Unit of competency Outline
Date retreived
22/07/2026 8:21 PM AWST
22/07/2026 8:21 PM AWST
Whilst all efforts are made to provide accurate and timely information from the relevant source/documentation, please be aware that the information supplied may not be the most current version. The accuracy of the detail has not been confirmed by the Department and therefore should not be relied upon without first confirming the contents.
Conduct a rapid assessment in a humanitarian assistance context
Conduct a rapid assessment in a humanitarian assistance context
Unit of competency
National Code
CHCDHA411A
CHCDHA411A
State Code
D3551
D3551
TGA Status
Deleted
Deleted
DTWD Status
Deleted
Deleted
State Implementation and Classification
Approved Date
21/07/2014
Field of Education
090515 - Welfare Studies
Original Release Date
21/07/2014
Nominal Hours
55
Description
DescriptorThis unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to conduct rapid assessment in a humanitarian assistance context
Notes
Elements and Performance Criteria
1. Establish a team for a rapid assessment in a humanitarian assistance context
- 1.1 Identify key people for conducting rapid assessment according to field requirements and organisation guidelines
- 1.2 Work with understanding of the application of the concepts and principles of aid effectiveness and community development
- 1.3 Collect secondary data in the area
- 1.4 Coordinate with key organisation units and line management
- 1.5 Form a multi-sectoral team responsible for conducting rapid assessment
- 1.6 Provide orientation or training on data collection to volunteers as required
2. Plan for rapid assessment
- 2.1 Identify objectives for the rapid assessment
- 2.2 Determine all sectors and all likely affected areas that need to be covered in the assessment
- 2.3 Identify and assess key factors, issues and constraints which may affect the conduct of rapid assessment
- 2.4 Identify information needs and sources of reliable data
- 2.5 Identify key informants for coordination, data gathering or collection
- 2.6 Explain objective of assessment to key informants
- 2.7 Identify appropriate and culturally sensitive data collection methods for the assessment
- 2.8 Prepare and submit the assessment plan according to organisation guidelines
3. Conduct rapid needs assessment
- 3.1 Identify, characterise and quantify 'populations at risk' in the disaster
- 3.2 Identify local environmental conditions and document likely impact of conditions in appropriate and efficient format
- 3.3 Gather existing and available baseline data on the relevant sector
- 3.4 Conduct focused group discussions, interviews and appropriate data collection tools with key informants, stakeholders and other agencies operating in the area and record data appropriately
- 3.5 Consult existing community social structures
- 3.6 Identify and document immediate and longer term needs of local community members
- 3.7 Conduct rapid quality checks on the collection, evaluation and dissemination of data and key findings
4. Undertake capacity assessment
- 4.1 Identify and assess local response capacity including organisational, medical and logistics resources
- 4.2 Identify skilled, semi-skilled personnel, youth and women groups and existing organisations in the community
- 4.3 Identify and assess capacities of all affected local communities, using culturally appropriate interview or survey techniques and other methods as required by relief or cultural context
- 4.4 Identify and assess vulnerabilities of local communities or individuals in appropriate and efficient format
- 4.5 Assess coping mechanism of affected population
5. Analyse and interpret data
- 5.1 Use a range of analysis tools and techniques which are appropriate to the local context and data being analysed
- 5.2 Confirm and validate data against existing baseline information
- 5.3 Assess the value of data, reliability of the source and accuracy of data
- 5.4 Synthesise data in a logical manner
- 5.5 Gather additional information as required
- 5.6 Conduct analysis sessions to determine key program interventions and strategies based on the information gathered
- 5.7 Identify risks to various populations
6. Prepare and submit report
- 6.1 Identify key findings of the rapid assessment
- 6.2 Define and prioritise the actions and resources needed to reduce immediate risks
- 6.3 Estimate the additional support required from national and international sources for relief and recovery
- 6.4 Provide recommendations regarding priority needs, further action needed, short term and long term goals
- 6.5 Prepare detailed plans according to interventions including general project goals, dollar amounts required and key assumptions for implementation
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.
