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Title / Explain cultural competence and apply cultural competencies as a health and disability advocate
Level / 5 / Credits / 6
Purpose / People credited with this unit standard are able to: explaincultural competence in health and disability advocacy practice; demonstrate cultural competencewhen working as a health and disability advocate with people of different cultures; and evaluateown cultural competence in advocacy practice when working with people of different cultures.
Classification / Health, Disability, and Aged Support > Health and Disability Principles inPractice
Available grade / Achieved
Explanatory notes
1Legislation relevant to this unit standard includes:
Accident Compensation Act 2001;
Children, Young Persons, and Their Families Act 1989;
Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994;
Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003;
Human Rights Act 1993;
Intellectual Disability (Compulsory Care and Rehabilitation) Act 2003;
Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992;
New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990;
Privacy Act 1993;
Protection of Personal and Property Rights Act 1988.
2Codes and guidelines relevant to this unit standard include:
Advocacy Code of Practice; available at
Advocacy Guidelines for the Nationwide Advocacy Service Pursuant to section 28 (1) of the Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994. The New Zealand Gazette, 24 March 2005. Available at
Health and Disability Commissioner (Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights) Regulations 1996, available at
Health Information Privacy Code 1994, available at
3New Zealand Standards relevant to this unit standard include:
NZS 8134.0:2008 Health and disability services Standards – Health and disability services (general) Standard;
NZS 8134.1:2008 Health and disability services Standards – Health and disability services (core) Standards;
NZS 8134.2:2008 Health and disability services Standards – Health and disability services (restraint minimisation and safe practice) Standards;
NZS 8134.3:2008Health and disability services Standards – Health and disability services (infection prevention and control) Standards.
4References
Ministry of Health. (2001). The New Zealand Disability Strategy. Wellington: Author.
Ministry of Health. (2002). He Korowai Oranga – Māori Health Strategy. Wellington: Author.
Ministry of Health. (2002). The Pacific Health and Disability Action Plan. Wellington: Author.
Ministry of Health. (2005). National Mental Health Information Strategy 2005–2010. Wellington: Author.
The above Ministry of Health publications are available at
Nationwide Health and Disability Advocacy Service. (2006). Māori cultural competencies for health and disability advocates. Wellington: Author; available at
Nationwide Health and Disability Advocacy Service. (2010). Cultural competencies for health and disability advocates. Auckland: Author; available at
5This unit standard cannot be assessed against in a simulated environment. It is required that people seeking credit for this unit standard demonstrate competence and are assessed in the workplace: through paid or unpaid employment, or in placements in a service provider workplace negotiated by an education provider.
6Candidates’ practice must show appropriate values, processes, and protocols in relation to working with different cultures in a range of settings and environments, in accordance with the provisions outlined in the two Nationwide Health and Disability Advocacy Service publications referenced in explanatory note 4 above.
7Definitions
Consumer is defined in the Code of Rights and the Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994 in the following ways:
'Consumer means a health consumer or a disability services consumer; and, for the purposes of rights 5, 6, 7(1), 7(7) to 7(10), and 10, includes a person entitled to give consent on behalf of that consumer.' – Code of Rights, Regulation 4.
'Disability services consumer means any person with a disability that –
'(a) Reduces that person's ability to function independently; and
'(b) Means that the person is likely to need support for an indefinite period.' – Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994, s. 2.
'Health consumer includes any person on or in respect of whom any health care procedure is carried out.' – Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994, s. 2.
Culture refers to the totality of socially transmitted beliefs, values, customs, behaviour patterns and/or practices, together with all other products of human work and thought that are common to – or characteristic of – a particular group or community. The concept of culture may reflect factors and indicators such as: age, ethnicity, disability, gender, occupation, organisational background, immigrant or refugee status, institutional care, religion or spiritual beliefs, sexual orientation, and socio-economic status.
Cultural competence refers to the knowledge, skills, and values that are required to achieve a better understanding of, and enhance relationships with, members of different cultures. (‘Different cultures’ refers to cultures other than Māori, who are specifically covered in Unit 26953, Apply Māori cultural competencies as a health and disability advocate.).
Health and disability advocates assist consumers to have their rights recognised and upheld by health and disability service providers; and encourage them to take action – including making a complaint – if they have an unresolved concern. Advocates operate independently of government agencies, the Health and Disability Commissioner, and the funders of health and disability services.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Explain cultural competence in terms of health and disability advocacy practice.
Rangeexplanation is supported by three examples from own practice as a health and disability advocate.
Evidence requirements
1.1Cultural competence for health and disability advocates is explained in terms of its intended benefits for consumers.
1.2Cultural competence in advocacy practice is explained in terms of its underpinning knowledge, skills, and values.
Outcome 2
Demonstrate cultural competence when working as a health and disability advocate with people of different cultures.
Rangeevidence is required of three examples from own practice as a health and disability advocate.
Evidence requirements
2.1The social, cultural, and linguistic needs of consumers of different cultures are explained in relation to the health and disability advocate’s cultural competence.
2.2Interactions with consumers of different cultures are in accordance with their social, cultural, and linguistic needs, and cultural competencies.
Outcome 3
Evaluate own cultural competence in advocacy practice when working with people of different cultures.
Rangeevidence is required of evaluation of three examples from own practice as a health and disability advocate.
Evidence requirements
3.1Effectiveness of own advocacy practice with people of different cultures is evaluated in relation to the knowledge, skills, and values required for cultural competence.
Planned review date / 31 December 2016Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process / Version / Date / Last Date for AssessmentRegistration / 1 / 19 November 2010 / N/A
Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP) reference / 0024
This AMAP can be accessed at
Please note
Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA, or an inter-institutional body with delegated authority for quality assurance, before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.
Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.
Consent requirements and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this standard are outlined in the Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP). The AMAP also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements.
Comments on this unit standard
Please contact the Community Support Services ITO if you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit standard.
Community Support Services ITO LimitedSSB Code 101814 / New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2018