This unit applies to peer work with consumers affected by a mental illness, or mental health problems in the mental health sector
Not applicable.
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
Elements define the essential outcomes of a unit of competency. | The Performance Criteria specify the level of performance required to demonstrate achievement of the Element. Terms in italics are elaborated in the Range Statement. |
Establish and maintain effective consumer peer work relationships | 1.1 Use lived experience of mental health to maintain a safe and positive working relationship 1.2 Clarify role expectations and define appropriate relationship guidelines 1.3 Use effective 1.4 Use consumer’s preferred language and concepts |
Explore consumer preferences, values, meanings, needs and goals | Use a strengths based approach to discuss with the consumer their abilities to address their own needs and aspirations in recovery Discuss with consumer their sense of identity and choices for personal wellness, development of self-efficacy and discovering meaning and purpose in life Confirm consumer preferences, values, meanings, needs and goals |
Facilitate access to resources and information | Provide information about opportunities and strategies for consumers to achieve their identified aspirations and discuss and support preferred action as required 3.2 Provide a range of appropriate information and education that enables 3.3 Maintain accurate information and resources and review regularly for currency and relevance |
Provide consumer peer services | 4.1 Use strategies to ensure all interactions with consumers reflect peer ethics 4.2 Work in collaboration with consumer and relevant others according to job role requirements 4.3 Facilitate and support consumer networks and social connections 4.4 Respond promptly and supportively to consumers in distress or crisis, taking into account duty of care, job role and organisation policies and procedures 4.5 Complete documentation, records of service and reports as this applies to peer work and job role requirements 4.6 Follow organisation’s policy and procedures particularly in relation to code of conduct, ethics, duty of care, record keeping, confidentialityand privacy, as this applies to consumer peer work |
Work within a peer work framework | 5.1 Maintain and uphold a peer perspective and identity informed by knowledge of consumer perspectives 5.2 Consult regularly with consumers to remain informed and ensure authentic representation of consumer perspectives 5.3 Identify and minimise role strain, role conflict and role confusion issues in a timely way 5.4 Maintain boundaries appropriate to the delivery of peer delivered services 5.5 Utilise consumer developed resources and literature for access to service users and staff 5.6 Undertake development activities about working from a lived experience perspective |
Work collaboratively with other staff | 6.1 Recognise limits of own knowledge, abilities and work role and make appropriate referral as required in accordance with organisation’s policy and procedures 6.2 Work collaboratively with otherservice staff and mental health workers to support holistic and seamless services 6.3 Contribute to policy development about peer issues 6.4 Promote the service and peer work to other workers |
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 perform task skills; task management skills; contingency management skills and job/role environment skills as outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit. These include sufficient knowledge of the following areas to undertake the role outlined: Importance of self awareness in mental health peer work Contemporary frameworks and influences underpinning mental health peer work including recovery, consumer and carer participation and leadership approaches, person centred, rights based, self-determination, holistic physical health and wellbeing Self-management of own mental illness Overview of key historical, social, political and economic contexts of mental health services and mental health consumer and carer movements Philosophical, ethical and values based approaches to peer work International and national developments in consumer and carer peer work History and context of self-directed recovery and recovery principles, facilitation, pathways and practices Impacts and different types of stigma for consumers and carers including self-stigma, individual stigma, community stigma, prejudice and discrimination on the recovery journey Social justice principles Knowledge of working from a rights based framework Awareness of the rights and responsibilities of consumer and carer peer workers Impacts of trauma, grief and loss Different understandings of mental illness and distress Principles and practices of duty of care as these apply to peer work and job role Relevant policies, standards and legislations that relate to peer work Community development and peer work Types of work methods and practices which can improve on personal performance such as time management, information management, professional development and supervision |
Essential skills: 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. It is critical that the candidate demonstrate the ability to: Reflect on own attitudes, behaviours and practice and how this affects other people Work from demonstrated and consistent peer ethos and peer ethics Apply a strengths based approach to work Access other consumer workers, resources and services Communicate effectively with consumers and service providers Complete documentation as required by the organisation and job role that is consistent with peer work approaches Effective referral including identification of circumstances in which referral to a health or other professional is appropriate Maintain confidentiality and explain limits of confidentiality Strategic questioning to: develop understanding of the consumer perspective of their own experiences support the rights and needs of consumers Respond to crisis/emergency appropriately according to job role and organisation policy Use inclusive and person first language Use the consumers preferred language and terminology and their personal meaning and interpretations Identify barriers experienced by people affected by mental illness Work collaboratively with the consumer to support their self-determination in the recovery process Demonstrate the underpinning values, ethics and philosophies of mental health peer work in all aspects of work Promote and support the right of consumers to advocate on their own behalf and in their own interests Self-care and personal safety strategies in mental health peer work Basic workplace protocols for maintaining an effective workplace Work within a complex organisational structure in partnership with multiple agencies |
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 This unit is best assessed on the job or in a simulated workplace under the normal range of conditions Consistency in performance should consider the requirements of the particular workplace context The candidate must show evidence of working effectively as a mental health consumer peer worker |
