Assessor Resource

CSCOFM402A
Provide support to offenders in Aboriginal and Torres Strait communities

Assessment tool

Version 1.0
Issue Date: April 2024


Customisation will be required to accommodate the different work sites and defined work role contexts in which this unit will be applied.

This unit of competency describes the outcomes required to work effectively and appropriately with Aboriginal and Torres Strait communities to enable offenders of those communities to achieve their objectives and those of the justice system.

This unit replaces and is equivalent to CSCOFM014A Provide support to offenders in Aboriginal and Torres Strait communities.

You may want to include more information here about the target group and the purpose of the assessments (eg formative, summative, recognition)

Prerequisites

Not applicable

Co-Requisites

Not applicable

Employability Skills

The required outcomes described in this unit of competency contain applicable facets of employability skills. The Employability Skills Summary of the qualification in which this unit of competency is packaged, will assist in identifying employability skills requirements.



Evidence Required

List the assessment methods to be used and the context and resources required for assessment. Copy and paste the relevant sections from the evidence guide below and then re-write these in plain English.

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.

Overview of assessment

Evidence for assessment must be gathered over time in a range of contexts to ensure the person can achieve the unit outcome and apply the competency in different situations or environments.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

In addition to integrated demonstration of the elements and their related performance criteria, look for evidence that confirms:

the knowledge requirements of this unit

the skill requirements of this unit

application of employability skills as they relate to this unit.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

This unit has been designed to allow for flexible interpretations of concepts such as community and is intended to be contextualised for the different environments and requirements in which work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait offenders, families and communities is undertaken.

Valid assessment of this unit requires:

a workplace environment or one that closely resembles normal work practice and replicates the range of conditions likely to be encountered by an individual providing support to offenders in Aboriginal and Torres Strait communities effectively as part of a coordinated team, including coping with difficulties, irregularities and changes to routine

copies of legislation, policies, procedures and guidelines relating to providing support to offenders in Aboriginal and Torres Strait communities

access to appropriate learning and assessment support when required.

Method of assessment

The following assessment methods are suggested:

observation of performance in routine workplace activities within a range of agreed responsibilities and in various work locations

written and/or oral questioning to assess knowledge and understanding

completion of workplace documents and reports produced as part of routine work activities

third-party reports from experienced practitioners

completion of performance feedback from supervisors and colleagues.

Guidance information for assessment

Assessment methods should reflect workplace demands, and any identified special needs of the candidate, including language and literacy implications and cultural factors that may affect responses to the questions.

In all cases where practical assessment is used it will be combined with targeted questioning to assess the underpinning knowledge.

Submission Requirements

List each assessment task's title, type (eg project, observation/demonstration, essay, assingnment, checklist) and due date here

Assessment task 1: [title]      Due date:

(add new lines for each of the assessment tasks)

Assessment Tasks

Copy and paste from the following data to produce each assessment task. Write these in plain English and spell out how, when and where the task is to be carried out, under what conditions, and what resources are needed. Include guidelines about how well the candidate has to perform a task for it to be judged satisfactory.

This section describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level, required for this unit.

Required skills:

ability to communicate effectively with a range of people from diverse cultural backgrounds

application of consultation, negotiation and mediation methods

applying legal requirements, including anti-discrimination, special needs, cultural awareness and sensitivity, and court and sentencing status and conditions

application of principles of duty of care, reconciliation, cross-cultural communication and community development.

Required knowledge:

Aboriginal culture or Torres Strait culture relevant to the offenders within the service in sufficient detail to underpin effective relationships with the community

policies, procedures and statutory requirements of worker's role in correctional services

community and departmental services relevant to the needs of offenders and their families

how to communicate with official representatives of legal and correctional services and with allied services

how to communicate with the community

strategies for community development, including community education and community programs

Aboriginal and Torres Strait perspective of history, community, law, environment, social structures and relationships, obligations and accountability

key people who have an impact on the community and the delivery of service to offenders and the protocols for consultation and decision making

strategies for negotiation and mediation

cross-cultural conflict management strategies

principles of case management

language and communication relevant to working with the community

relevant recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording in the performance criteria is detailed below. 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.

