This unit of competency involves the skills and knowledge required to work as a team member during relief and ongoing recovery operations. The role may involve assisting in the provision of welfare and support services to disaster-affected people via outreach, or at evacuation centres, relief or recovery centres.

Recovery workers performing this role may be deployed intra and interstate.

It includes preparing for a relief and/or recovery role, assessing immediate needs, providing information and assistance, contributing to reports for assistance, providing client support services information, as well as contributing to reports and documentation.

This unit applies to a recovery team member who will be working under the supervision of a team leader.

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

ELEMENTS

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

Elements describe the essential outcomes.

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

1

Prepare for relief and/orrecovery roles

1.1

Team briefing, including local recovery arrangements, is undertaken and role is confirmed

1.2

Allocated tasks and expectations are clarified

2

Assess immediate needs

2.1

Relevant information about disaster-affected individuals is recorded in accordance with required protocols

2.2

Immediate needs of disaster-affected individuals and initial support are identified and documented

2.3

Potential strengths of disaster-affected individuals to support themselves and/or the community are identified and documented

3

Contribute to assessing requests for assistance

3.1

Advice regarding availability and eligibility for disaster relief and recovery grants is provided

3.2

Applications for disaster relief grants are reviewed in accordance with established eligibility criteria

3.3

Damage listed on disaster relief grant applications is verified

3.4

Information and recommendations for financial assistance are contributed to and forwarded in accordance with communication protocols

3.5

Recovery needs are identified, and support services are provided in response to identified individual and community needs

4

Provide support services

4.1

Administrative tasks relating to role and client support services are undertaken

4.2

Disaster-affected individuals requiring additional support are documented

4.3

Disaster-affected individuals are referred to other agencies based on client consent, needs and services required, and in accordance with established guidelines

4.4

Potential ongoing needs of disaster-affected people and communities are identified and appropriate actions taken

4.5

Liaison with team members and relevant people from other agencies is undertaken to enable coordination of services provided

5

Contribute to preparation of reports and documentation

5.1

Administrative documentation is completed, collated and recorded in accordance with established procedures

5.2

Operational briefings and debriefings are undertaken and regular reporting is provided according to communication protocols

5.3

Information is prepared and submitted to team leader as required

Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria on at least one separate occasion and include:

confirming eligibility criteria for specific forms of assistance

identifying assistance measures to meet needs of disaster-affected individuals and communities

preparing referrals

talking to disaster-affected individuals to obtain and record relevant information about them and their needs

working as part of a team with communities and people from a range of cultural backgrounds and following instructions in accordance with recovery arrangements

working collaboratively and sensitively with people from diverse cultural backgrounds.

Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria and include knowledge of:

administrative tasks relating to support services

community-centred approaches

definitions of disaster and recovery

disaster assistance services, processes and practices

effective communication principles

principles of cross-cultural communication

recovery stakeholders

recovery environments

role of psychological first aid in disaster recovery and when to refer disaster-affected people to mental health practitioners

services provided by outreach, evacuation centres, relief or recovery centres

support services available for disaster-affected individuals and communities.

Assessors must hold credentials specified within the Standards for Registered Training Organisations current at the time of assessment.

Assessment must satisfy the Principles of Assessment and Rules of Evidence and all regulatory requirements included within the Standards for Registered Training Organisations current at the time of assessment.

Assessment must occur in workplace operational situations. Where this is not appropriate, assessment must occur in simulated workplace operational situations that reflect workplace conditions.

Assessment processes and techniques must be appropriate to the language, literacy and numeracy requirements of the work being performed and the needs of the candidate.

Resources for assessment must include access to:

a range of relevant exercises, case studies and/or simulations

applicable documentation, including workplace procedures, regulations, codes of practice and operation manuals

relevant materials, tools, equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE) currently used in industry.

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

Range is restricted to essential operating conditions and any other variables essential to the work environment.

Non-essential conditions may be found in the PUA Public Safety Training Package Companion Volume Implementation Guide.

Public Safety.

Recovery.