Course Title: Interpret and use legal information

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2016

Course Code: HWSS6122C

Course Title: Interpret and use legal information

School: 365T Global, Urban and Social Studies

Campus: City Campus

Program: C5360 - Diploma of Financial Counselling

Course Contact: Jo Wallwork

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 3983

Course Contact Email: mary-josephine.wallwork@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Nominal Hours: 65

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

None.

Course Description

Course Description

This course describes the skills and knowledge required to assess and respond to the immediate and ongoing needs of clients in the context of a strengths-based and client-focused financial counselling model.

This course is clustered with four (4) other courses:

  • CHCFIN001 Facilitate the financial counselling process
  • CHCFIN002 Identify and apply technical information to assist clients with financial issues
  • CHCFIN003 Develop and use financial counselling tools and techniques
  • CHCPRP003 Reflect on and improve own professional practice

These five courses are delivered and assessed together.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

CHCLEG002 Interpret and use legal information

Element:

E1. Identify legislative framework

Performance Criteria:

1.1 Identify legislation that applies to the situation based on client or broader work needs

1.2 Investigate the scope and coverage of the legislation and its relevance to the situation

1.3 Correctly interpret terms and definitions in the legislation

1.4 Seek assistance or clarification from relevant personnel or experts

Element:

E2. Interpret legislative provisions and regulations

Performance Criteria:

2.1 Research legislation and its provisions that apply to the situation

2.2 Correctly interpret the detail of provisions within scope of own role

2.3 Extract and distil information relevant to the situation

2.4 Clearly and accurately document information 

Element:

E3. Use legal information

Performance Criteria:

3.1 Summarise and present relevant legal information in a way that is suited to the client or other audience

3.2 Analyse how legal provisions directly link to the situation

3.3 Identify and respond to challenges presented by the situation and associated legal information

3.4 Clearly communicate options for action and possible outcomes

3.5 Identify situations where referral to legal experts is required and take action accordingly

3.6 Take action that supports achievement of the best possible outcome

Element:

E4. Maintain knowledge of legal information

Performance Criteria:

4.1 Identify and use opportunities to maintain knowledge of current and emerging legal information

4.2 Share updated knowledge and information with peers and colleagues

4.3 Pro-actively engage in process of review and improvement

Learning Outcomes


 

On successful completion of this course you will have developed and applied the skills and knowledge required to demonstrate competency in the above elements. By applying these skills and this knowledge you will be able to analyse and use technical and legal information and develop the appropriate written tools and resources to assist individuals to understand their rights and make informed decisions about financial issues within the context of a strengths-based and client-focused financial counselling model.


Details of Learning Activities

 

In-class activities: 

  • Group discussion
  • Industry speakers
  • Teacher directed group activities/projects
  • Class exercises to review discussions/lectures

Out-of-class activities: 

  • Independent project-based work
  • Online and other research
  • Independent study


Teaching Schedule

 

Please note: While your teacher will cover all the material in this schedule, the weekly order is subject to change depending on class needs and availability of speakers and resources.

Workshop

Content

Assessment due

Units of competency addressed

1

 
  • Introduction to the course structure and assessment
  • Introduction to financial counselling
  • Introduction to Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC)
  • Introduce complex client needs and ways to approach client service delivery
  •  Exploration of personal values that may impact on financial counselling relationships with client
  • Code of Ethics – how ethics impact on  people within a workplace. Exploration of various codes of ethics and practice

Assessment 1 Part A

Due: 13 April 2016

 

2

 
  • Non-Judgement approach
  • Problem –solving approach
  • Accountability as a financial counsellor
  • Recognition of stress within the role of financial counsellor          
  • Boundaries – maintaining client-counsellor boundaries during financial counselling process
  • Conflict of interest
  • Informed consent
  • Confidentiality –policies and processes

Expectations of the client / worker relationship

 

 

3
  • Initial Interview
  • Initial intake information
  • Developing a rapport
  • Client intake and assessment – how to get the client to tell their story
  • Options for management of debts
  • Legal ramifications
  • Legal remedies for the client

Assessment 1 Part B

Due: 9 May 2016

CHCFIN001

E1. E2. E3.

4
  • Working on intake and assessment of clients
  • Clarifying roles and expectations
  • Working with couples and families
  • Working with aggressive behaviour
  • Strategies for time management
  • Introduction to the Law Handbook and how to use the resource
  • Appropriate referrals –Networking
  • Understanding of industry reflective process

 

CHCFIN001

E4. E5. E6. E7.

5
  • Understanding a statement of financial position
  • Client intake and assessment –support
  • Support an understanding of liability and legal debt
  • Credit law
  • Consumer law
  • External dispute resolution
  • What constitutes a dispute
  • Resolution processes

Assessment 3 Part A

Due: 29 June 2016

CHCFIN002

E1. E2. E3.

