Elements and Performance Criteria

The Range of Variables defines the different contexts, work environments and parameters governing the performance of this competency standard. The variables chosen in training and assessment will need to reflect local industry and regional contexts.

What natural resource management issues may be included in this standard?
Damage to natural resources, activities or lack of activity causing ecosystems to operate outside their natural states, restoration of degraded areas, risk of damage and degradation to natural resources.

What are the current and future impacts which might relate to this standard?
The impact of degradation, disturbance and damage on natural resources in terms of significance or productive capacity.

What could be the potential solutions that may be relevant?
Those which slow down, halt or reverse the processes of degradation, disturbance and damage of natural resources.

Who might the key stakeholder groups be?
Government including local, State and Territory and Commonwealth, and agencies within the governments, research organisations, industry (primary, secondary and tertiary), industry associations, community groups including those involved in natural and cultural resource management as one of their key objectives, schools and educational institutions, Indigenous groups, communities and peoples, environmental groups at local, regional and State/Territory levels, and regional facilitators, coordinators and leaders at community group level.

From where might panels and groups come?
They might be formed at regional level to oversee planning development process, formed at local level, formed with common or diverse interest groups, e.g., industries, cultural, community, etc., and may have formal or informal status in terms of agency or enterprise.

What may the database consist of?
Alphanumeric and/or graphical (GIS), layers and/or relationships and/or hierarchies, and may include different types of land tenure and associated legal arrangements.

What are the possible goals and strategies included within this standard?
Goals may be in terms of visionary statements of clear qualitative/quantitative results for whole region, may include more than one, which may require a balanced response and may include priorities. Strategies may be broad actions at regional and/or local level to achieve goals and may also include priorities.

What sources of technical advice may be included?
Local, regional, State/Territory nationally or internationally based, government, educational or private organisation or individual, may be free or for a fee, may involve local testing/trialing, may involve printed or electronic storage/libraries and communication and retrieval processes.

What may be involved in the provision of technical advice to groups and panels?
May involve redrafting for key points or for non-technical language.

What are the economic, industry and social contexts that may be relevant?
Degradation and risk of degradation in natural resource terms and productive industry terms, use of regional resources, social patterns and groupings, generators of economic activity including government and industry, the existence and strength of primary, secondary and tertiary industry in the region, the impact of the industries on the region in economic, social and environmental terms, and the growth or reduction in the various industries.

What formal consultations may be included in this standard?
Those included in requirements and those recognised in approval/endorsement processes, which may require formal written notice and reply.

What legislative, program and enterprise requirements may be relevant?
Requirements covering the development and use of the regional plan and may involve compliance with specific State/Territory legislation, e.g., native vegetation, Crown lands and land tenure.

What are the likely outcomes?
Expected results in given time frames, which are specific, achievable, measurable and timely.

What describes the region?
A local area with specific issues involving a community and a number of groups, a sub-catchment, a catchment, an economic zone, a group of local council areas and a region defined by State/Territory government.

What are the coordination processes that may be incorporated?
The sourcing of technical advice from within groups, agencies or externally, and technical advice may be planning, information processing including GIS, survey, agricultural, economic and natural resources.

What may be included in the public and private benefit and cost?
Solutions may have different cost/benefits for community (public) or for individuals in community (private).

What could be included in the program?
Commonwealth Government community programs under the Natural Heritage Trust, Rural Industry Programs, Business Programs and State Government community programs related to the environment.

Which agencies might be relevant?
Commonwealth, State or Territory department or statutory body managing a program.

What levels of literacy are included?
Review of technical information, redrafting technical advice, research skills both library and electronic, and drafting of complex documents, e.g., plan.

What forms of communication may be relevant?
Develop complex communication processes, e.g., consultations, relate with and address diverse groups including other immigrant cultures, Indigenous groups, and groups reflecting the roles of women and men in the community, handling of complex/contentious issues including strong views/characters, and equitable handling of communication/consultation with minority viewpoints.

What evidence is required to demonstrate competence for this standard as a whole?
Competence in coordinating the preparation of a regional resource management plan requires evidence that a regional resource management plan has been submitted for approval and/or endorsement according to community and agency guidelines and best practice procedures. The skills and knowledge required to coordinate the preparation of a regional resource management plan for submission and approval must be transferable to a range of work environments and contexts. For example, this could include different regions, communities and planning formats.
What specific knowledge is needed to achieve the performance criteria?

Knowledge and understanding are essential to apply this standard in the workplace, to transfer the skills to other contexts and to deal with unplanned events. The knowledge requirements for this unit are listed below:

Broad geographic indicators with particular emphasis on the region.
Regional and rural planning concepts from town planning, rural industry planning, and natural resource planning perspectives.
Impact of government processes and industry activities in social and economic terms.
Consultative techniques.
Cross cultural and cultural factors relevant to social structures.
Local government operations.
Natural resource management and issues.
Sources of technical advice.

What specific skills are needed to achieve the performance criteria?

To achieve the performance criteria, some complementary skills are required. These skills include the ability to:

Facilitate to manage widely diverse groups, views and cultures.
Coordinate multiple strands of planning development concurrently.
Seek out technical advice and communication across a range of technical disciplines.
Consult.
Present effectively.
Research in economic, planning, environmental and social areas.
Address and relate to diverse groups of people.
Write reports.

Are there other competency standards that could be assessed with this one?
This competency standard could be assessed on its own or in combination with other competencies relevant to the job function.

Essential Assessment Information
For information about

What processes should be applied to this competency standard?
There are a number of processes that are learnt throughout work and life, which are required in all jobs. They are fundamental processes and generally transferable to other work functions. Some of these are covered by the key competencies, although others may be added. The questions below highlight how these processes are applied in this competency standard. Following each question a number in brackets indicates the level to which the key competency needs to be demonstrated where 0 = not required, 1 = perform the process, 2 = perform and administer the process and 3 = perform, administer and design the process.
Communicating ideas and information
By discussing the preparation of a regional resource management plan at meetings or formally in writing with clients and stakeholders. (3)

Collecting analysing and organising information
Coordinating the preparation of a regional resource management plan will require detailed information to be gathered, analysed and organised from clients and stakeholders by seeking out technical advice across a range of disciplines. (3)

Planning and organising activities
Coordinating the preparation of a regional resource management plan requires extensive planning and organising of planning concepts from a variety of planning perspectives. (3)

Working with others and in teams
Coordinating the preparation of a regional resource management plan will require development and management of work teams to achieve outcomes. (3)

Using mathematical ideas and techniques
Mathematical techniques in relation to planning and resourcing can be applied. (2)

Solving problems
While coordinating the preparation of a regional resource management plan, technical, organisational and cultural problems may arise requiring complex solutions. (3)

Using technology
Planning and presentation technology may be required. (2)