Conditions of assessment: | This unit includes skills and knowledge specific to mental health peer work Assessment must be undertaken by a qualified Assessor [as determined by the Australian Quality Training Framework] who has lived experience as a consumer and holds this unit of competency or demonstrated equivalent competencies OR A consumer who has lived experience and demonstrated experience in a consumer peer worker role Accompanied by a qualified Assessor who has the necessary assessment competencies [as determined by the Australian Quality Training Framework] |
Access and equity considerations: | All workers in community services should be aware of access, equity and human rights issues in relation to their own area of work All workers should develop their ability to work in a culturally and linguistically diverse environment In recognition of particular issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, workers should be aware of cultural, historical and current issues impacting on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people In recognition of particular issues facing culturally and linguistically [CALD] diverse communities, workers should be aware of cultural and current issues impacting on CALD groups |
Context of and specific resources for assessment: | This unit can be assessed independently, however holistic assessment practice with other community services units of competency is encouraged Resources required for assessment of this unit include access to a workplace or simulated workplace where assessment may occur |
Method of assessment: | In cases where the learner does not have the opportunity to cover all relevant aspects in the work environment, the remainder should be assessed through realistic simulations, projects, previous relevant experience or oral questioning on ‘What if?’ scenarios Assessment of this unit of competence will usually include observation of processes and procedures, oral and/or written questioning on Essential knowledge and skills and consideration of required attitudes Where performance is not directly observed and/or is required to be demonstrated over a ‘period of time’ and/or in a ‘number of locations’, any evidence should be authenticated by colleagues, supervisors, or other appropriate persons |
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. | ||
Lived experience in this context as a Consumer is defined as: | The personal experience of living with mental illness and the consequences. This experience includes the consumer’s mental, physical, emotional, social and spiritual wellbeing and may have significant social and economic impacts | |
Safe and positive working relationships include: | appropriate use of lived experience defining peer work relationship clarifying expectations maintaining self-care strategies accessing self-care strategies awareness of own vulnerabilities and that of the peer consumer honest and trusting communications establishing and promoting hope promoting dignity of risk and self-determination in recovery | |
Needs may include: | Cultural Disability Emotional Employment Financial and economic Grief and loss Health Housing Legal Mental health Physical Problematic alcohol and other drugs use Sexuality Social Spiritual Trauma informed care | |
Provide information about opportunities and strategies may include: | Accessing peer support Education about recovery Elimination of discrimination Encouraging a person’s sense of hope and personal value Enhancing a person’s own sense of agency Enhancing and supporting the care network Identifying and exploring positive and negative risks with consumers Promoting self-advocacy and self determination Promoting the right of equal and full citizenship with access to all community resources and opportunities Removal of barriers to participation Supporting people to develop and pursue their recovery goals and aspirations Trauma and trauma informed care Working with consumers with their choices to live, and work in their community of choice | |
A range of appropriate information and education may include: | Range of information may include: Recovery information consumer rights information service and support options and networks consumer organisations, consumer developed resources, tools and material activities, forums and events | |
Appropriate information may include being: Culturally appropriate Age appropriate Literacy appropriate Numeracy appropriate Language appropriate | ||
Peer ethics is defined in this context as: | Peer ethics broadly relates to the values that underpin mental health peer work, and that inform mental health peer worker practices. Peer ethics refers to the dual principles of reciprocity and equality - between peer workers and their peers - on the basis of shared or similar experiences, on mutual sharing and understanding, and in the knowledge that mental health peer workers do not exert power over people who are using or accessing theirs, or any other services. Peer ethics are essentially about actively facilitating and promoting the self-determination and empowerment of people who are affected by mental distress | |
Work in collaboration with consumers to ensure that: | Individual and cultural needs are addressed Potential barriers and challenges to achieving consumer directed outcomes are identified and appropriately resolved There are appropriate levels of consultation Information resources and education are appropriate to consumer’s individual circumstances | |
Respond promptly and supportively to consumers in distress or crisis may include: | Facilitating access to: Ambulance Clinical mental health services Person’s care network including nominated person Cultural consultants Hospitals Other organisations Peer workers Workers within the organisation | |
Records of service may include: | Advanced directive Advocacy letters Assessment records Care and service plans Complaints Consent letters Consumer’s own records of their recovery Evaluation forms Feedback and satisfaction forms File notes Individual program plans Individual service plans Initial contact forms Personal records Recovery wellness plans Referral letters | |
Confidentiality and privacy;(a) Information is shared according to the legal requirements under the Privacy Act, organisation policy on confidentiality, and where possible consumer informed consent, knowledge and full participation: | In situations where a consumer discloses to a mental health peer worker or is observed by a mental health peer worker to be in a situation of risk to self and/or others then the limits of confidentiality apply with a duty of care to report the risk as required by organisation policy. | |
Confidentiality and privacy; (b) Information may be shared within the above stated bounds of confidentiality and wherever possible, with the consent, knowledge and full participation of a consumer, with people such as: | Care network Case managers Consumers Family members Other services Other staff Supervisor | |
Development activities may include: | Training Coaching Mentoring Participation in networks Use of blogs and other online learning tools | |
Work collaboratively with other services to: | Establish working relationships with other service that will benefit the participation and promotion of consumers and peer work Promote recovery and consumer decision making Support the rights, interests in the needs of consumers seeking access to other services as part of their identified recovery | |
Not applicable.
This unit contains Employability Skills
Not applicable.