6
  • Role of financial counsellors
  • External dispute resolution mechanisms in the consumer world relevant to financial counselling practice
  • Centrelink
  • Centrelink payments/ entitlements
  • Overpayments and debts
  • Debt resolution
  • Prosecution

 

CHCFIN002

E1. E2. E3.

7
  • Beginning Financial counselling case work –options for management of debt
  • Support client with understanding and options
  • Support of appropriate referrals
  • Contracts / credit law
  • Presentation by Consumer Action Law Centre- relating to role of CALC as referral point for legal assistance for financial counsellors
  • Financial counsellor role in client support
  • Building a client case
  • Social Security Appeals Tribunal
  • Administrative Appeals Tribunal

 

Assessment 3 Part B

Due: 13 July

CHCFIN002

 E4. E5. E6.

8
  • Beginning Financial counselling case work –options for management of debt
  • Support client with understanding and options
  • Fines: landscape for client assistance
  • Mental health/ alcohol and other drugs and client impacts
  • Case scenarios about how fines can be easily achieved
  • Cost of various fines
  • Types of fines
  • Debt resolution relating to fines
  • Payment plans
  • Affordability and negotiation
  • Bankruptcy and fines
  • Civic  compliance processes
  • Magistrate court fines
  • Criminal fines- relating to common fines I.e. drink driving; driving without  licence; driving an unregistered car
  • CALD clients and impact of fines
  • How to negotiate
  • Special circumstances court

 

CHCFIN002

 E4. E5. E6.

9
  • Focus on Codes that are used in financial counselling
  • Breakdown of Acts and Codes and the relationship that exists
  • Standard letters used to defend client rights
  • Law resources
  • Approach with creditors
  • Debt management and effective advocacy
  • All resources used in resource folder

Assessment 4

Due 24 August 2016

CHCFIN003

E1. E2. E3.

10
  • Insurance
  • Financial services
  • Credit services
  • External dispute resolution
  • How /when to lodge a dispute
  • Client support mechanisms
  • Presentation/ discussion on bankruptcy
  • Focus of debt recovery
  • Legal processes
  • Processes of bankruptcy
  • Understanding of the Judgment Debt
  • Recovery Act
  • Protections under the Bankruptcy Act
  • Debt collection practices
  • Complaints mechanisms for harassment
  • Credit law relating to debt collection and recovery

 

CHCLEG002

E1. E2. E3. E4.

11
  • Presentation/ discussion on bankruptcy
  • Focus of debt recovery
  • Legal processes
  • Processes of bankruptcy
  • Understanding of the Judgment Debt
  • Recovery Act
  • Protections under the Bankruptcy Act
  • Debt collection practices
  • Complaints mechanisms for harassment
  • Credit law relating to debt collection and recovery

Assessment 5

Due: 3 November 2016

 

CHCLEG002

E1. E2. E3. E4.

12

Student presentations of projects relating to research into a prominent financial counselling issues

Assessment 6

In-class presentation

CHCLEG002

E1. E2. E3. E4.

13

Student presentations of projects relating to research into a prominent financial counselling issues

Assessment 6

In-class presentation

CHCLEG002

E1. E2. E3. E4.

14

Overview of clustered units

Assessment 6

In-class presentation

CHCFIN001 CHCFIN002 CHCFIN003 CHCLEG002

15

Overview of clustered units

Assessment 6

In-class presentation

CHCFIN001 CHCFIN002 CHCFIN003 CHCLEG002

 


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References


Other Resources


Overview of Assessment

 

Overview of Assessment

Your knowledge and understanding of course content is assessed through:

  • Case study scenarios and questions
  • Knowledge questions
  • Research projects
  • Simulated activities such as role play activities
  • the 220-hour work placement


Assessment Tasks

Assessment Task 1: Case studies and written activities

Due date: Part A 13 April 2016 and Part B 9 May 2016

Assessment Task 2: Case studies and written activities

Due date: 15 June 2016

Assessment Task 3: Case studies and written activities

Due date: Part A 29 June 2016 and Part B 13 July 2016

Assessment Task 4: Case studies and written activities

Due date: 24 August 2016

Assessment Task 5: Case studies and written activities

Due date: 3 November 2016

Assessment Task 6: Research project and presentation

Due date: October/November


Assessment Matrix

 

The assessment matrix demonstrates alignment of assessment tasks with the relevant unit of competency. These matrices are available through Program Administration.

Other Information

 

Please refer to the RMIT student page for extensive information about study support, assessment, extensions, appeals and a range of other matters: http://www1.rmit.edu.au/students

Course Overview: Access Course Overview