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

The application of competency is to be assessed in the workplace or realistically simulated workplace

Assessment is to occur under standard and authorised work practices, safety requirements and environmental constraints

Consistency of performance should be demonstrated over the required range of situations relevant to the workplace

The circumstantial or unsolicited testimony of project participants, governments or other non-government organisations regarding ethical behaviour should be considered as significant evidence in relation to this unit

Assessment must confirm a reasonable inference that competency is able not only to be satisfied under the particular circumstance, but is able to be transferred to other circumstances

Access and equity considerations:

All workers in development and humanitarian assistance should be aware of access, equity and human rights issues in their own area of work

All workers should develop their ability to work in a culturally diverse environment

In particular workers should be aware of cultural, historical and current issues facing the people and culture in which they are working

Assessors and trainers must take into account relevant access and equity issues relating to the culture in which they are working

Context of and specific resources for assessment:

This unit may be assessed independently, however holistic assessment practice with other related units of competency is encouraged

Assessment of essential underpinning knowledge, other than confirmatory questions, will usually be conducted in an off-site context

Resources required for assessment include access to:

workplace location or simulated workplace

specifications and work instructions

policy manuals and procedure manuals (relief operations manual, international and local, including donor manuals)

relevant documents (such as interview and meeting notes, and assessment reports) and standards documents

relevant equipment (such as office equipment and communications equipment)

managers, co-workers and local staff

Method of assessment:

Assessment needs to take into consideration the practical difficulties associated with attempting on-job assessment in the humanitarian assistance environment

Assessment methods must be by direct observation of tasks and include questioning on underpinning knowledge

Assessment may be applied under project related conditions (real or simulated) and require evidence of process

Assessment should be supported by supplementary evidence from a wide range of sources, preferably including evidence from one or more field situations

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

Essential knowledge:

The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role

This includes:

General understanding of different sectors

Social, cultural and political context of the specific humanitarian assistance environment

Organisation structure, including formal lines of reporting and responsibility

Organisation internal politics and informal influence or power relationships

Organisation support systems and personnel and software relevant to sector

Donor priorities and capabilities and the ways in which they act upon incoming information

Donor organisation structures, key staff, funding guidelines and reporting requirements

Data collection techniques

Participatory Learning and Action (PLA)

Capacity and Vulnerability framework (i.e. People Oriented Planning)

Local Capacities for Peace (LCP) / Do No Harm framework

Basic logframe

Analytical tools and techniques appropriate to local context and data being analysed

Rapid assessment techniques (e.g. 10 seed technique)

Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA)

General project cycle

Organisation policies and procedures relating to issues such as:

assessment

personal security

reporting procedures

donor relations

data collection

Relief to development transition issues

Agency guidelines, such as:

Australian Agency for International Aid (AusAID) guidelines, including Development for All (Disability) Strategy and Child Protection Policy

U.S. Agency for International Development Field Operational Guide (USAID FOG)

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) guidelines

The Sphere standards (particularly on relevant sector being assessed)

Common complex humanitarian emergency (CHE) field operational practices

Common complex humanitarian emergency (CHE) field living conditions

Essential skills:

It is critical that the candidate demonstrate the ability to:

Effectively conduct rapid assessment in relief situations which includes planning, conducting needs and capacity assessment, analysing data and reporting key findings.

Effectively use culturally appropriate and sensitive assessment techniques and analysis tools, prepare and produce an assessment plan and report (with findings and recommendations)

Effectively communicate with and work safely with assessment team, community and other relevant key stakeholders

Comply with relevant organisation and international policies, procedures and requirements

Make rapid and accurate situational assessments, while under stress

Use investigative skills, including analysis and deduction

Make rapid quality checks on data gathered

In addition, the candidate must be able to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role

These include the ability to:

Adapt to different environments and respond effectively to challenges

Initiate new ideas or work methodologies

Accurately plan and organise work activities

Efficiently manage self responsibilities and timelines for completion of work

Use thinking, problem solving and conceptual techniques

Build rapport with others, including donors, local officials and community members

Use appropriate communication and interpersonal techniques with colleagues and others

Participate in a team environment to complete tasks

Identify problems and demonstrate appropriate response procedures

Apply skills in:

interviewing

observation

planning

networking

access organisational records and information sources

set priorities

undertake new tasks quickly

communicate effectively with a range of different audiences

work with people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds

personal management, including initiative, self motivation and direction

respond to identified areas for personal improvement or training in self and others

project management and evaluation

continued ...

Essential skills (contd):

Use language, literacy and numeracy skills such as those required to:

collect, analyse and organise data

communicate in spoken and written form with a range of audiences

adjust spoken and written language to suit audience

prepare or customise materials

calculate and estimate times, costs and quantities

Use communications equipment, including telephone, radio, satellite phone, fax and email

Use computing equipment and common software programs

Use administration and routine office procedures

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.

