VU20878Promote disability awareness

Unit of Competency

Unit Code
VU20878 / Unit Title
Promote disability awareness
Unit Descriptor / This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to apply work practices that take account of the individual’s circumstances and the broad social context of living with disability
This Unit has been partially informed by Unit CHCDIS301A ‘Work effectively with people with disability’ in the CHC08- Community Services Training Package
No licensing, legislan tive, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Employability Skills / This unit contains Employability Skills. The Employability Skills Summary for the qualification in which this unit resides is provided as Appendix XX
Application / This unit would be applied bythose working with people with disability in a range of disability advocacy contexts
ELEMENT / PERFORMANCE CRITERIA
Elements define the essential outcomes of a unit of competency. / The Performance Criteria specify the level of performance required to demonstrate achievement of the Element. Terms in italics are elaborated in the Range Statement.
1. Apply the relevant principles,
values, standards and
approaches to disability advocacy / 1.1 Determine the values, principles and standards required to deliver effective disability advocacy
1.2 Empower people with disability to live full lives with dignity by utilising relevant philosophies and principles
2.Respond to the different needs and impacts that people with different disabilities experience in their lives / 2.1 Ensure disability advocacy is responsive to the needs and preferences of an individual, and not based on assumptions about the person’s disability type
2.2 Encourage service providers/agencies to respond to the individual needs and not the disability type of the person with disability when negotiating disability advocacy outcomes
2.3 Apply a non-discriminatory approach to all people with disability that does not discriminate but takes into consideration other factors in a person’s life
2.4 Accommodate the person with disability’s particular needs and supports, by adapting a flexible approach to different activities and environments, while respecting their privacy and dignity at all times
2.5 Acknowledge the place of the person with disability’s family member or relevant other in driving the disability advocacy process
3.Communicate respectfully with people with disability / 3.1 Respect the dignity and uniqueness of each person with disability
3.2 Listen to the experiences, concerns and wishes of a person with disability
3.3 Reflect on own values and attitudes towards people with disability and recognise where these present a conflict and take steps to overcome any issues
3.4 Respect the privacy of people with disability in all written and verbal communications
3.5 Utilise effective interpersonal and communication skills to build trust and pursue advocacy objectives with the person with disability
3.6 Facilitate access to translation and language interpreters and augmentative and alternative communication strategies and systems to address individual communication needs and to secure informed choices
3.7 Respect the person with disability’s right to include or not include guardians or other associates during disability advocacy processes
4. Determine the key barriers and restrictions that inhibit and exclude people with disability from full inclusion in the community / 4.1 Identify the attitudinal and environmental barriers that prohibit people with disabilities full and equal inclusion in society
4.2 Propose alternative strategies that support and enable people with disability to be fully included in the community
4.3 Provide information about options and resources that assist people with disability to make informed choices about their goals and aspirations
4.4 Negotiate opportunities for people with disability to access the supports and resources that will sustain full and equal inclusion in the community
4.5 Evaluate any foreseeable benefits with any foreseeable risks of a particular choice or activity with the person with disability
5.Facilitate access to quality services, resources and supports for people with disability
6.Incorporate the principles of human rights legislation in all contact with people with disability / 5.1 Provide advocacy services using knowledgeof the disability advocacy sector, disability service models and the role of relevant independent tribunals and complaints mechanisms and legal services
5.2 Develop knowledge of appropriate agencies and formal and informal networks that support the rights, needs and interests of people with disability
5.3 Network with relevant service providers to build meaningful community connections that work to promote the needs and rights of people with disability
6.1 Apply the concepts of human rights in working with people with disability
6.2 Utilise the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)as a framework for promoting, protecting and ensuring the rights of all people with disability are upheldand to inform all decisions and actions for protecting and promoting the rights of people with disability on an individual, group and systemic level
6.4 Apply the CRPD to raise awareness in the community at large about the rights of people with disability

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level required for this unit
Essential knowledge:
  • The historical, social and political context of work with people with disability and its impact on attitudes and approaches to relating and working with people with disability
  • The values, principles and standards required to deliver effective disability advocacy
  • The underpinning philosophies and approaches for working with people with disability
  • Key Commonwealth and State/Territory statutory and regulatory requirements that govern key areas of disability advocacy work, particularly in relation to access and equity, duty of care, use of restrictive and prohibitive practices, and rights of the individual
  • Relevant government policies that impact on people with disability
  • The fundamental human rights and entitlements for people with disability
  • Organisation values, principles and standards
  • The different needs and impacts that people with different disabilities experience in their lives
  • The available strategies and resources for supporting the individual needs and requirements of people with disability, including knowledge of translation and language interpreters and augmentative and alternative communication strategies and systems to address individual communication needs
  • Awareness and understanding of informed consent and the strategies utilised to determine ability to consent
  • The key barriers and restrictions that inhibit and exclude people with disability from full inclusion in the community
  • The disability advocacy sector, disability service models and relevant sector networks and interest groups that promote the rights and interests of people with disability
  • The role of the guardianship board, relevant independent tribunals, complaints services and legal services in upholding the rights of people with disability

