Course Title: Work with forced migrants

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term2 2025

Course Code: HUSO5237C

Course Title: Work with forced migrants

Important Information:

Please note that this course has compulsory in-person attendance requirements for some teaching and assessment activities. 

 

School: 535T Social Care and Health

Campus: City Campus

Program: C4432 - Certificate IV in Community Services

Course Contact: Bella Kelly

Course Contact Phone: 9925 4109

Course Contact Email: bella.kelly@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Nominal Hours: 50

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

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to work with, and for, refugees within an ethical, social, political and economic context.

This unit applies to work within an agency, directly or indirectly, involved with the provision of services to forced migrants, people with refugee and special humanitarian visas, people granted refugee status in Australia, business and skilled migrants whose prime motivation for leaving their country was to escape violence or persecution, and the immediate family members of anyone from these groups.

Workers have limited responsibilities and work within established guidelines to develop, monitor and provide support and services in a range of areas, including but not limited to, settlement, accommodation, counselling, financial advice, family services, youth work, income support, education, health care and crisis intervention.

This course is delivered and assessed in a cluster with:-

  • CHCMHS007 - Work effectively in trauma informed care 


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

CHCSET003 Work with forced migrants

Element:

1. Develop a professional rapport with people who are forced migrants

Performance Criteria:

1.1 Consider cultural sensitivities in communication techniques and adapt style and language to accommodate different cultural values and practices

1.2 Identify how one’s own ethnicity, religion, class and gender will affect interactions with clients and modify approach appropriately

1.3 Identify the communication needs of clients who are newly arrived, traumatised and confused and modify approach appropriately

1.4 Identify where an interpreter is needed and work to ensure that appropriate interpreter services are accessed

Element:

2. Plan settlement services

Performance Criteria:

2.1 Identify current issues which may impact on own work or organisation

2.2 Collect, discuss and use the views of key stakeholders and representatives from relevant target groups when determining service requirements

2.3 Develop and maintain links with workers with complementary roles in the provision of settlement services

2.4 Evaluate issues in relation to a person’s culture, family background and interest and modify plan appropriately

2.5 Identifying specific needs of individuals and determine learning program requirements

2.6 Document and agree plan with client and other relevant service providers or stakeholders

Element:

3. Address issues associated with people who are forced migrants

Performance Criteria:

3.1 Provide support to clients using a collaborative approach

3.2 Discuss and provide information regarding the range of services available in Australia and the importance of using these services

3.3 Take into account the culture, religion, gender and experiences of the person in all actions and decisions

3.4 Recognise trauma and refer to appropriate personnel or services

3.5 Support clients to deal with loss and grief

3.6 Support clients to deal with discrimination from both the mainstream community and from other ethnic groups

3.7 Support client to make appropriate links both within their own community and within the broader Australian community

3.8 Refer clients to other service providers as required

Element:

4. Monitor and review support

Performance Criteria:

4.1 Obtain ongoing feedback from clients in relation to service and support

4.2 Evaluate progress in relation to service provision plan

4.3 Monitor stress and emotions of self and colleagues and implement strategies to maintain wellbeing

4.4 Identify opportunities for improved service provision and modify approach

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. 


Details of Learning Activities

Learning activities will include:

Practical demonstrations
Online Discussion Forums, Groupwork and Quizzes
Analysis/critique of relevant reading material
Workshops, group discussion
Peer learning
Guest lecture/presentation
Research activities
Group activities/projects
Simulated workplace activities


Teaching Schedule

Course Schedule: Working with Forced Migrant and Trauma Informed Care Practice Cluster                        Semester 2 : 2025

 

Week

Topic

 Assessment Due Dates

Week 1 beginning

14th July

 
  • Trauma Informed Care
  • Work from a trauma-informed care perspective  
  • Utilise self-care strategies
  • Applying self-care strategies in managing vicarious trauma
  • Safe environments and relationships and preventing traumatisation and re-traumatisation  
  • Developing your individual self-care plan
  • Trauma within Aboriginal and Torres strait islander communities/ LBGTQIA+ and Refugee or Asylum seeker cohorts
  • Key principles and practices of trauma-informed care

 Non-assessed quiz at end of Module 1A (see week 1)

Week 2 beginning

21st July

 
  • Informed consent and disclosure
  • Interpersonal violence and abuse
  • The impact of trauma
  • Respond to behaviours and distress
  • The stress response
  • Brain development and attachment
  • The impact of trauma on relationships

 Non-assessed quiz at the end of Module 2A (see week 2)

Week 3

beginning 28th July

 
  • Resilience
  • Identify resources and strengths within individuals
  • Assisting to identify personal resources and strengths
  • Shame
  • Heightened distress
  • Self-injury/suicidal distress
  • Ongoing responses in the supportive relationship
  • Supporting learning about trauma and its impacts
  • Building readiness and safety for specialist trauma work
  • Increasing emotion and body awareness
  • Setting trauma-related recovery goals
  • Recognise coping strategies and adaptations

 

Week 4 beginning

4th August

 
  • Reflect upon own practice
  • Principles of self-reflection
  • Barriers to implementing trauma-informed care and practice
  • Power dynamics – worker, consumer or carer
  • Policy development
  • Enhance service delivery of trauma-informed care
  • Invite and respond to consumer feedback
  • Assessment 6 KQ workshop

Excursion t­­­o Immigration Museum in the Afternoon class

Assessment Task 6 Knowledge Questions:

Due  Sunday 10/8/25

 

Week 5 beginning 11th August

 
  • Assessment task 1: Interacting with a Refugee community member Guest Speaker and reflection questions.

