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

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 actual community development context or a realistic simulation

Method of assessment:

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

Given the nature of this unit, candidates should be expected to present evidence from within a real field environment

If this is not possible, demonstration of some performance criteria in this unit may be achieved through observing the behaviour and responses of the candidate under a stressful situation similar to those likely to be encountered in the field

Underpinning knowledge may be assessed through:

written assignments

project reports

debriefings

action learning projects

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:

Key components of the relief and development project cycle, including crisis versus non-crisis periods

Relief-rehabilitation-recovery-development continuum

Specific projects and interventions in the field and related issues

Key issues and strategies relevant to transition of projects or programs and to project continuity, expansion, phase out and closure

Key concepts of capacity building

Project management and evaluation

General context of humanitarian and development assistance environment

Program and/or organisation structure, including formal lines of reporting and responsibility

Emergency management concepts, principles and guidelines

Key transition processes and exit strategies

Problem solving and decision making techniques

Donor priorities and requirements

Relevant policies, procedures and guidelines relating to issues such as:

data collection and analysis

risk management

evaluation

transition

sustainability

use of communications systems

stakeholder or donor relations

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, especially on specific projects for vulnerable groups

other relevant agency guidelines

The Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Relief (The Sphere standards)

Essential skills:

It is critical that the candidate demonstrate the ability to:

Effectively assess impact of project activities, capacity of target population, indicators for project continuity, and prepare relevant reports

Effectively plan and prepare transition plan with appropriate activities, transition strategies and funding sources

Effectively communicate with, work safely and involve target groups, key staff and other key stakeholders

Comply with relevant organisational, international and donor policies, procedures and requirements

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:

Apply skills in:

adaptability

analysis and problem solving

consultation and negotiation with stakeholders

decision making

identification of stakeholders

networking and coordination

personal management, including initiative, self motivation

planning and scheduling

presentation

problem definition

project management and evaluation

risk analysis

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

Work with people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and to communicate effectively with a range of different audiences using appropriate communication and interpersonal techniques

Interpret and explain complex formal documents and systems and assist others to apply them in the workplace

Prepare written advice and reports requiring reasoning and precision of expression

Prepare written advice and reports requiring reasoning and precision of expression

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

Evaluate and prioritise risks

continued ...

Essential skills (contd):

These include the ability to:

Deal with ambiguous situations

Participate in a team environment to complete tasks

Identify problems and demonstrate appropriate response procedures

Initiate new ideas or work methodologies

Accurately plan and organise work activities

Efficiently manage self responsibilities and timelines for completion of work

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.

Relief and development project cycle may consist of:

Assessment

Analysis

Planning

Designing

Marketing

Implementing

Monitoring

Reporting

Evaluation

Transition

Relief-rehabilitation-recovery-development continuum refers to

The concept which proposes that relief, rehabilitation, recovery and development are not separate activities, but are part of an integrated and holistic approach to disaster environments

Project activities are planned depending on the stages of disaster, and all interventions incorporate gender, environmental and sustainability analysis

Data refers to:

Data to be collected and may include vulnerable groups, security risks, knowledge attitude and practices (KAP) of people on issues relevant to the project, existing resources, availability and sufficiency and reliability and community structures

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

Stakeholders with special needs and disadvantages may include:

Refugees

Children

The elderly

Widowed

People with disabilities

Community capacity may primarily refer to:

Technical skills

Organisation and management skills

Financial capacity

Resource generation and utilisation skills

Skills in preparing operational and contingency plans

Networking and liaison skills

Merit or worth may refer to:

The intrinsic value of a program or project

Value which the program adds to its context or situation
These judgements should be made at least in part by the program stakeholders

Stakeholders may include:

Community

Civil society groups

Community based organisations

Government agencies (e.g. AusAID)

Non-government organisations

International government organisations (e.g. Oxfam, Care International, Red Cross, Water Aid)

Local government and government line-agency offices

Bi-lateral and multilateral agencies (e.g. United Nations, Area Development Bank, World Bank) and business enterprises

Indicators may include:

Existing community based organisation as an over-all management committee

Trained key community leaders (e.g. in governance, financial management, program management and networking)

Registered organisation as a legal entity, and with leadership structure

Existing institutions (community based organisations, other non-government organisations, a government department/agency or a church) with relevant technical and managerial competence

Community's increased level of awareness on various legal issues that affects their human rights

Community's increased access to and control over knowledge, information and technology

Communities have food security and sufficient income

Increased community capacity to manage administration and finance of community based organisations

Presence of community infrastructure such as improved health service facilities, improved educational facilities for children, improved public transport system in villages and improved road communication

Other communication facilities like telephone, fax and internet

Rural electrification

Regulated marketing structure for marketing of products

Transition refers to:

The process which involves specific activities that are aimed to facilitate the phase out, termination or closure, and major changes in the program or project, and the ongoing sustainability of project outcomes

These include activities that involve building up the target population's ability to implement and sustain the projects on their own, and in a longer term without significant external support from the organisation

The focus of the transition process would depend on the major needs of the community, but in general, these would include funding, capacity building, networking with other organisations and establishing committees for operation and maintenance

Transition plans may include:

Purpose and objectives

Strategies

Guidelines

Processes

Key components

Schedules

Key indicators

Major outputs

Resource requirements

Funding

Budgets

Staff requirements

Information may include:

Key findings from:

assessment

analysis

monitoring and evaluation

consultations from stakeholders

And may relate to:

community capacity to manage projects

sustainability issues

available resources

impact indicators