Application
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. Cultural beliefs and practices vary across locations and communities however and in some situations non-Aboriginal learners may not be able to access the cultural knowledge and/or materials required to achieve competency in this unit. This applies when restrictions are applied to non-Aboriginal people gaining access to cultural knowledge, material or sites. In these situations the Registered Training Organisation will have to make alternative arrangements for learners that are still consistent with the delivery and assessment requirements for this unit.
Prerequisites
AHCILM306A Follow Aboriginal cultural protocols
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
1. Identify and communicate with key stakeholders | 1.1 Appropriate persons within communities who hold cultural knowledge relevant to determining the cultural significance of Aboriginal places and heritage are identified 1.2 Working relationships with key stakeholders that assist in the management of culturally significant places are developed 1.3 Communication approaches that place Aboriginal cultural protocols and values at the forefront and accommodate stakeholder concerns and interests are developed 1.4 Views on the way in which the cultural significance and resource can be conserved and used are regularly sought and obtained 1.5 Views obtained are included in organisational planning processes 1.6 Research on the Burra Charter process and on other existing industry guidelines is undertaken to ensure proper processes are planned for and applied to protection processes |
2. Define cultural significance | 2.1 Cultural knowledge holders inform the decision-making process to determine the cultural significance of places 2.2 Traditional Aboriginal knowledge and practices in managing Country and environment are acknowledged and respected 2.3 Aboriginal beliefs embedded in a place of cultural significance are determined 2.4 The embodiment of cultural significance in the place itself, its fabric, setting, use, associations, meanings, records, related places and related objects is recognised 2.5 An assessment of cultural significance is conducted 2.6 A statement of cultural significance is documented |
3. Identify threats to Aboriginal cultural places | 3.1 Threats to culturally significant places, both external and internal to the area under consideration, are identified 3.2 Details of evidence of land degradation are observed, described and recorded 3.3 A risk assessment of all threats to determine potential impact on sites and associated cultural landscape is undertaken 3.4 Protection/conservation measures to control potential and actual threats are determined |
4. Conserve significance | 4.1 Conservation policies and plans are used along with stakeholder views to plan ongoing conservation actions 4.2 Conservation activities are implemented in culturally sensitive ways 4.3 Current mainstream protection practices are compared with those of pre-European settlement in order to consider culturally appropriate alternative practices 4.4 Resources are obtained for conservation and restoration activities, along with any associated ceremonial/cultural activity |
Required Skills
Required skills include: Ability to: respect cultural diversity and demonstrate sensitivity to social, cultural and professional values and beliefs use technology to access written, oral or visual source material plan ongoing conservation actions conserve significance of place of culture use literacy skills to read, interpret and follow organisational policies and procedures, develop sequenced written instructions, record accurately and legibly information collected and select and apply procedures to a range of tasks use oral communication skills/language competence to fulfil the job role as specified by the organisation including questioning, active listening, asking for clarification, negotiating solutions and responding to a range of views use numeracy skills to estimate, calculate and record routine and more complex workplace measures and data use interpersonal skills to work with others and relate to people from a range of cultural, social and religious backgrounds and with a range of physical and mental abilities exercise discretion and confidentiality |
Required knowledge includes: Knowledge of: Aboriginal history, cultural values and interpersonal and Community protocols 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 core sections of Burra Charter and Guidelines Cultural and Heritage Legislation or relevant NPWS legislation sustainable environmental practices occupational health and safety requirements |
Evidence Required
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 | |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | The delivery and assessment of this unit must comply with Community protocols and be carried out in consultation with and in participation with Traditional Owners and/or Elders and custodians of that specific Country. In accordance with Aboriginal cultural protocols, cultural knowledge copyright considerations and Aboriginal lore/law restrictions, it is essential that this requirement be respected and implemented in the delivery and assessment of Cultural Units to guarantee cultural authenticity and quality control around the delivery of training and assessment for Aboriginal-sites workers. Candidates must demonstrate evidence of the ability to: 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 plan for the protection of an Aboriginal cultural site including resources required and submissions to be completed observe