Application
This unit describes the skills required to support the community, respect cultural requirements and support offenders within Aboriginal and Torres Strait communities.
This unit applies to those working within Aboriginal or Torres Strait communities to provide support to offenders to achieve their objectives. Communities:
will include those belonging to a specific location, language or social relationship
may be traditional, mission
will vary in size significantly and may be no bigger than a family or a group sharing a common culture within an institution
will have varied structures and management, from self
The skills and knowledge described in this unit must be applied within the legislative, regulatory and policy environment in which they are carried out. Organisational policies and procedures must be consulted and adhered to, particularly those related to working with Aboriginal or Torres Strait offenders and communities.
Those undertaking this unit normally work autonomously using support from a range of established resources. This role involves complex task organisation and analysis involving extrapolating, inferring, reflecting and abstracting processes.
No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to unit at the time of publication.
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENTS | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
Elements describe the essential outcomes | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the range of conditions section. |
1. Support the community | 1.1 Establish relationships with key people in the community to promote the respect, trust and credibility of correctional service. 1.2 Acknowledge and encourage the community as a social support mechanism for its members and offenders. 1.3 Support the role and benefits of community programs in reducing offending. 1.4 Use positive and effective models of community development to build community support and resources. 1.5 Use positive and effective models of negotiation and mediation to involve key people and ensure consensus. 1.6 Use strategies and programs that provide a balance between statutory requirements and traditional practice. 1.7 Recognise the different interpretations and expectations of communities and take them into consideration in community activities. |
2. Respect cultural requirements | 2.1 Comply with the restrictions and protocol of communicating and relating to different members of the community. 2.2 Consider the impact of cultural requirements and traditional relationships in determining contact and processes. 2.3 Confirm the cultural perspective on obligations and punishment and adapt strategies to take cultural views into account. 2.4 Consider different timeframes when planning meetings and activities to allow cultural ways to determine process and outcomes. |
3. Support offenders | 3.1 Involve community networks to enable a holistic and comprehensive approach to the needs and outcomes of offenders. 3.2 Determine the needs of offenders and make sure that offenders’ objectives are decided with both the offenders’ and their community's support. 3.3 Refer offenders to other support agencies or specialists according to the priorities of need and availability. 3.4 Provide information and advice to support offenders and their family in their progress through the legal systems. 3.5 Provide information and advice to encourage a co 3.6 Assist the community to develop community programs that meet the needs of offenders. 3.7 Provide reports to relevant agencies. |
Evidence of Performance
Evidence required to demonstrate competence must satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria. If not otherwise specified the candidate must demonstrate evidence of performance of the following on at least one occasion.
communicating effectively with a range of people from diverse cultural backgrounds
using compromise to reach a balance between traditional practice and statutory requirements
writing reports for internal and external use
liaising with Aboriginal and Torres Strait communities to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes
applying consultation, negotiation and mediation methods appropriate to the audience
Evidence of Knowledge
Evidence required to demonstrate competence must satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria. If not otherwise specified the depth of knowledge demonstrated must be appropriate to the job context of the candidate.
organisation’s policies and procedures related to working with Aboriginal or Torres Strait offenders
duty of care
Aboriginal culture or Torres Strait culture relevant to the offenders within the service in sufficient detail to underpin effective relationships with the community
community and departmental services relevant to the needs of offenders and their families
strategies for community development, including community education and community programs
Aboriginal and Torres Strait perspective of history, community, law, environment, social structures and relationships, obligations and accountability
key people who have an impact on the community and the delivery of service to offenders and the protocols for consultation and decision making
strategies for negotiation and mediation
cross-cultural conflict management strategies
principles of case management
language and communication relevant to working with the community
relevant recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody
Assessment Conditions
Evidence for assessment must be gathered over time in a range of contexts to ensure the person can achieve the unit outcome and apply the competency in different situations or environments.
Valid assessment of this unit requires a workplace environment or one that closely resembles normal work practice and replicates the range of conditions likely to be encountered by an individual providing support to offenders in Aboriginal and Torres Strait communities effectively as part of a coordinated team, including coping with difficulties, irregularities and changes to routine.
Assessors must satisfy the NVR/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors.
Foundation Skills
The foundation skills demands of this unit have been mapped for alignment with the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF). The following tables outline the performance levels indicated for successful attainment of the unit.
ACSF levels indicative of performance:
Further information on ACSF and the foundation skills underpinning this unit can be found in the
Competency Field
Offender management