.au

Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Nominal Hours: 40

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

Not applicable.

Course Description

This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to work effectively in a community work or service delivery setting with communities, clients, carers, staff, visitors, suppliers and others to meet established work requirements.

National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:	CHCCS411A Work effectively in the community sector
Element:	1.Work ethically
Performance Criteria:	•Follow ethical guidelines in decision-making in all work undertaken with an awareness of potential ethical complexity in own work role •Reflect understanding and compliance with the principles of duty of care and legal responsibilities in all work undertaken •Refer any breach or non adherence to standard procedures or adverse event to appropriate personnel •Maintain confidentiality of any client matter in line with organisation policy and procedure, regulatory requirements and/or code of practice •Show respect for rights and responsibilities of others through considered application of work practices •Reflect current working knowledge and understanding of employee and employer rights and responsibilities in all work undertaken •Recognise, avoid and/or address any conflict of interest
Element:	2Communicate effectively in a community work or service delivery setting
Performance Criteria:	•Develop, review and revise personal skills in communication as an ongoing priority to address work role requirements •Exercise caution in communicating personal information by oral and written means to ensure confidentiality of client and staff matters •Routinely apply workplace protocols and procedures in all workplace communication to support accuracy and understanding of information provided and received •Recognise individual and cultural differences and make any adjustments in communication needed to facilitate the achievement of identified outcomes •Conduct interpersonal communication with clients and colleagues in a manner that enhances a person-centred or community-centred approach consistent with work role requirements •Take appropriate measures to resolve conflict and interpersonal differences in the workplace
Element:	3.Work effectively within the community services system
Performance Criteria:	•Develop knowledge of different sectors involving community work and/or service delivery and how inter-relationships between these sectors affect own work •Work with awareness of the roles of various organisations involved in community work and/or service delivery •Demonstrate respect for workers from different sectors, levels and agencies within the industry •Gain and maintain awareness of current issues influencing community work and/or service delivery, including issues for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
Element:	4.Demonstrate commitment to relevant values and philosophy underpinning work in the sector
Performance Criteria:	•Demonstrate consideration and understanding of the underpinning values and philosophy of the sector and the work area •Demonstrate a commitment to access and equity principles in work in the sector •Identify personal values and attitudes and take into account when implementing work activities
Element:	5.Maintain work standards
Performance Criteria:	•Identify relevant organisation policies and procedures relating to awards, standards and legislative requirements of own work role and clarify any uncertainties with appropriate personnel •Contribute to identifying and implementing improved work practices •Comply with relevant accreditation and standards applying to work undertaken •Demonstrate understanding and focus on achieving organisation goals and objectives in all work taken •Respond positively to changes to improve work practices and procedures in accordance with organisation requirements •Identify issues requiring mandatory notification and report to supervisor and/or appropriate authority •Reflect and identify own scope of practice within each work context
Element:	6.Take responsibility for personal skill development
Performance Criteria:	•Seek advice from appropriate persons on areas for skill and knowledge development •Identify options for accessing relevant skill development opportunities and initiate action in consultation with manager •Undertake designated skill and knowledge development and maintenance activities of the organisation •Identify and prioritise personal work goals in accordance with organisation requirements
Element:	7.Reflect on own practice
Performance Criteria:	•Undertake self-evaluation in conjunction with supervisors and/or peers •Provide and receive open and evaluative feedback to and from co-workers •Actively seek constructive feedback relevant to work role and accept it non-defensively

Learning Outcomes

Details of Learning Activities

Learning activities for this course, are prescribed in the Australian Career Development Studies materials. These activities require you to read, discuss with colleagues, complete short answer questions as well as participate in case studies based on your reading.

If you have negotiated  a workplace learning project as part of your Learning and Assessment plan, you are expected to access these materials to provide you with the underpinning  knowledge required in developing and implementing your project.

Teaching Schedule

This course is self paced and materials can be accessed online at a time that best suits your study schedule. You are required to  develop  your own study schedule that enables you to complete your study within the timeframes negotiated in your Learning and Assessment Plan.

Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts

There is no prescribed textbook for this course. Please see Other Resources below.

References

Other Resources

Learning materials for this course are available through myRMIT Studies or at the Australian Career Development Studies website - http://www.career.edu.au/.

Overview of Assessment

Students may demonstrate competency either by RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning), the completion of work place projects or the completion of assessment activities based on the Australian Career Development Studies Level 2 materials.

Assessment Tasks

Recognition of Prior Learning - students undertaking RPL will need to provide evidence of their competency. Please read the RPL Kit and complete the RPL Ready!  mapping document  as the first stage of the RPL Process. You and your assessor will discuss  your  RPL Ready mapping and suitability for RPL. If you are using RPL as assessment for this competency, you and your assessor  once you have collected your evidence, will  undertake a structured professional conversation about your evidence in order to assess your  competency. 



Workplace project assessment - students are required to provide a written report add/or presentation of your project showing evidence of your engagement with the elements of the competency, underpinning knowledge and use of appropriate skills.



Students undertaking study in this unit of competency are required to complete tasks that include:
•    the completion of  ACDS learning material activities
•    application of knowledge to their workplace
The application of knowledge to their workplace task is negotiated with the student and might include the development of resources for clients, that application of your  knowledge to meet your  client’s needs and  implementing new initiatives in the workplace or your practice, completion of case studies and online research

Assessment Matrix

Course Overview: Access Course Overview