Essential knowledge (continued):
  • The principle of the ‘least restrictive alternative’ and its application to informed decision making processes with people with disability
  • Knowledge specific to working with people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and with people with culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds

Essential skills:
It is critical that the candidate demonstrate the ability to:
  • Apply effective interpersonal and communication skills in all interactions with people with disability, their associates and others involved in disability advocacy processes
  • Critically reflect on own values and attitudes towards people with disability
  • Research and understand the different needs and requirements for people with different disabilities
  • Respond to the needs and preferences of an individual without making assumptions about the person’s requirements based on person’s disability type
  • Facilitate strategies to ensure that people with disability make informed decisions about their own lives
  • Utilise mechanisms and instruments, including the CRPD and other UN Conventions to protect and promote the human rights of people with disability with people with disability, service providers and the community at large
  • Apply the relevant principles, values and standards of the organisation and the disability sector to disability advocacy
  • Network with different people in the disability advocacy sector to build knowledge of quality services and resources and to promote the interests and rights of people with disability
  • Identify the key barriers and restrictions that inhibit and exclude people with disability from full inclusion in the community
  • Assist people with disability to make informed choices about their goals and aspirations, proposing alternative options and strategies that support and enable people with disability to be fully included in the community
  • Negotiate access to the required supports and resources that will sustain full and equal inclusion in the community for people with disability
  • Seek feedback from people with disability about the quality and effectiveness of acquired services and supports and other outcomes of disability advocacy

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.
Values, principles and standards, including but not restricted to: /
  • Social justice
  • Self-determination
  • Respect
  • Valued status
  • Accountability
  • Least restrictive practices
  • Empowerment
  • Privacy, dignity and confidentiality
  • Access and equity
  • Protection of human rights and freedom from abuse

Relevant philosophies and
principles, including but not
restricted to: /
  • Working within a human rights framework
  • The social model of disability
  • Social inclusion
  • Community building and capacity building
  • Delivery of person-centred servicesSelf-determination
  • Strengths based approach
  • Working with empowering practices/models

Disability type, includes: /
  • Physical
  • Sensory
  • Intellectual
  • Cognitive
  • Psychiatric

Other factorsinclude: /
  • age, gender, sexuality, cultural and religious backgrounds

Disability service models for working in the sector include:
United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: /
  • Community development and education
  • Health promotion
  • Case management
  • Behaviour management
  • Working with families
  • Peer support/self help
  • Residential services
  • Respite care
  • Home based support
  • Community access
  • Advocacy
  • Employment support
  • Lifestyle support
  • Business services support
  • General principles of CRPD
  • Articles of CRPD

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 and skills in the context of job role
To be considered competent in this unit, participants must be able to:
-Apply the principles of the disability sector in the provision of advocacy services
-Respond to individual needs in disability advocacy
-Communicate effectively with people with disabilities
-Identify and minimise barriers for people with disability
-Facilitate access to a range of services and support for people with disability
-Apply the principles of human rights in provision of disability advocacy
Context of and resources required for assessment include: /
  • This unit is best assessed on the job or in a simulated workplace under the normal range of conditions
Consistency in performance should consider specific workplace and advocacy practices and requirements
  • This unit can be assessed independently, however holistic assessment practice with other community services units of competency is encouraged
  • Assessment of this unit requires access to:
-a workplace environment where assessment can take place
-Guides for assessors, candidates and third parties on competency-based assessment in the workplace
-Assessment Tools and assessment materials, including marking guides and evidence guides for this unit of competency
-relevant workplace policies
-relevant workplace documentation, following organisation’s policies for protecting client privacy and confidentiality
-A nationally qualified Assessor who has a comprehensive understanding of the candidate’s work role and the expected performance standards for this unit of competency
-Appropriate supervisors, to play a role in third party validation of the candidate’s performance

Method of assessment:

A range of assessment methods may be used. These include:

  • Practical activities
  • Oral/written questions
  • 3rd Party reports
  • Case study analyses
  • Workplace projects
  • Portfolio

Certificate lV in Disability Advocacy is produced by DARU and PWD