Application
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to plan and incorporate education activities that promote physical activity and other healthy lifestyle recommendations. It requires the ability to deliver appropriate exercise levels within the context of public health recommendations in order to decrease risk factors and prevent chronic disease.
This unit applies to advanced personal trainers working in a sport, fitness, recreation or aquatic environment. They work autonomously according to relevant legislation and regulatory requirement and organisational policies and procedures.
No occupational licensing, certification or specific legislative requirements apply to this 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. |
1. Identify health promotion information requirements. | 1.1 Source and access information on physical activity and health promotion information relevant to the fitness industry. 1.2 Discuss/explain how understanding of health promotion strategies contribute to decreased risk factors and prevention of chronic disease. 1.3 Identify current and emerging knowledge of health promotion relevant to development of own professional practice. 1.4 Identify specific issues relating to health problems of target groups and suggest strategies to address issues. |
2. Plan educational activities. | 2.1 Locate relevant available promotion and prevention resources. 2.2 Recognise and support the importance of access and equity in provision of physical activity initiatives. 2.3 Plan multifaceted educational activities including healthy lifestyle education and skill building according to needs of target group. |
3. Incorporate educational activities into own professional practice. | 3.1 Assess ways in which health promotion and education activities may be used, adapted or challenged in instruction and provision of fitness advice. 3.2 Work collaboratively with clients, team members and relevant partners to implement effective health promotion activities. 3.3 Conduct health promotion and education activities that directly affect reduction of risk factors and prevention of chronic disease. 3.4 Provide client support materials and access to relevant information to improve health status. 3.5 Ensure health promotion and education activities support clients to take a self-care approach to health in line with individual needs. |
4. Maintain and update knowledge of health promotion. | 4.1 Identify and use opportunities to update and expand own knowledge of health promotion activities. 4.2 Monitor response to changes made to own professional practice or instruction. 4.3 Continue to adjust own practice to optimise results. |
Evidence of Performance
Evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit in the context of the job role. This must include period(s) totalling at least five hours comprising at least three different client contact sessions, and:
develop and implement health promotion activities for at least two target groups with different health issues and needs
conduct activities that individually or cumulatively incorporate:
consultation with key stakeholders
information regarding the factors motivating each target group to be physically active:
client needs and preferences
barriers to participation
overweight
cultural, social and financial influences
different delivery methods
at least four of the following health promotion strategies and delivery methods:
education and skill development
social marketing
health information
environmental approaches
public policy
workforce initiatives
community action
use of knowledge relating to health promotion strategies to improve own instructional practice in at least three different client sessions
records of health promotion activities:
questionnaires
pre-exercise screening forms
medical clearance and referral
physical activity recall
exercise programming cards
diaries
attendance records.
Evidence of Knowledge
Demonstrated knowledge required to complete the tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit:
appropriate content for health promotion activities, including promotion of the following lifestyle modifications:
moderation of alcohol consumption
cessation of smoking
increased incidental activity
stress reduction
provision of healthy eating guidelines
provision of healthy eating choices
major causes of disease and disability in Australian adults, including the chronic lifestyle diseases or disabilities:
hypertension
type 2 diabetes
obesity
cardiovascular disease
dyslipidaemia
musculoskeletal conditions
mental health problems
asthma
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
osteoporosis
sarcopenia
risk factors for disease:
family history
smoking
hypertension
hypercholesterolaemia
impaired fasting glucose
obesity
sedentary lifestyle
alcohol
dietary imbalances
age
co-morbidities
factors affecting health and well-being
social determinants of health
national health priority areas
factors affecting participation in physical activity:
personal
social
environmental
cultural
educational factors
burden of disease and burden attributable to risk factors
role of physical activity in the prevention and management of disease and disability:
major causes of disease and disability in Australian adults and the effects of physical activity in prevention, and management of disease and disability
mechanisms by which physical activity alters disease risk
answer questions by clients about health benefits of physical activity
current physical activity recommendations:
position statements and recommendations by recognised bodies
national physical activity guidelines
evidence based research
methods used to measure physical activity
industry endorsed client pre-exercise health screening processes
industry endorsed risk stratification procedures, exercise implications and referral requirements
health promotion practice and principles
behaviour change models relevant to motivating clients to change behaviour and adhere to exercise:
social cognitive model
self efficacy
trans-theoretical model
population sub-groups considered ‘at risk’:
a group identified through statistics to be less likely to be physically active or able to access or afford programs or facilities that encourage active participation
young adolescents
people with chronic disease or disability
indigenous Australians
people from non-English speaking backgrounds
older adults
women especially mothers with young children
middle age
adults with low education
adults with low socioeconomic status
the role of health and community stakeholders to be able to develop effective working relationships.
Assessment Conditions
Skills must be demonstrated in:
a fitness industry workplace or simulated environment with clients with real or simulated health and fitness goals.
Assessment must ensure access to:
current industry endorsed best practice for client pre-exercise health screening and risk stratification
organisational policies and procedures regarding health promotion activities.
Assessment must ensure use of
planning and evaluation documentation with inclusion of identified improvements to professional practice
relevant health promotion information and resources
session plan templates with space for inclusion of identified health promotion modifications/adjustments
clients; these can be:
clients in an industry workplace, or
individuals who participate in role plays or simulated activities, set up for the purpose of assessment, in a simulated industry environment operated within a training organisation.
Assessment activities that allow the individual to:
demonstrate ability to incorporate relevant health promotion knowledge into the instruction of sessions, catering for:
beginners, intermediate and advanced participants
low and high impact
create health promotion materials for target groups.
Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisation’s requirements for assessors, and:
have achieved a Diploma of Fitness or above; and
have at least 2 years consecutive post qualification fitness industry experience in the application of the skills and knowledge of the Diploma of Fitness.
Foundation Skills
Foundation skills essential to performance in this unit, but not explicit in the performance criteria are listed here, along with a brief context statement. | |
SKILLS | DESCRIPTION |
Reading skills to: | source and comprehend often complex health promotion information and evidence based research. |
Writing skills to: | develop supporting resources for health promotion activities such as brochures, assessment tools, videos. |
Oral communication skills to: | deliver health promotion activities to a variety of clients of differing ages and with various needs. |
Problem-solving skills to: | make connections between own practice and conclusions drawn from health promotion information. |
Sectors
Fitness
Competency Field
Fitness