The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

This unit of competency could be assessed by demonstration of applying behaviour change principles and approaches in assisting residents to establish a plan for adopting home sustainability practices and monitoring and reviewing their progress.

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

A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to provide evidence of the required skills and knowledge specified in this unit.

In particular, the person should demonstrate the ability to:

apply effective communication and interpersonal skills to build rapport with residents

assess residents' readiness to adopt home sustainability practices

apply behaviour change principles and approaches in assisting residents to establish a plan for adopting home sustainability practices, and monitoring and reviewing their progress

apply knowledge of behaviour change strategies and how these are applied in the context of a home sustainability assessment.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment of essential underpinning knowledge may be conducted in an off-site context and is to comply with relevant regulatory and Australian standards' requirements.

Resource implications for assessment include:

data collection tools

relevant codes, standards and government regulations

access to residents participating in a home sustainability assessment

technology suitable for generating reports

technical reference library with current publications on:

behaviour change

communication strategies

consultation models and strategies

home sustainability practices.

Method of assessment

Assessment methods must:

satisfy the endorsed Assessment Guidelines of the Property Services Training Package

include direct observation of tasks in real or simulated work conditions, with questioning to confirm the ability to consistently identify and correctly interpret the essential underpinning knowledge required for practical application

reinforce the integration of employability skills with workplace tasks and job roles

confirm that competency is verified and able to be transferred to other circumstances and environments.

Guidance information for assessment

This unit could be assessed on its own or in combination with other units relevant to the job function.

Reasonable adjustments for people with disabilities must be made to assessment processes where required. This could include access to modified equipment and other physical resources, and the provision of appropriate assessment support.

Assessment processes and techniques should, as far as is practical, take into account the language, literacy and numeracy capacity of the candidate in relation to the competency being assessed.

Required skills

communication and interpersonal skills to interact with clients from diverse social, economic and cultural backgrounds

data analysis skills to interpret information gathered by residents on home sustainability practices

decision-making and problem-solving skills to assist residents to identify home sustainability priorities

literacy skills to:

complete standard forms

generate business correspondence

prepare reports

read and interpret a variety of texts, including legislation, regulations, and codes of conduct and ethical standards

networking skills to establish relationships between residents and others interested in home sustainability

numeracy and data analysis skills to analyse household energy accounts and statistical data gathered by residents on home sustainability practices

planning, organising and scheduling skills to:

undertake work-related tasks, such as meeting with residents to review effectiveness of home sustainability measures

plan projects to assist residents to establish home sustainability implementation plans

research skills to identify and locate documents, reports and information related to the information needs of residents, such as rebates and other forms of support for home sustainability measures

technology skills to use general purpose software packages to collate information and produce written reports

Required knowledge

behaviour change:

barriers to voluntary behaviour change

conditions necessary for behaviour change

factors that increase likelihood of voluntary behaviour change

models of behaviour change

personal and environmental factors that impact on behaviour change

stages of change

strategies for dealing with relapse

strategies to promote behaviour change

communication strategies

consultation models and approaches

home sustainability:

barriers to adoption of home sustainability practices

data, data collection methods and success measures related to resident adoption of home sustainability practices

factors that increase likelihood of voluntary adoption of home sustainability practices

home sustainability practices:

energy use and management

thermal performance

waste minimisation and management

water use and management

personal and environmental factors that impact on residents' adoption of home sustainability practices

purpose of home sustainability assessments

rebates and other forms of support for home sustainability measures

relationship between household energy, water and waste use, and greenhouse gases and emissions

role of home sustainability assessor in promoting behaviour change

sources of information on home sustainability

social marketing techniques and strategies

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, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. 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) may also be included.

Effective communication strategies may include:

active listening

being non-judgemental

empathy

exploring problems

expressing an individual perspective

providing sufficient time for questions and responses

providing summarising and reflective responses in conflict situations

using appropriate words, behaviour, posture and tone

using clarifying, summarising questions

using clear and concise language

using culturally appropriate communication

using plain English

using verbal and non-verbal communication.

Influences that impact on residents' attitudes may include:

advertising

age and gender

cost

dwelling type

education level

employment status

family type

government funding

household income

location

media

perceptions:

benefits and limitations

impact on lifestyle

past experience

political and social leanings

socio-economic status

views of others:

colleagues

family

friends

peers

significant others.

Barriers may include:

apathy

cost

expectations of high consumption lifestyle

inaccurate and inadequate information

lack of engagement

lack of support from other household members

lack of time

medical needs

negative perceptions

past experience

poor communication

powerlessness.

Home sustainability practices may include:

recycling

reducing:

energy use

greenhouse gas generation

waste volume

water use

refusing

removing

reusing.

Residents' motivations may be influenced by:

financial incentives and disincentives

information

personal attitudes

personal values.

Factors that increase residents' willingness to voluntarily change behaviour and adopt home sustainability practices may include:

community benefit

compatibility of change with lifestyle

different ways of contributing to change

ease of change

ease of seeing and measuring change

engagement of other people in change

environmental benefits

financial incentives

household-based approach to change

personal benefit

personal knowledge of change

range of choices

recognition for personal, household and community efforts and achievement

social norms.

Information needs may include:

home sustainability assessment:

accreditation of assessors

assessment process

objectives

outcomes

home sustainability practices:

benefits

costs

types

home sustainability products and services

rebates and other forms of support.

Positive attitudes and behaviours demonstrated by residents in relation to home sustainability practices may include:

attitudes:

climate change

energy conservation

green power

packaging

passive conservation

recycling and reuse

sustainability

waste minimisation

water conservation

behaviours to recycling, reducing, refusing, removing and reusing.

Appropriate communication and consultation techniques may include:

active listening

conversation

discussion

email

information provision

interview

meeting

presentation

questioning

questionnaire

survey

telephone.

Proactive strategies for supporting residents' adoption of agreed home sustainability practices may include:

capacity building

case management

community education

feedback

follow-up strategies

information sharing

mentoring

networking

partnerships

positive reinforcement of resident decisions to adopt sustainability practices

resource sharing

social support

specialist support

special interest groups

use of community groups and leaders

virtual communities.

Data and success measures may include:

data on home sustainability practices:

energy:

cost

type

use

trend data on energy and water use

perceptions

photographs

waste:

composition

cost

quantity

water:

cost

type

use

success measures:

recycling measures

reduction in costs of energy, water and waste

reduction in energy use, water use and volume of waste

reduction in greenhouse gas emissions

reuse of resources.

Appropriate data collection methods may include:

checklists and forms

collation of energy and water bills

diaries

discussions

graphs

logs

questionnaires

self-assessment forms

software tools

surveys.

Ways in which residents can monitor and review progress may include:

analysis of utility and other household accounts

benchmarking

feedback from others

household discussions

monitoring data

personal reflection

reflective questioning

report writing

software tools

stories.

Follow-up services may include:

collation and analysis of data on residents' adoption of home sustainability practices

positive feedback and reinforcement

provision of information on changes and innovations in home sustainability practices, technologies, funding and support programs

support and mentoring

tactics to deal with relapse

updating of implementation plan.