Aboriginal cultural protocols in dealing with stakeholders and land managers identify threats and develop action and emergency plans to mitigate and manage the risk of damaging incidents or loss of cultural integrity document the submissions to implement conservation and restoration activities and support the incident management activities 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/custodians of cultural and Community knowledge, information and/or material |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment events must be contextualised to meet the needs of the particular group, including: on Country, a Community, educational or workplace setting including Aboriginal cultural keeping places involvement of people approved by cultural authorities and/or Traditional Owners of the relevant local Community candidates who have gained relevant knowledge and skills through their life experience |
Method of assessment | A range of assessment methods should be used to assess competency in protecting Aboriginal places of cultural significance. The following examples are appropriate for this unit: observation of the candidate on Country and/or in Aboriginal cultural keeping places protecting cultural sites and/or cultural material and objects direct questioning combined with third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance verbal or written questioning observation of participation in Ceremony and/or Sites work related to the knowledge and skills outlined in this unit Assessment methods should closely reflect workplace demands and the needs of particular client groups (consider the requirements of different age groups, clients with English as a second language, clients with disabilities, remote library users, etc.). |
Guidance information for assessment | Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example: AHCILM306A Follow Aboriginal cultural protocols AHCASW308A Apply cultural significance to Aboriginal sites and landscapes AHCASW310A Move and store Aboriginal cultural material Assessment for this unit should comprise a combination of theory and practical application. Both aspects of assessment are best conducted on Country for this unit. |
Range Statement
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. | |
Cultural significance may include: | aesthetic, historic, scientific, social or spiritual value for past, present or future generations significance embodied in the place itself, its fabric, setting, use, associations, meanings, records, related places and related objects |
Stakeholders may include | Aboriginal Land Councils Indigenous Ranger groups Traditional Owners and Cultural managers Aboriginal communities and Clans museums Culture and Heritage government departments and representatives National Parks personnel sites workers archaeologists anthropologists |
Aboriginal cultural protocols may include: | gender roles in relation to knowledge and cultural practices information sensitivity and access appropriate information transfer negotiations with local Aboriginal Community about information transfer cultural diversity natural resources and their importance for economy, religion, spirituality, art, environment, values, beliefs and lore/law. rights and responsibilities associated with cultural knowledge, story, song, Site, and ceremony interpersonal ways of relating the talking of Community politics repatriation of artefacts issues of ownership (clans/nations) ownership of intellectual property acknowledging participation and ownership communicating about cultural material displaying cultural material handling cultural material identifying appropriate people to be consulted occasions when consultation is required ways in which consultations should be conducted |
Burra Charter process includes: | the cultural significance of a place and other issues affecting its future are best understood by a sequence of collecting and analysing information before making decisions. Understanding cultural significance comes first, then development of policy and finally management of the place in accordance with the policy the policy for managing a place must be based on an understanding of its cultural significance policy development should also include consideration of other factors affecting the future of a place such as the owner’s needs, resources, external constraints and its physical condition |
Existing industry guidelines may include: | the Draft Guidelines for the Protection, Management and Use of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Heritage Places |
Aboriginal beliefs may refer to | connection to Country creation events structure of Community such as lore/law men and women, elders and custodians practicality and purpose appropriate behaviour, protocols and restrictions spiritual value of knowledge and stories communal ownership of some knowledge and material intergenerational ownership of some knowledge and material oral tradition of passing on knowledge and responsibilities roles as custodians of specified knowledge, ceremony, designs, information kinship and relationships storytelling |
Culturally significant places may include | areas of non-Aboriginal activity Aboriginal-sites landscapes buildings and other structures natural areas of Aboriginal cultural significance historical events and monuments areas of Aboriginal activity such as: burial occupation and contact sites engravings grinding grooves rock pictures fish traps middens mounds |
Sectors
Aboriginal-sites work
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills
Licensing Information
No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement.