Elements and Performance Criteria

RANGE STATEMENT

The Range Statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Add any essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts.


Project cycle is:
A well known relief management construct used to describe the normal life-cycle of a relief project from crisis to non-crisis stages
The project cycle generally includes the following areas:
assessment
analysis
design
marketing
monitoring
reporting
evaluation


Relief-development continuum is:
A theory which proposes that relief and development are not separate activities but part of a single approach to disaster environments
Project activities are planned depending on the stage of the disaster but all interventions incorporate gender, environmental and sustainable analysis


Scope of authority may include:
Delegation to sign cheques or authorize, purchases and payment of invoices
Delegation to negotiate contract changes with, donors
Delegation to authorise use of project equipment
Delegation to recruit or direct staff
Delegation to determine changes to project interventions


Issues impacting humanitarian interventions may include:
Health issues, such as:
health indicators such as infant mortality and malnutrition
health surveys in order to derive health data
health interventions such as immunisation or supplemental feeding programs
international standards for health
Food aid issues, such as:
food for work programs
dietary requirements of project participants
international standards on food aid
cultural requirements of project participants
Refugee issues, such as:
familiarity with The Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Relief (the Sphere standards) and with international law pertaining to refugees and their rights
consideration of cultural issues and of host communities' needs and rights
Water issues, such as:
access to water and its management
water purification
formulas for calculating the volume of water required
ownership of water
distribution of water, including storage and plumbing infrastructure
Human resource issues, such as:
hiring of local staff
local labour hire laws
local workers' demand for daily cash payment
staff accommodation and other conditions
evacuations
notification of next-of-kin where necessary
Communication issues, such as:
dealing with local or international media
preparing press releases
hosting media visits
preparing non-media marketing information
A range of political and military issues
Finance issues, such as:
acquittals
budget submissions
preparation of invoice and receipt books
cash security
foreign currency restrictions and transactions


Key roles and responsibilities may include:
Operational
Line management
Preparation of financial reports
Preparation of non-financial reports
Design of project
Monitoring of project
Evaluation of project


Key stakeholders may include:
Community members and representatives
National and/or local government
Private sector organisations - local and international
Donors
Other government and/or non-government organisations
Voluntary civic and social organisations
'Internal' stakeholders, such as:
immediate managers
organisation's national hierarchy
organisation's international or regional managers
designated staff with specific project responsibilities


Interact refers to:
Interactions which occur when one project intervention has an impact, either directly or indirectly on another project intervention
Interactions may also be considered to have occurred when one project intervention stops another one from being implemented
For example, a health intervention may stop other water interventions going ahead
This impact is considered an intervention


Aid effectiveness includes:
Ownership, including:
using delivery processes that support partner countries to exercise effective leadership over their development policies and strategies
coordinating development actions
involving communities and local government in decision making, implementation, monitoring and evaluation
encouraging community's and local government's contribution to problem solving
Alignment, involving maintaining a comprehensive understanding of partner countries' national development strategies, institutions and procedures to guide program delivery
Harmonisation:
actively seeking to collaborate with other Official Development Assistance (ODA) partners to create added value and greater development effectiveness
Managing for results, including continuous improvement of systems to:
manage for development results and
support evidence-based decision making
Mutual accountability, involving demonstration of:
full transparency and accountability for the use of development resources in program delivery


Obligations may include:
Regular reports
Specific activities
Outputs
Inputs
Training sessions


Progress reports may include:
Monthly reports
Situational reports
Verbal presentations
Annual plans
Evaluations


Financial reports may include:
Acquittals
Budget submissions
Preparation of invoice and receipt books


Donors may include:
Government:
Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID)
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
European Union (EU)
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
Multilateral:
World Food Program (WFP)
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Private donor:
internal
external
Corporate donor
Local representatives of all of the above
Local host government


Project interventions are:
Any activities undertaken by the organisation within a field environment funded through the project budget


Commodity may include:
Food
Blankets
Temporary shelters
Tools and equipment
Any other items for distribution to project participants


Commodity issues may include:
Food and non-food storage requirements
Procurement of food and non-food goods
Transport of food and non-food goods
Commodity tracking
Distribution methods


Line managers are:
Managers with direct authority over and responsibility for staff reporting to them

EVIDENCE GUIDE

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria, Required Skills and Knowledge, the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate this unit of competency:
The individual being assessed must provide evidence of specified essential knowledge as well as skills
The application of competency is to be assessed in the workplace or realistically simulated workplace
Assessment is to occur under standard and authorised work practices, safety requirements and environmental constraints
Consistency of performance should be demonstrated over the required range of situations relevant to the workplace
The circumstantial or unsolicited testimony of project participants, governments or other non-government organisations regarding ethical behaviour should be considered as significant evidence in relation to this unit


Access and equity considerations:
All workers in development and humanitarian assistance should be aware of access, equity and human rights issues in their own area of work
All workers should develop their ability to work in a culturally diverse environment
In particular workers should be aware of cultural, historical and current issues facing the people and culture in which they are working
Assessors and trainers must take into account relevant access and equity issues relating to the culture in which they are working


Context of and specific resources for assessment:
This unit may be assessed independently, however holistic assessment practice with other related units of competency is encouraged
Assessment of essential underpinning knowledge, other than confirmatory questions, will usually be conducted in an off-site context
Resources required for assessment include access to:
workplace location or simulated workplace
specifications and work instructions
policy manuals and procedure manuals (international and local, including sector specific manuals)
relevant documents (such as staff assessments, memos, leave records and performance reviews)
relevant equipment (such as vehicles, office equipment and communications equipment)
managers, co-workers and other staff


Method of assessment:
Assessment needs to take into consideration the practical difficulties associated with attempting on-job assessment in the field
Given the nature of this unit, candidates should be expected to present evidence from within a real field environment
If this is not possible, demonstration of some performance criteria in this unit may be achieved through observing the behaviour and responses of the candidate under a stressful situation similar to those likely to be encountered in the field
While it is unethical and inappropriate to place a candidate in real danger, a life-like simulation may provide the best opportunity to observe 'near-real' responses
Underpinning knowledge may be assessed through:
written assignments
project reports
debriefings
action learning projects
Assessment should be supported by supplementary evidence from a wide range of sources, preferably including evidence from one or more field situations