Training Handbook

Assessment in the Community Services Industry

Assessment of competency in the community services industry is unique in that it cannot rely solely on a measurement approach; competency in the industry includes a complex interrelationship of duty of care, ethical behaviour, and personal values in the context of provision of high quality service to individual clients. Registered Training Organisations undertaking assessment in the community services industry will do so in this context. Assessor qualifications are outlined later in this document.

Australian National Training Authority have developed the following guiding principles for assessment in community services. We have included under each guiding principle how our organisation meets these requirements:

1. All people should be given the opportunity to seek recognition of their competency in one or all of the units of competency before participating in a training program.

Prior to commencing a training program, One World trainers and assessors discuss with the participant the process of Recognition of Current Competency (RCC).

All participants are then given an opportunity to undertake the RCC process for one or all units of competencies within the training program.

2. Assessment must cover the range of skills, knowledge, values, attitudes and ethics as defined in the set of competencies as a whole and the individual units of competency being assessed.

One World staff are not only qualified trainers and assessors, but they are also qualified practitioners in the children’s services industry. All One World staff have a working knowledge of the range of skills, knowledge, values, attitudes and ethics as defined in the training package.

3. Judgment made about competency must be based on sufficient evidence. Evidence may be gathered over a number of occasions and in a range of contexts (as listed in the range of variables) and using different methods (as indicated in the evidence guide) for each unit.

Assessment is made only after One World staff have gathered evidence about each competency in accordance with the range of variables outlined in the evidence guides.

4. Evidence collected should be sufficiently current to allow a sound assessment decision.

All evidence collected for the purpose of assessing competencies is current.

5. Evidence should demonstrate that all the performance criteria in a unit of competency have been met even where units are assessed concurrently.

One World has developed an upfront assessment guide for assessing current competencies. This guide details all the performance criteria used for assessing each unit of competency.

6. Appropriate processes need to be implemented to ensure consistency of judgment.

To ensure consistency of judgment, One World trainers and assessors have processes to be followed, and assessment tools to use when assessing current competencies.

7. Assessors must meet the qualifications detailed in these guidelines.

All One World assessors:

are competent in the National Competency Standards for Assessment, plan assessment, conduct assessment and review assessment, or the equivalent modules,
are competent in the Community Services National Competency Standards to at least the level being assessed, or work in partnership with an assessor who has achieved the relevant competencies, and
have a detailed understanding of the Community Services Competency standards and their use as benchmarks for assessment within the context and culture of the workplace, and the children’s services industry.

8. Reasonable adjustments are made to assessment procedures for people with special needs, such as people with disabilities, people with language or literacy difficulties.

One World assessors utilise a range of methods and tools for assessing competencies, and appropriate adjustments are made to procedures for participants with additional support needs.

9. The processes and criteria for assessment must be transparent to all persons being assessed.

All participants being assessed by One World are provided with a detailed guide that outlines all competencies, elements and performance criteria, and the process for assessment.

10. A collaborative approach to assessment of competency between trainer/s, assessor/s, the individual and the workplace, against one or all of the units in the standards may be used.

When assessing competencies, One World assessors ensure that all relevant parties are actively involved in the process.

11. Individuals being assessed must be advised of procedures for a review of assessment decisions.

One World is committed to the principles of negotiation and mediation in dealing with any grievances or appeals participants may have. One World has a participants Grievance Appeals Process as stated in the training information handbook.

12. All reasonable attempts should be taken to give sufficient choice of assessment options to meet:

The needs of individuals and/or workplaces
The context of assessment as outlined in the evidence guide of the unit of competency
The approaches and the philosophies of different workplaces
The location of the workplace or individual (e.g. rural/remote)

As much as possible, and within the framework of the Community Services Training Package, One World offers flexibility in choice of assessment options that takes into account the needs of individuals, and the workplaces in which they are assessed.

Role of Registered Training Organisations

Assessment for national recognition purposes in the Community Services Industry must be undertaken or auspiced through a Registered Training Organisation. Under the Australian Recognition Framework, State and Territory Training and Recognition Authorities have the responsibility for monitoring assessments, including the reporting of outcomes, appeals and the issuance of qualifications and statements of attainment.

