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.


Principles of strengths-based practice must include:
Respect for people's dignity, uniqueness and rights
Self determination and empowerment
Recognition and use of strengths (skills, capacities, knowledge, resources, information, hopes and dreams)
Mutual learning between service user and professional
Understanding that people are experts in their own lives
Understanding that the issue is the problem, the person is not the problem


Power issuesmay include:
Where and when practitioners meet with clients and how this is determined
Who 'owns' records of the work
Who determines what issues will be worked on
Who determines timeframes for working on issues


Strengths-based tools may include:
Miracle questions - 'Let's imagine.....You go to bed tonight and while you are asleep a miracle happens ....When you wake up the problem has less effect on your life. On a scale of 0 to 5, how much is the problem affecting your life? How will you know things have improved? What will be different? What will others notice is different?'
Scaling questions assists professionals and service users to identify the problem or issue, set achievable goals, have a starting point for change, notice what is already working well, identify strengths and exceptions, measure progress and allow for the introduction of metaphors
Vision and goal setting assists professionals and clients to identify where the service provider would like to move toward and how they can effect this change
Strength focuses cards assists professionals and clients to identify strengths or issues
Photo-language cards, objects and images assists professionals and service users to identify and represent significant feelings or issues
Previous success stories assists professionals and clients to identify ways that people have successfully dealt with similar problems
Relationship questions assists professionals and clients to identify and explore a problem by shifting the focus to how key relationships in the person's life view the situation for example, 'What would your best friend (mother) say? Or 'How would your family tell there was a miracle and your problem is solved?'
Letter writing involves the documentation of change and learning in a personal style of writing a letter to the other person recognising changes in learning that you have observed in them
The five column approach to problem solving is a table that enables professionals and clients to have a guide to explore problems in different ways that build on existing strengths. The guiding questions are: What is the issue? Establish a picture of the future using the miracle question. What strengths and resources do you have to put towards the picture of the future? What strengths and resources do you need from others? What are the first steps to take towards the picture of the future? Who needs to do what and when?
Principle of 'power with'may include:
A genuine equal partnership with the client
Mutual respect and care demonstrated at all times and evident in language, processes and outcomes


The engagement triangle may include:
Establishment of relevance to the client's needs
Establishment of the professional's faith in the client's ability to commit, choose, care, change, create, connect and communicate
Establishment of an honest and direct way of communication between the professional and the client

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 to apply strengths-based practice when working with clients
Evidence of competency in this unit will need to be assessed over a period of time in order to gather evidence of performance
This will include contexts applicable to the work environment, such as actual or simulated workplace situations involving a combination of direct, indirect and supplementary forms of evidence
Assessment must confirm sufficient ability to apply a strengths-based approach to working with clients


Access and equity considerations:
All workers in community services should be aware of access, equity and human rights issues in relation to their own area of work
All workers should develop their ability to work in a culturally diverse environment
In recognition of particular issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, workers should be aware of cultural, historical and current issues impacting on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
Assessors and trainers must take into account relevant access and equity issues, in particular relating to factors impacting on Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and communities


Context of and specific resources for assessment:
This unit can be assessed independently, however holistic assessment practice with other community services units of competency is encouraged
Resource requirements for assessment include access to:
a relevant workplace or an appropriately simulated environment where assessment may take place


Method of assessment:
Evidence for assessment of competence may be gathered by appropriate combination of the following:
demonstration of competency within the working environment in delivering services to clients using a strengths-based approach
realistic simulations, projects, previous relevant experience or oral questioning on 'what if?' scenarios
observation of processes and procedures, oral and/or written questions on essential knowledge and skills and consideration of required attitudes
where performance is not directly observed and/or is required to be demonstrated over a period of time and/or in a number of locations, any evidence should be authenticated by colleagues, supervisors, clients or other appropriate persons
The assessment environment should not disadvantage the candidate
Assessment practices should take into account any relevant language or cultural issues related to Aboriginality, gender or language barriers other than English
Where the candidate has a disability, reasonable adjustment may be applied during assessment
Language and literacy demands of the assessment task should not be higher than those of the work role