Key people includes those who are important in the community and may include:

community leaders

community elders

colleagues in correctional services

staff of other agencies and services, such as health workers, police, counsellors, legal services, courts and community services

offender support networks and family.

Community programs will include relevant examples of those:

developed and managed by the community

provided by other agencies and services

developed and supported by workers as part of their responsibility

managed by the correctional department

designed for preventative purposes

designed to ensure sentence requirements are met

designed for rehabilitation and post-sentence support.

This unit focuses on a distinct community of interests amongst its members. Communities:

will include those belonging to a specific location, language or social relationship

may be traditional, mission-based or may exist within a wider general community and be rural, remote or urban

will vary in size significantly and may be no bigger than a family or a group sharing a common culture within an institution

will have varied structures and management, from self-contained and autonomous to an association of interests within the total community.

Cultural requirements will include relevant applications of:

allowance for the impact of 'skin groups', 'language groups' and 'kin relationships'

respect for family structures and relationships

respect for the authority of families, elders and councils

different concepts of time

adaptation of verbal and non-verbal language, gestures, manner and local language

different perceptions of the world, and individuals and relationships in it

interpretations of the nature of cause and effect in different cultural contexts

interpreting the social, historic, spiritual and environmental factors that have an impact on the lives of the community

complying with taboos regarding using the name of deceased people and the use of alternative names

traditional laws and cultural restrictions

allowances for sorry business, mourning and funerals

respecting gender business, and what is and isn't allowable

traditional business and what people are able to do and not do

knowledge of history of events and incidents

respecting obligations

punishment and pay backs.

Copy and paste from the following performance criteria to create an observation checklist for each task. When you have finished writing your assessment tool every one of these must have been addressed, preferably several times in a variety of contexts. To ensure this occurs download the assessment matrix for the unit; enter each assessment task as a column header and place check marks against each performance criteria that task addresses.

Observation Checklist

Tasks to be observed according to workplace/college/TAFE policy and procedures, relevant legislation and Codes of Practice Yes No Comments/feedback
Establish relationships with key people in the community to promote the correctional service and to promote respect, trust and credibility. 
Acknowledge and encourage the community as a social support mechanism for its members and offenders. 
Support the role and benefits of community programs in reducing offending. 
Make use of positive and effective models of community development to build community support and resources. 
Use positive and effective models of negotiation and mediation to involve key people and ensure consensus. 
Use strategies and programs that provide a balance between statutory requirements and traditional practice. 
Recognise the different interpretations and expectations of communities and take them into consideration in community activities. 
Comply with the restrictions and protocol of communicating and relating to different members of the community. 
Consider the impact of cultural requirements and traditional relationships and take them into consideration in determining contact and processes. 
Confirm the cultural perspective on obligations and punishment and adapt strategies to take cultural views into account. 
Take into account different timeframes when planning meetings and activities to allow cultural ways to determine process and outcomes. 
Involve community networks to enable a holistic and comprehensive approach to the needs and outcomes of the offender. 
Determine the resources and needs of offenders and make sure that the offenders' objectives are determined with the offender and their community support. 
Refer offenders to other support agencies or specialists according to the priorities of need and availability. 
Give information and advice to support offenders and their family in their progress through the legal systems. 
Give information and advice to encourage a cooperative and positive approach to changing offending behaviour. 
Help the community develop community programs that meet the needs of offenders. 
Give reports to relevant agencies according to organisation procedures and requirements. 

Forms

Assessment Cover Sheet

CSCOFM402A - Provide support to offenders in Aboriginal and Torres Strait communities
Assessment task 1: [title]

Student name:

Student ID:

I declare that the assessment tasks submitted for this unit are my own work.

Student signature:

Result: Competent Not yet competent

Feedback to student

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:

Assessment Record Sheet

CSCOFM402A - Provide support to offenders in Aboriginal and Torres Strait communities

Student name:

Student ID:

Assessment task 1: [title] Result: Competent Not yet competent

(add lines for each task)

Feedback to student:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall assessment result: Competent Not yet competent

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:

Student signature:

Date: