Application
This unit may be applied in a range of development field environments and should reflect the concepts and principles of aid effectiveness and community development (i.e. ownership, alignment, harmonisation, managing for results and mutual accountability) as embodied in the Paris Declaration and Accra Agenda for Action (AAA) These skills and knowledge are to be applied within the scope of the person's role and authority |
Prerequisites
Not Applicable
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
1. Establish a strong relationship as a basis for contextual assessment | 1.1 Clarify the structure and political nature of the target community or organisation, including key individuals, groups and hierarchy 1.2 Identify and clarify any documented and endorsed change agendas 1.3 Work with understanding of the application of the concepts and principles of aid effectiveness and community development 1.4 Identify appropriate individual/group to champion the development and/or change processes 1.4 Establish a relationship of trust with leadership and key individuals in the community or organisation using effective communication and relationship building practices 1.5 Engage key individuals from the community or organisation in a process of identifying its strengths and attributing value to those strengths 1.6 Engage key individuals from the community or organisation in a process to identify and agree the nature of the situation currently requiring attention 1.7 Identify and engage appropriately stakeholders with special needs and disadvantages |
2. Analyse the situation | 2.1 Identify a range of participatory approaches that may be appropriate to address specific community or organisation needs and situations requiring attention 2.2 Work with participants to analyse the current situation using tools and processes appropriate to the identified participatory approach 2.3 Guide the analysis process to assist participants to peel back the layers to reveal the central issues contributing to the situation the community has agreed requires attention 2.4 Facilitate the analysis process to progress at a rate suited to the participants and in directions that allow them to explore relevant issues in sufficient depth to gain an understanding of the situation 2.5 Facilitate the analysis process to address issues of stakeholders with special needs and disadvantages |
3. Identify capacity needs and terms of reference for moving forward | 3.1 Facilitate the provision of information and evidence to the community or organisation about outcomes of the analysis of the situation 3.2 Assist the community, counterpart or organisation to identify a range of potential options to address the agreed current situation 3.3 Review the options in the context of available community or organisation resources and assets and overall feasibility 3.4 Work with the community, counterpart or organisation to identify potential perceived and actual impacts of each option on the community 3.5 Facilitate a process to prioritise identified solution options and reach agreement on priorities 3.6 Advocate appropriately as required to address issues of stakeholders with special needs and disadvantages |
4. Facilitate the planning processes | 4.1 Work with the community, counterpart or organisation to plan processes and resources to implement the agreed strategic solution to address the identified situation 4.2 Identify and provide relevant knowledge and skills to build the capacity of participants involved in the planning process 4.3 Encourage communication processes to support planning processes in line with requirements of specific development program context 4.4 Work with the community, counterpart or organisation to identify appropriate processes and criteria to monitor and evaluate ongoing impacts of the program on the community 4.5 Advocate appropriately as required for planning to address issues of stakeholders with special needs and disadvantages |
5. Facilitate implementation of capacity building solution | 5.1 Assist the community, counterpart or organisation to implement planned solution to address the identified situation 5.2 Identify and provide relevant knowledge and skills to build the capacity of the community to address the situation 5.3 Encourage communication processes to support implementation in line with requirements of specific development program 5.4 Work with the community, counterpart or organisation to support their ongoing management of the situation 5.5 Advocate appropriately as required for inclusion of stakeholders with special needs and disadvantages |
6. Monitor and evaluate outcomes | 6.1 Ensure the community, counterpart or organisation understands the importance of and rationale for monitoring and evaluation of the program in achieving desired outcomes 6.2 Work with the community, counterpart or organisation to put in place resources and processes to monitor the impacts of the program and to identify its outcomes 6.3 Share with the community, counterpart or organisation relevant information, skills and knowledge to enable ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the program and to make appropriate adjustments to respond to issues identified 6.4 Contribute to monitoring of program outcomes in line with community and development program requirements and within own work role 6.5 Participate in evaluation of development program where appropriate in line with own work role 6.6 Assist community to make adjustments where indicated as a result of overall evaluation outcomes |
Required Skills
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 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 This includes: Rationale, practices and tools underpinning capacity building in a development program context Specific development program work objectives and constraints Awareness of gender, HIV/AIDS and child protection issues Own work role in the context of development program work General project cycle as applied to specific development program work Relief to development transition issues Relevant Agency guidelines such as: Australian Agency for International Aid (AusAID) guidelines, including Development for All (Disability) Strategy and Child Protection Policy U.S. Agency for International Development Field Operational Guide (USAID FOG) United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) guidelines |
Essential skills: It is critical that the candidate demonstrate the ability to: Use relevant tools and processes to support a participatory approach to a development program Use facilitation and consultation skills to assist a community, counterpart or government department to: achieve a contextual assessment analyse an identified situation use a resource-based approach to consider and prioritise a range of solutions agree on and plan implementation of a feasible solution implement the development solution monitor and evaluate the ongoing impact of the development solution Manage communication processes in the broader context of the overall development program in line with own work role Provide leadership and influencing ability in monitoring implementation to achieve quality outcomes continued ... |