Registered Training Organisations may include public or private training organisations as well as enterprises within the industry. A Registered Training Organisation may provide both on and off the job training and/or assessment in the community services industry. The role of the Registered Training Organisation is to:

Conduct and/or validate assessments against the units of competency in the Community Services Training Package.
Ensure that the assessment is undertaken by individuals or a team who meet the qualifications requirements for the level of work they are assessing as established by the community services industry in Part Three of this document and the relevant national competencies for assessors.
Ensure that the Community Services Assessment Guidelines are used as a basis for assessment processes and procedures.
Develop and maintain quality assurance mechanisms to ensure assessment is fair, reliable, valid and flexible to provide outcomes consistent with the State/Territory Training Authorities’ Requirements and the National Competency Standards for Assessment.
Implement an appeals process consistent with the State/Territory Training Authorities’ Requirements.
Maintain secure records of assessment outcomes or arrange a reliable outsourced record keeping process to the unit of competency level.
Provide access to the recording system for reporting and replacement of personal records of assessment on an ongoing basis.
Issue the AQF qualification consistent with the packaging guidelines in the national Community Services Training Package.
Where whole qualifications are not achieved or not sought by the trainee/worker, issue statements of attainment consistent with the packaging guidelines in the national Community Services Training Package.
Assessments for national recognition purposes in the community services industry should be mutually recognised. All Registered Training Organisations throughout Australia must ensure that they recognise and offer credit for the assessment outcomes of all other Registered Training Organisations. This is regardless of whether assessment was conducted through a training and assessment pathway or an assessment only pathway.
Any off the job assessment must be undertaken using the methodology outlined in each unit of competency Evidence Guide. Assessment off the job will generally be through workplace or community based simulation.

Assessment Pathways

Assessment of an individual’s competence against the Community Services National Competency Standards should lead to the issuance of a qualification or Statement of Attainment under the Guidelines of the Australian Qualifications Framework.

The Community Services Training Package provides a flexible framework to enable the full range of work situations to be recognised through meaningful qualifications (see the Qualifications Framework for more detail).

The acquisition of competencies by any means should be recognised for qualifications purposes provided they are assessed by a Registered Training Organisation. 100% up-front assessment is possible and should be offered to all trainees/workers seeking competency recognition.

The assessment pathways recognised by the Community Services Industry include:

Training and assessment pathway undertaken entirely off the job	Any off the job assessment must be undertaken using the methodology outlined in each unit of competency Evidence Guide. Assessment off the job will generally be through workplace or community based simulation.
Training and assessment undertaken entirely on the job	This pathway is particularly suited to New Apprenticeships pathways but may also be suitable for the many experienced workers in community services who have no formal qualifications.
Training and assessment combining on and off the job components	This pathway is particularly suited to New Apprenticeship pathways but may also be suitable for the many experienced workers in community services who may need some formal training to update their knowledge and skills.
An assessment only pathway entirely off the job	This pathway is suitable for those who have considerable industry experience but who hold no formal qualifications.
An assessment only pathway entirely on the job	This pathway is suitable for those who have considerable industry experience but who hold no formal qualifications.
An assessment only pathway off and on the job	This pathway is suitable for those who have considerable industry experience but who hold no formal qualifications.

Assessment Policy

Assessment of participants will be in line with the Training Packages. Assessment tasks will vary from competency to competency.

A participant is seen to successfully complete competency when they have completed all the learning outcomes. Trainers will advise participants of those learning outcomes and when a participant has successfully completed all outcomes.

Participants are only assessed against competencies they have commenced. Assessments take place in the form of on the job demonstrations and observations, these occur at our 4 to 6 weekly visits. Written assessments through work projects, research and on-line communication tools are assessed as requested by the participant. All assessments are self paced and no participant is required to be assessed unless they feel ready. (see the training handbook for more details on assessment)

All assessors communicate to the participant on an individual basis in person or in writing giving feedback related to their assessment on and off the job. This is a two way process between the participant and the assessor.

Participants who feel they have been unfairly assessed should refer to the Grievances/Appeals Policy contained in the training handbook.

All results will be kept in accordance with the guidelines set down by the Victorian Qualification Authority. Results will be given at the end of each competency and certificates will be issued at the completion of each training program competency.

Partnership arrangements

In the past training and assessment was usually conducted by RTO’s acting more or less independently of enterprises. Under the Community Services Training Package, partnership arrangements between RTO’s and workplaces are encouraged. Given the diversity of workplaces in community services these Assessment Guidelines provide for a range of partnership arrangements to auspice assessment.

The two broad types of assessment systems in the community services industry are:

The training and assessment system is managed by a Registered Training Organisation.
The training and assessment system is managed by a partnership arrangement between a community services workplace and Registered Training Organisation.

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Training Handbook

Assessment in the Community Services Industry

All One World assessors:

Role of Registered Training Organisations

Assessment Pathways

Training and assessment pathway undertaken entirely off the job

Training and assessment undertaken entirely on the job

Training and assessment combining on and off the job components

An assessment only pathway entirely off the job

An assessment only pathway entirely on the job

An assessment only pathway off and on the job

Assessment Policy

Partnership arrangements

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