  •  Working with forced migrants in Australia

    • The international protection regime and Australian policies
    • Background, historical, political, economic and social context
    • Settlement in Australia

 

Week 6 beginning 18th August

 

 

Understanding experiences of people with refugee backgrounds

Recognising effects of grief, loss, stress, torture and trauma and the impact of migration

    • The importance of identity
    • Perspectives on gender, class, culture and religion

Assessment Task 1: Written Reflection on discussion with refugee member Due Saturday 24/8/25

 

Week 7 beginning 25th August

 

 

 

Constance documentary

Planning settlement services

  • Building rapport and addressing communication needs of clients
  • Identifying specific needs of individuals and determine learning program requirements
  • Developing relationships with stakeholders and representatives

 

 

 

Mid-semester break

 1-7th September

Mid-semester break

 

Mid-semester break

 

Week 8

beginning 8th Sept

Organising services

  • Demonstrate skills for working with clients to select appropriate and relevant services
  • Demonstrate knowledge for recognising current experiences of trauma and referring clients to appropriate personnel or services
  • Acquire skills for facilitating access to services

 

 

Week 9

beginning 15th Sept
  • Monitoring and reviewing support
    • Collecting ongoing feedback from clients
    • Evaluating progress against service provision plan
    • Identifying opportunities for improved service provision and modifying approach
  • Assessment Three Planning Workshop:
    • Background research
    • Partnered Role Play practice
    • Settlement Plan prep
  

Week 10

beginning 22nd Sept

Assessment  Ang Myat Part A, Part B and Part C

 Settlement plan and monitoring notes

Answer 5 Reflective questions

 In class assessment

Group Role Plays
     

Week 11

beginning 29th Sept

 

Assessment  Ang Myat Part B and Part C

 Settlement plan and monitoring notes

Answer 5 Reflective questions

In class assessment

Group Role Plays

Assessment Task 3 Part B&C Due Saturday  5/10/25

Week 12

Beginning 6th Oct

Debrief Ang Myat - reflective practice

Morning Assessment 2 workshop

  • Assessment Four Planning Workshop afternoon:
    • Background research
    • Partnered Role Play practice
    • Settlement plan prep 

Assessment Task 2: WWFM Knowledge questions

Due Sunday 12/10/25

Week 13

Beginning 13th Oct

Assessment roleplay day Barati Family Part A

Assessment Barati Family Part B

Settlement plan and monitoring notes

In class assessment

Group Role Plays

Week 14

Beginning 20th Oct

Assessment roleplay day Barati Family Part A

Assessment Barati Family Part B

Settlement plan and monitoring notes

 

 

 

In class assessment

Group Role Plays

Assessment Task 4: Barati Family (Settlement plan)

Due Sunday 26th October

Week 15

Beginning 27th Oct
  • Debrief Barati - reflective practice
  • Revisit Utilise self-care/plan strategies from week 1
  • Utilise self-care strategies
  • Applying self-care strategies in managing re-traumatisation and vicarious trauma
  • Developing your individual self-care plan
  • Empathy
  • Monitoring and dealing with stress and emotions of self and colleagues.
  • Assessment 5 Well-Being Meeting Role Plays and  Part B: questions

Assessment Task 5:  Wellbeing meeting and verbal questions same day as assessment 28 or 29th October

Week 16 Beginning 3rd Nov

 assessment roleplay reschedules and make-up assessments

 

Week 17 beginning 10th Nov

 assessment roleplay reschedules and make-up assessments

 

Week 18 beginning 17th Nov

 assessment roleplay reschedules and make-up assessments

 

Course Schedule may change at teachers discretion* 

 


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References


Other Resources

N/A


Overview of Assessment

There are six individual assessment tasks consisting of written reflection, role plays, and short answer questions. 


Assessment Tasks

You will be given two (2) attempts for each assessment to demonstrate the required knowledge and skills. A third (3rd) attempt can only be offered after discussions between teacher and the Program Coordinator and is not automatic. Resubmissions beyond two (2) attempts are at the discretion of the teacher and/or coordinator.

Assessment Task 1: Written Reflection - In this Written Reflection Assessment, you will write about your own thoughts, feelings, and ideas on the experiences of forced migration as a result of interacting with a person with forced migration lived experience and encourage deeper insights into the impact of meeting community members with refugee experiences. 

Assessment Task 2 - Quiz/Knowledge questions - For this task, you will be required to answer  22 questions satisfactorily in canvas in the Quiz section to demonstrate knowledge of the topics covered in class. 

Assessment Task 3: Role Play Ang Myat - This practical assessment task requires you to demonstrate your skills working with clients.

Assessment Task 4: Role Play Barati Family - This practical assessment task requires you to demonstrate your skills working with clients.

Assessment Task 5: Role Play Wellbeing Meeting - This task allows you to demonstrate your ability to monitor the stress and emotions of the staff, and to confirm a range of strategies to assist them in maintaining their wellbeing.

Assessment Task 6 - Quiz/Knowledge questions - For this task, you will be required to answer 25 questions in Canvas satisfactorily in the Quiz section to demonstrate knowledge of the topics covered in class. 

 


Assessment Matrix

A marking rubric for each assessment task is located on Canvas

Other Information

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

Course Overview: Access Course Overview