Essential skills (contd): In addition, 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 These include the ability to: Comply with relevant organisation policies, procedures and requirements on occupational health and safety (OHS), stakeholder welfare, security and related issues Effectively communicate with and work safely with others in the work area Work collaboratively as part of a team environment to complete tasks Demonstrate personal management, including initiative, self motivation and direction Retain clear sense of personal values and ethics in ambiguous or stressful situations Identify areas for personal improvement or training in self and others Make situational assessments Demonstrate professional and ethical handling of issues Work with people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, showing sensitivity to cultural differences, including: awareness and understanding of cultural differences ability to express that awareness and understanding clearly and concisely ability to build rapport with others, including participants, community leaders, donors and other non-government organisations fluency in more than one language - a major asset Use emotional state control Use communications equipment, including telephone, radio, satellite phone, fax and email Use computing equipment and common software programs Use administration and routine office procedures Demonstrate adaptability and the ability to deal with ambiguous situations Select and use appropriate technology Apply skills in: setting priorities undertaking new tasks adapting to different environments and responding effectively to challenges communicating effectively with a wide range of different audiences working safely and encouraging a safe workplace accessing organisation records and information sources interviewing networking language, literacy and numeracy skills such as those required to: collect, analyse and organise data communicate in spoken and written form with a range of audiences adjust spoken and written language to suit audience prepare or customise materials calculate and estimate times, costs and quantities |
Evidence Required
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 The application of competency is to be assessed in the workplace or realistically simulated workplace Assessment is to occur under standard and authorised work practices, safety requirements and environmental constraints Consistency of performance should be demonstrated over the required range of situations relevant to the workplace The circumstantial or unsolicited testimony of project participants, governments or other non-government organisations regarding ethical behaviour should be considered as significant evidence in relation to this unit |
Access and equity considerations: | All workers in development and humanitarian assistance should be aware of access, equity and human rights issues in their own area of work All workers should develop their ability to work in a culturally diverse environment In particular workers should be aware of cultural, historical and current issues facing the people and culture in which they are working Assessors and trainers must take into account relevant access and equity issues relating to the culture in which they are working |
Context of and specific resources for assessment: | This unit may be assessed independently, however holistic assessment practice with other related units of competency is encouraged Assessment of essential underpinning knowledge, other than confirmatory questions, will usually be conducted in an off-site context Resources required for assessment include access to actual community development context or a realistic simulation |
Method of assessment: | Assessment needs to take into consideration the practical difficulties associated with attempting on-job assessment in the field Given the nature of this unit, candidates should be expected to present evidence from within a real field environment If this is not possible, demonstration of some performance criteria in this unit may be achieved through observing the behaviour and responses of the candidate under a stressful situation similar to those likely to be encountered in the field Underpinning knowledge may be assessed through: written assignments project reports debriefings action learning projects Assessment should be supported by supplementary evidence from a wide range of sources, preferably including evidence from one or more field situations |
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. 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. | |
Contextual assessment process refers to: | A process of identifying the detailed context of a particular situation which is a focus of a development program The contextual assessment process should enable a community to consider and clarify the components of the situation and potential contributing factors in a manner which enables community members to participate freely and effectively and reach agreement about the nature of the situation |
Concepts and principles of aid effectiveness and community development include: | Ownership, including: using delivery processes that support partner countries to exercise effective leadership over their development policies and strategies coordinating development actions involving communities and local government in decision making, implementation, monitoring and evaluation encouraging community's and local government's contribution to problem solving Alignment, involving maintaining a comprehensive understanding of partner countries' national development strategies, institutions and procedures to guide program delivery Harmonisation: actively seeking to collaborate with other Official Development Assistance (ODA) partners to create added value and greater development effectiveness Managing for results, including continuous improvement of systems to: manage for development results support evidence-based decision making Mutual accountability, involving demonstration of: full transparency and accountability for the use of development resources in program delivery |
Stakeholders with special needs and disadvantages may include: | Refugees Children The elderly Widowed People with disabilities |
Participatory approaches refers to: | The use of appropriate tools and processes to enable and support community members to participate in discussion, planning, decision-making and action in relation to development work in their community |
Processes and resources may include, for example: | Systems Processes Individual skills Training needs analysis Corporate goals |
Capacity building solution may include, for example: | Workshops Training on the job Courses Incentives Encouragement Coaching and mentoring Communication Identifying hurdles creating impairment |
Project cycle is: | A well-known construct used to describe the normal life-cycle of a project In relation to capacity building, the focus would be on providing technical assistance and using approaches to build capacity in a development assistance context The project cycle generally includes: assessment analysis design marketing monitoring reporting evaluation |
Central issues contributing to the situation may include: | Health issues, such as: health indicators such as infant mortality and malnutrition health surveys in order to derive health data health interventions such as immunisation or supplemental feeding programs international standards for health HIV/AIDS Food aid issues, such as: food for work programs dietary requirements of project participants international standards on food aid cultural requirements of project participants Issues of stakeholders with special needs and disadvantages, such as: refugees child protection the elderly and widowed people with disabilities Refugee issues, such as: familiarity with The Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Relief (the Sphere standards) and with international law pertaining to refugees and their rights consideration of cultural issues and of host communities' needs and rights Water issues, such as: access to water and its management and purification formulas for calculating the volume of water required ownership and distribution of water, including storage and plumbing infrastructure Human resource issues, such as: hiring of local staff local labour hire laws local workers' demand for daily cash payment gender capacity (such as education and experience) of counterparts staff accommodation and other conditions evacuations notification of next-of-kin where necessary continued ... |
Issues impacting development programs may include (contd): | Communication issues, such as: dealing with local or international media preparing press releases and hosting media visits preparing non-media marketing information Governance and finance issues, such as: acquittals and budget submissions preparation of invoice and receipt books cash security foreign currency restrictions and transactions fraud and corruption |
Sectors
Not Applicable
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills |
Licensing Information
Not Applicable