Concepts and principles of aid effectiveness and community development include:
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
support evidence-based decision making
Mutual accountability, involving demonstration of:
full transparency and accountability for the use of development resources in program delivery
Multi-sectoral team may include:
Specialists or technical experts from a variety of sectors with appropriate skills and experience in emergency relief, which may include:
emergency relief practitioners
health or nutrition specialist
program officer
commodity officer
water and sanitation specialist
logistics officer
communications officer
disaster management officer
relief coordinator
relief manager
Area Development Program (ADP) staff
planning staff
evaluation staff
finance staff
A diversity of perspectives and knowledge that will enhance the feasibility and quality of the findings and recommendations
Orientation or training may refer to:
Orientation or training required for data collection in the field which may include:
locating sponsored children
seeking information regarding impact of disaster upon households
doing survey on damage, needs and capacity
data collection techniques including:
how to conduct focus groups
interviewing
techniques for validating data
Objectives may include:
Verifying numbers, locations and the needs of affected communities
Determining nutritional status of children under five
Assessing food security including:
agricultural, veterinary and fishery services
availability of food in the community and nearby markets
Assessing the health of the population (general diseases especially among children), services and health facilities available (including immunisation)
Assessing the water and sanitation situation
Assessing situations of local conflicts in the communities
Assessing education services and facilities
Assessing protection related problems in the area
Sectors may include:
Emergency medical care
Livelihood
Food and agriculture
Health
Shelter and housing needs
Agricultural needs
Economic needs
Water and sanitation
Environment
Key factors, issues and constraints may include:
Security of location
Population figures are not verifiable
Language
Political instability
Cooperation and accessibility of community
Rebel groups
Lack of communication, infrastructure structures or systems
Hierarchies of power in the community
Time constraints
Size of affected community
Limited movement and access
Team lacks inadequate specialists
Key informants may include:
Field staff
Local community leaders
Government officials
Local officials
Non-government officials
Data collection methods may include:
Standard survey techniques
Questionnaires, checklists and procedures
Interviews or semi structured interviews
Participatory rural appraisal (PRA) techniques, including:
proportional piling tool
visual inspection
direct observation
Secondary data review
Surveillance
Technical inspections
Critical sector analysis
Household visits
Transect walks
Assessment plan may include:
Guidelines and standard working procedures
Identified information needs
Data collection methods and data gathering procedures
Areas of responsibility and accountability
Designated reporting points and reporting procedures
Designated field investigation teams
Analysis of data
Presentation of information
Recording and dissemination of results
Contingency plan
Needs assessment may include:
Internally displaced populations and their means of survival
Protection issues
Coping mechanisms
Food security and food situation
Health
Shelter needs
Water and sanitation
Education
Status of relief operations
Community structures
Populations at risk may include:
Children
Women
Elderly
People with physical and/or mental disability
Baseline data may include:
Area affected
Number of people requiring immediate help
Condition of the affected population such as:
health
expressed priorities of the affected people
number of homes completely destroyed and homes requiring partial repair
number of homeless families and individuals
household structures including:
family size
extended family structures
sites being used as temporary shelters
number of those residing in temporary shelters
existing resources and services for emergency measures
availability of food
services available and health facilities
water and sanitation facilities
local conflicts in the communities
education services and facilities
protection related problems or concerns in the area
Stakeholders may include:
Community leaders
Community groups
Individual households
Families residing at temporary shelter
Local authorities counterparts
Children
Women
People with a disability
Response capacity may refer to:
Level of response by the affected country or region to cope with the situation
Level of response of different organisations
Capacities may refer to:
Local skills
Local environment
Technical skills
Financial status and capacity
Management skills
Resource generation
Networking skills
Vulnerabilities may refer to:
Potential areas for harm or injury
Potential areas for damage or destruction
Attitude
Social and organisation vulnerability
Coping mechanism may refer to:
A variety of ways and means through which people respond to crisis or emergency situations, difficulties and problems in life
Analysis tools and techniques may include:
Problem tree analysis
Gender analysis
Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis
Nutritional assessment
Household food economy analysis
Health assessment
Cost and benefit analysis
Capacity and vulnerability analysis
'Do No Harm' framework (Local Capacities for Peace)
Network analysis
Environmental impact assessment
Risks may include:
Depleted household food stocks
Inadequate supply of essential foods
Malnutrition
Inadequate supply of emergency clinical medical services
Severe climatic conditions aggravated by lack of shelter, warm clothing or heating fuel and/or water shortages
Key findings of the assessment report may include:
An analysis of the most predominant threat
Areas that are most at risk
Distribution of most vulnerable population
Main characteristics of the affected population
Total number affected by the disaster
Mortality and morbidity rates
Total number and types of injuries (minor, severe) and illness
Emergency health situation
Damage to:
economic resources
properties
road or infrastructures
community structures
Shelter needs
Food supply situation
Water and sanitation situation
Psychosocial and mental well being
Impact on major livelihood
Other organisations present in the target zone including secondary sources of information
Level of continuing or emerging threat
Level of response from different organisations
Level of response by the affected country and capacity to cope with the situation
Actions may include:
Medical aid
Food distribution
Immunisation
Supplementary feeding
Child protection
Latrine construction
Water supply
Housing projects
Temporary shelter
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.