Concepts and principles of aid effectiveness and community development include:

Ownership, including:

using delivery processes that support partner countries to exercise effective leadership over their development policies and strategies

coordinating development actions

involving communities and local government in decision making, implementation, monitoring and evaluation

encouraging community's and local government's contribution to problem solving

Alignment, involving maintaining a comprehensive understanding of partner countries' national development strategies, institutions and procedures to guide program delivery

Harmonisation:

actively seeking to collaborate with other Official Development Assistance (ODA) partners to create added value and greater development effectiveness

Managing for results, including continuous improvement of systems to:

manage for development results

support evidence-based decision making

Mutual accountability, involving demonstration of:

full transparency and accountability for the use of development resources in program delivery

Multi-sectoral team may include:

Specialists or technical experts from a variety of sectors with appropriate skills and experience in emergency relief, which may include:

emergency relief practitioners

health or nutrition specialist

program officer

commodity officer

water and sanitation specialist

logistics officer

communications officer

disaster management officer

relief coordinator

relief manager

Area Development Program (ADP) staff

planning staff

evaluation staff

finance staff

A diversity of perspectives and knowledge that will enhance the feasibility and quality of the findings and recommendations

Orientation or training may refer to:

Orientation or training required for data collection in the field which may include:

locating sponsored children

seeking information regarding impact of disaster upon households

doing survey on damage, needs and capacity

data collection techniques including:

how to conduct focus groups

interviewing

techniques for validating data

Objectives may include:

Verifying numbers, locations and the needs of affected communities

Determining nutritional status of children under five

Assessing food security including:

agricultural, veterinary and fishery services

availability of food in the community and nearby markets

Assessing the health of the population (general diseases especially among children), services and health facilities available (including immunisation)

Assessing the water and sanitation situation

Assessing situations of local conflicts in the communities

Assessing education services and facilities

Assessing protection related problems in the area

Sectors may include:

Emergency medical care

Livelihood

Food and agriculture

Health

Shelter and housing needs

Agricultural needs

Economic needs

Water and sanitation

Environment

Key factors, issues and constraints may include:

Security of location

Population figures are not verifiable

Language

Political instability

Cooperation and accessibility of community

Rebel groups

Lack of communication, infrastructure structures or systems

Hierarchies of power in the community

Time constraints

Size of affected community

Limited movement and access

Team lacks inadequate specialists

Key informants may include:

Field staff

Local community leaders

Government officials

Local officials

Non-government officials

Data collection methods may include:

Standard survey techniques

Questionnaires, checklists and procedures

Interviews or semi structured interviews

Participatory rural appraisal (PRA) techniques, including:

proportional piling tool

visual inspection

direct observation

Secondary data review

Surveillance

Technical inspections

Critical sector analysis

Household visits

Transect walks

Assessment plan may include:

Guidelines and standard working procedures

Identified information needs

Data collection methods and data gathering procedures

Areas of responsibility and accountability

Designated reporting points and reporting procedures

Designated field investigation teams

Analysis of data

Presentation of information

Recording and dissemination of results

Contingency plan

Needs assessment may include:

Internally displaced populations and their means of survival

Protection issues

Coping mechanisms

Food security and food situation

Health

Shelter needs

Water and sanitation

Education

Status of relief operations

Community structures

Populations at risk may include:

Children

Women

Elderly

People with physical and/or mental disability

Baseline data may include:

Area affected

Number of people requiring immediate help

Condition of the affected population such as:

health

expressed priorities of the affected people

number of homes completely destroyed and homes requiring partial repair

number of homeless families and individuals

household structures including:

family size

extended family structures

sites being used as temporary shelters

number of those residing in temporary shelters

existing resources and services for emergency measures

availability of food

services available and health facilities

water and sanitation facilities

local conflicts in the communities

education services and facilities

protection related problems or concerns in the area

Stakeholders may include:

Community leaders

Community groups

Individual households

Families residing at temporary shelter

Local authorities counterparts

Children

Women

People with a disability

Response capacity may refer to:

Level of response by the affected country or region to cope with the situation

Level of response of different organisations

Capacities may refer to:

Local skills

Local environment

Technical skills

Financial status and capacity

Management skills

Resource generation

Networking skills

Vulnerabilities may refer to:

Potential areas for harm or injury

Potential areas for damage or destruction

Attitude

Social and organisation vulnerability

Coping mechanism may refer to:

A variety of ways and means through which people respond to crisis or emergency situations, difficulties and problems in life

Analysis tools and techniques may include:

Problem tree analysis

Gender analysis

Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis

Nutritional assessment

Household food economy analysis

Health assessment

Cost and benefit analysis

Capacity and vulnerability analysis

'Do No Harm' framework (Local Capacities for Peace)

Network analysis

Environmental impact assessment

Risks may include:

Depleted household food stocks

Inadequate supply of essential foods

Malnutrition

Inadequate supply of emergency clinical medical services

Severe climatic conditions aggravated by lack of shelter, warm clothing or heating fuel and/or water shortages

Key findings of the assessment report may include:

An analysis of the most predominant threat

Areas that are most at risk

Distribution of most vulnerable population

Main characteristics of the affected population

Total number affected by the disaster

Mortality and morbidity rates

Total number and types of injuries (minor, severe) and illness

Emergency health situation

Damage to:

economic resources

properties

road or infrastructures

community structures

Shelter needs

Food supply situation

Water and sanitation situation

Psychosocial and mental well being

Impact on major livelihood

Other organisations present in the target zone including secondary sources of information

Level of continuing or emerging threat

Level of response from different organisations

Level of response by the affected country and capacity to cope with the situation

Actions may include:

Medical aid

Food distribution

Immunisation

Supplementary feeding

Child protection

Latrine construction

Water supply

Housing projects

Temporary shelter