Elements and Performance Criteria

The range statement relates to the Unit of Competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. 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) may also be included.
Community groups may include:
facilities for the elderly
dog obedience groups or clubs
dog and cat breed support groups
local government authorities
production animal support groups
schools.
Existing animal care education programs may include:
Cats in Schools
Dogs 'n' Kids
Pets and People Education Program (PetPEP)
Safe Pets Out There (SPOT).
Workplace health and safety risks associated with dealing with animals include:
animal bites, kicks or scratches
manual handling and shift loading
release of infective agents (animal and human)
zoonoses.
Education programs may include:
activity sheets
brochures
endorsed pet care products
overhead slides
videos
written notes.

The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.
Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this Unit
The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this Unit must be relevant to workplace operations and satisfy all of the requirements of the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge and the range statement of this Unit. Assessors should ensure that candidates can:
establish community needs and interest in educational programs
develop an action plan and meeting schedule
gather information and develop materials for the program
develop, deliver and evaluate relevant programs within the local community
communicate effectively with clients and employers.
The skills and knowledge required to prepare, deliver and review animal care education programs must be transferable to a range of work environments and contexts and include the ability to deal with unplanned events.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment for this Unit is to be practical in nature and will be most appropriately assessed in a veterinary practice or in a situation that reproduces normal work conditions.
There must be access in either situation to the appropriate equipment and/or resources to enable one to demonstrate competence.
Method of assessment
To ensure consistency of performance, competency should be demonstrated, to industry defined standards, on more than one occasion over a period of time in order to cover a variety of circumstances and responsibilities and over a number of assessment activities.
The assessment strategy must include practical skills assessment. Suggested strategies for this Unit are:
written and/or oral assessment of candidate's required knowledge
observed, documented and first-hand testimonial evidence of candidate's application of practical tasks
simulation exercises that reproduce normal work conditions
third-party evidence
workplace documentation eg. education program materials
portfolio.
This Unit may be assessed in a holistic way with other Units of Competency relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role.
Guidance information for assessment
Assessment methods should reflect workplace demands (e.g. literacy and numeracy demands) and the needs of particular target groups (e.g. people with disabilities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women, people with a language background other than English, youth and people from low socioeconomic backgrounds).