Elements and Performance Criteria

General context of work:
Work is performed under limited supervision, generally in a team environment
Work will be assessed in accordance with enterprise requirements, OHS legislation and professional standards

Competence must be demonstrated in working largely independently and being accountable for own results including:

Course participation and simulated exercises.

Working effectively under pressure during crisis situations
Maintaining the quality of services to callers
Acting as a positive role model to other telephone counsellors
A commitment to active participation in the organisations training framework

The appropriateness of self disclosure will be determined by its capacity to impact positively on the therapeutic process:

Assessment supervision and professional development framework includes:
Orientation training
Peer group supervision
Feedback on practice (e.g. Call sheets)
Individual supervision
Ongoing training
Seeking training outside the agency
Seeking external professional development opportunities
Debriefing

Feedback processes would be expected to include:
Call sheets
Group supervision
Individual supervision

Appropriate language and counseling approaches would feature:
Inclusiveness
Respect for cultural, linguistic and individual differences
Non judgmental responses
Recognition of client diversity
Respectful language

Appropriate manner will include tone of voice and use of minimal encouragers:
Strategies to manage own values include:
Developing self-awareness through participation in feedback activities
Responses to supervised reflection
Consciously putting own values to one side
Observing through reflection the impact of verbal and non verbal responses in others and in self

Critical aspects of assessment must include:
Demonstrated willingness to work within philosophy, policies and procedures of the organisation to address client callers needs

Concurrent assessment and relationship with other units:
'Undertake telephone counselling' and 'Provide counselling in crisis situations'

Essential knowledge required includes:
Ethos, policies and procedures of the organisation
Scope of telephone counselling role
Debriefing processes and their importance
Counselling styles to be applied
The principle of unconditional positive regard
How values, attitudes and beliefs impact on counselling processes

Essential skills required include:
Active listening
Identifying and implementing appropriate interventions required in a timely way
Respecting the client's worldview rather than imposing one's own
Recognising when higher levels of care are needed and making referrals where appropriate

Resource implications for training and assessment:
A range of assessment activities will be required over an extended period which will have an impact on the allocation of assessment resources

Methods of assessment:
Facilitators, supervisors and assessors working together assessing performance in groups, on supervised telephone shifts and via formal journal comments

Context for assessment:
Assessment will occur on the job