Concepts and principles of aid effectiveness and community development include:
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
support evidence-based decision making
Mutual accountability, involving demonstration of:
full transparency and accountability for the use of development resources in program delivery
Multi-sectoral team may include:
Specialists or technical experts from a variety of sectors with appropriate skills and experience in emergency relief, which may include:
emergency relief practitioners
health or nutrition specialist
program officer
commodity officer
water and sanitation specialist
logistics officer
communications officer
disaster management officer
relief coordinator
relief manager
Area Development Program (ADP) staff
planning staff
evaluation staff
finance staff
A diversity of perspectives and knowledge that will enhance the feasibility and quality of the findings and recommendations
Orientation or training may refer to:
Orientation or training required for data collection in the field which may include:
locating sponsored children
seeking information regarding impact of disaster upon households
doing survey on damage, needs and capacity
data collection techniques including:
how to conduct focus groups
interviewing
techniques for validating data
Objectives may include:
Verifying numbers, locations and the needs of affected communities
Determining nutritional status of children under five
Assessing food security including:
agricultural, veterinary and fishery services
availability of food in the community and nearby markets
Assessing the health of the population (general diseases especially among children), services and health facilities available (including immunisation)
Assessing the water and sanitation situation
Assessing situations of local conflicts in the communities
Assessing education services and facilities
Assessing protection related problems in the area
Sectors may include:
Emergency medical care
Livelihood
Food and agriculture
Health
Shelter and housing needs
Agricultural needs
Economic needs
Water and sanitation
Environment
Key factors, issues and constraints may include:
Security of location
Population figures are not verifiable
Language
Political instability
Cooperation and accessibility of community
Rebel groups
Lack of communication, infrastructure structures or systems
Hierarchies of power in the community
Time constraints
Size of affected community
Limited movement and access
Team lacks inadequate specialists
Key informants may include:
Field staff
Local community leaders
Government officials
Local officials
Non-government officials
Data collection methods may include:
Standard survey techniques
Questionnaires, checklists and procedures
Interviews or semi structured interviews
Participatory rural appraisal (PRA) techniques, including:
proportional piling tool
visual inspection
direct observation
Secondary data review
Surveillance
Technical inspections
Critical sector analysis
Household visits
Transect walks
Assessment plan may include:
Guidelines and standard working procedures
Identified information needs
Data collection methods and data gathering procedures
Areas of responsibility and accountability
Designated reporting points and reporting procedures
Designated field investigation teams
Analysis of data
Presentation of information
Recording and dissemination of results
Contingency plan
Needs assessment may include:
Internally displaced populations and their means of survival
Protection issues
Coping mechanisms
Food security and food situation
Health
Shelter needs
Water and sanitation
Education
Status of relief operations
Community structures
Populations at risk may include:
Children
Women
Elderly
People with physical and/or mental disability
Baseline data may include:
Area affected
Number of people requiring immediate help
Condition of the affected population such as:
health
expressed priorities of the affected people
number of homes completely destroyed and homes requiring partial repair
number of homeless families and individuals
household structures including:
family size
extended family structures
sites being used as temporary shelters
number of those residing in temporary shelters
existing resources and services for emergency measures
availability of food
services available and health facilities
water and sanitation facilities
local conflicts in the communities
education services and facilities
protection related problems or concerns in the area
Stakeholders may include:
Community leaders
Community groups
Individual households
Families residing at temporary shelter
Local authorities counterparts
Children
Women
People with a disability
Response capacity may refer to:
Level of response by the affected country or region to cope with the situation
