AHCASW301
Protect places of Aboriginal cultural significance


Application

This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to protect places of cultural significance to Aboriginal people. It requires following Aboriginal cultural protocols and details the specific cultural, gender and kinship sensitivities of working in Aboriginal communities and on Country with diverse cultural requirements.

This unit applies to those whose work on Country and in cultural keeping places and includes protecting cultural places, sites and objects often in co-operation with a range of stakeholders and with reference to Aboriginal communities and/or line management. The unit involves and requires a high level of awareness and experience with Aboriginal culture and communities and the need to observe Aboriginal cultural protocols. This unit is also applicable to the work of repatriation workers and anthropologists.

This unit applies to all Aboriginal sites workers. However, cultural beliefs and practices vary across locations and communities and in some situations non-Aboriginal learners may not be able to access the cultural knowledge or materials required to achieve competency in this unit, due to restrictions that are applied to non-Aboriginal people gaining access to cultural knowledge, material or sites. In these situations the Registered Training Organisation will be required to make alternative arrangements for learners that are still consistent with the delivery and assessment requirements for this unit.

No occupational licensing, legislative or certification requirements are known to apply to this unit at the time of publication.


Elements and Performance Criteria

Element

Performance criteria

Elements describe the essential outcomes.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.

1. Identify and communicate with key stakeholders

1.1 Identify appropriate persons within communities who hold cultural knowledge relevant to determining the cultural significance of Aboriginal places and heritage

1.2 Develop working relationships with key stakeholders that assist in the management of culturally significant places

1.3 Develop communication approaches that place Aboriginal cultural protocols and values at the forefront and accommodate stakeholder concerns and interests

1.4 Seek and obtain views on the way in which the cultural significance and resource can be conserved and used

1.5 Report feedback to management for operational planning processes

2. Define cultural significance

2.1 Ensure cultural knowledge holders inform the decision-making process to determine the cultural significance of places

2.2 Acknowledge and respect traditional Aboriginal knowledge, practices, rights and responsibilities in managing Country and environment

2.3 Determine the Aboriginal beliefs embedded in a place of cultural significance

2.4 Recognise the embodiment of cultural significance in the place itself, its fabric, natural resources, setting, use, associations, meanings, records, related places and related objects

2.5 Assess cultural significance

2.6 Document cultural significance in accordance with Community permissions

3. Identify threats to Aboriginal cultural places

3.1 Identify threats to culturally significant places, both external and internal to the area under consideration

3.2 Observe, describe and record details of evidence of land degradation using standard industry and Indigenous terminology and according to Community permissions

3.3 Participate in a risk assessment of all threats to determine potential impact on sites and associated cultural landscape

3.4 Identify appropriate protection or conservation measures to control potential and actual threats

4. Conserve significance

4.1 Use conservation policies and plans along with stakeholder views to participate in planning for ongoing conservation actions

4.2 Implement conservation activities in culturally sensitive ways, and in accordance with Burra Charter guidelines and enterprise, Community and legislative requirements

4.3 Apply safe and environmentally sustainable work practices

4.4 Obtain resources for conservation and restoration activities, along with any associated ceremonial or cultural activity

Evidence of Performance

The candidate must be assessed on their ability to integrate and apply the performance requirements of this unit in a workplace setting. Performance must be demonstrated consistently over time and in a suitable range of contexts.

The candidate must provide evidence that they can:

identify appropriate cultural authorities for a Community, place or for a site

develop working relationships with Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal stakeholders in cultural sites

canvass views in determining the cultural significance and heritage value and preservation issues of an Aboriginal cultural site

contribute to planning for the protection of an Aboriginal cultural site including identifying resources required and submissions to be completed

observe Aboriginal cultural protocols when working with stakeholders and land managers

identify threats to Aboriginal site and measures to mitigate and manage the risk of damaging incidents or loss of cultural integrity

identify natural resources and how they relate to cultural protocol, spirituality, art, environment, values, beliefs and lore/law

identify cultural rights and responsibilities when using Community knowledge, information and material

identify groups to be consulted in relation to owners or custodians of cultural and Community knowledge, information and material

use Aboriginal names and standard industry terminology appropriate to the task

apply work health and safety practices in the context of own work

apply appropriate sustainability practices in the context of own work.


Evidence of Knowledge

The candidate must demonstrate knowledge of:

Community’s history, cultural values and interpersonal and Community protocols related to the place

authentic and authoritative sources for Aboriginal cultural information, material and expression able to be accessed and shared

industry, organisational and enterprise policies and procedures for conservation of places of cultural significance

key concepts of Burra Charter and Guidelines

key concepts of Cultural and Heritage Legislation and National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) legislation relevant to the protection of Aboriginal significant places.


Assessment Conditions

Assessment must comply with Community protocols and be supported by Elders and Custodians of Country.

Assessors must satisfy current standards for RTOs.


Foundation Skills

Foundation Skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.


Range Statement


Sectors

Aboriginal Sites Work (ASW)