Level of response of different organisations
Capacities may refer to:
Local skills
Local environment
Technical skills
Financial status and capacity
Management skills
Resource generation
Networking skills
Vulnerabilities may refer to:
Potential areas for harm or injury
Potential areas for damage or destruction
Attitude
Social and organisation vulnerability
Coping mechanism may refer to:
A variety of ways and means through which people respond to crisis or emergency situations, difficulties and problems in life
Analysis tools and techniques may include:
Problem tree analysis
Gender analysis
Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis
Nutritional assessment
Household food economy analysis
Health assessment
Cost and benefit analysis
Capacity and vulnerability analysis
'Do No Harm' framework (Local Capacities for Peace)
Network analysis
Environmental impact assessment
Risks may include:
Depleted household food stocks
Inadequate supply of essential foods
Malnutrition
Inadequate supply of emergency clinical medical services
Severe climatic conditions aggravated by lack of shelter, warm clothing or heating fuel and/or water shortages
Key findings of the assessment report may include:
An analysis of the most predominant threat
Areas that are most at risk
Distribution of most vulnerable population
Main characteristics of the affected population
Total number affected by the disaster
Mortality and morbidity rates
Total number and types of injuries (minor, severe) and illness
Emergency health situation
Damage to:
economic resources
properties
road or infrastructures
community structures
Shelter needs
Food supply situation
Water and sanitation situation
Psychosocial and mental well being
Impact on major livelihood
Other organisations present in the target zone including secondary sources of information
Level of continuing or emerging threat
Level of response from different organisations
Level of response by the affected country and capacity to cope with the situation
Actions may include:
Medical aid
Food distribution
Immunisation
Supplementary feeding
Child protection
Latrine construction
Water supply
Housing projects
Temporary shelter
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
Assessment must confirm a reasonable inference that competency is able not only to be satisfied under the particular circumstance, but is able to be transferred to other circumstances
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 (relief operations manual, international and local, including donor manuals)
relevant documents (such as interview and meeting notes, and assessment reports) and standards documents
relevant equipment (such as office equipment and communications equipment)
managers, co-workers and local staff
Method of assessment:
Assessment needs to take into consideration the practical difficulties associated with attempting on-job assessment in the humanitarian assistance environment
Assessment methods must be by direct observation of tasks and include questioning on underpinning knowledge
Assessment may be applied under project related conditions (real or simulated) and require evidence of process
Assessment should be supported by supplementary evidence from a wide range of sources, preferably including evidence from one or more field situations
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
Assessment must confirm a reasonable inference that competency is able not only to be satisfied under the particular circumstance, but is able to be transferred to other circumstances
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 (relief operations manual, international and local, including donor manuals)
relevant documents (such as interview and meeting notes, and assessment reports) and standards documents
relevant equipment (such as office equipment and communications equipment)
managers, co-workers and local staff
Method of assessment:
Assessment needs to take into consideration the practical difficulties associated with attempting on-job assessment in the humanitarian assistance environment
Assessment methods must be by direct observation of tasks and include questioning on underpinning knowledge
Assessment may be applied under project related conditions (real or simulated) and require evidence of process
Assessment should be supported by supplementary evidence from a wide range of sources, preferably including evidence from one or more field situations
No information
| State Code | National Code | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
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| J032 | CHC42812 | Certificate IV in Community Services (Development and or Humanitarian Assistance) | Qualification |