Embedded Files
3. Introduction
3. Introduction
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to organise and complete work activities, and to obtain feedback on work performance.
This unit applies to individuals developing basic skills and knowledge in a broad range of settings.
Assessments
Assessments
Competency based assessment involves gathering and evaluating evidence to make a decision on whether you can perform to the standard of competency required for a unit of competency. A unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge needed to perform effectively in the workplace.
As you work through this unit of competency there will be Knowledge Tasks to test the knowledge required for this unit.
There will also be Assessment Performance Tasks to demonstrate your skills. Specifically there must be evidence you have the ability to:
plan and organise workload with the assistance of others
complete tasks, using appropriate tools, within specified timelines, seeking assistance as required Tasks
use effective communication skills to seek assistance or feedback from others
seek and use feedback from others to monitor and improve work performance
Your teacher/ assessor will provide comment on workplace performance demonstration. They will record the context in which you are observed, detailing any relevant evidence. Your teacher / assessor will date and initial each section and sign when completed.
Your teacher will provide you access to any additional resources required to complete these Assessment Tasks.
Refer to the Mapping at the end of this Google Page for specific requirements to be met for this unit of competency for both Knowledge and Performance evidence.
Your teacher/assessor will provide comment on workplace performance demonstration. They will record the context in which you are observed, detailing any relevant evidence.
To be awarded competency all tasks must be completed and marked satisfactory. If any assessment task is marked not satisfactory, your teacher / trainer will provide supportive feedback and you will be given further opportunity to fulfil the requirement of the task.
You can choose to complete all learning tasks in written format at the end of your hardcopy Student Guide (SG) provided by your teacher.
You can also choose to click to access and make a copy of the Student Guide (SG) here to be used to complete all learning tasks.
You will need to sign the Declaration of Authenticity at the time of submitting your completed work which means you are declaring that the assessments you complete are genuinely your own work. This is located at the end of the Task Document.
Reasonable Adjustment:
Reasonable adjustments can be made to ensure equity in assessment for people with disability or with special needs. If this applies to you, discuss this with your teacher / assessor.
Complaints and appeals:
If you believe an assessment result is inappropriate or incorrect you have the right to appeal and if you choose to do so, speak with your teacher / assessor or the RTO coordinator at BSSC.
Preparations and Instructions
Preparations and Instructions
Recognition of Prior Learning
If a student believes they have some or all of the skills required for this unit of competency they should speak with their teacher / assessor about applying for skills recognition (RPL.) Students can also speak with the BSSC RTO.
Materials and Resources:
Internet, computers/ device, printed hardcopy booklet of this unit of competency including the Task Document, Smart board / other classroom materials.
Teacher / Assessor preparation:
Access the Teacher / Assessor resource
Before beginning this UOC, ensure all students have access to the Google Page and students have made a digital copy of the Student Guide Assessment if they choose to do so.
The teacher/ assessor will also need to make a printed hard copy for all students.
The teacher / assessor should ensure they have access to all crosswords and Performance Task materials and check all links are working.
Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites.
3.0 Organise Work Schedule
3.0 Organise Work Schedule
To work successfully in the community services industry, employees need to be organised, manage their time effectively and work toward meeting personal, team and organisational goals and plans. In this unit of competency you will further your ability to:
organise work schedules
complete work tasks within set timeframes
review work performance and plan opportunities for improvement
3.1 Discuss and agree upon Work Goals and plans with Assistance from Appropriate People
3.1 Discuss and agree upon Work Goals and plans with Assistance from Appropriate People
Think-Pair -Share: What do you think your employer will want to talk about when you start a new job?
When you start a new job your employer will want to discuss your tasks and responsibilities. These tasks and responsibilities are linked to the broader or bigger goals and plans of the organisation.
The tasks you have will depend on your position and the type of organisation and will be set out in the job position description when you applied for the job and when you signed your contract.
For example, you might be starting a new job at the YMCA After School Care and School Holiday Program in Kangaroo Flat, Bendigo.
Your tasks and responsibilities as set out in the job description for this job may include:
planning and preparing after school care and holiday activities and programs using Adobe Illustrator or Microsoft Publishing software
supervising children in these activities
managing children's behaviour
entertaining children by playing games
online and telephone ordering of equipment and food supplies
follow-up phone calls to parents and carers in regard to their children who may require early collection as well as
Incident Report recording and
giving any medication approved to children.
These tasks will be very different to a Receptionist job position at for example Bendigo Community Health Services, where you may be performing reception tasks like:
answering the phone
taking messages
booking appointments
greeting clients and
preparing simple documents like letters.
If you are unclear about your work tasks and responsibilities or feel you are being set tasks and responsibilities outside of your job description, refer back to your position description which will enable you to work out what is a priority (most important) and what is not.
You can also discuss any concerns with your supervisor or manager to help ensure you understand what is expected of you and provide opportunities to ask questions about your tasks.
What are Personal Work Goals?
What are Personal Work Goals?
Work goals should match your work tasks and responsibilities. They are the things you want to achieve.
Work goals are a way to give purpose and help to avoid distractions, provide motivation to achieve and are a way to set timeframes to measure success.
Work goals can be day-to-day, short term and long term. One way to set work goals is through the SMART goal setting formula.
Specific: Be specific by saying and recording exactly what you want to do or achieve (What, How, Why)
Measurable: The goal should have a measurable activity (example, what will measure the goal's progress? When will I know the goal is completed?
Achievable: The goal needs to be within reach and not impossible. Do you have the resources, skills?
Realistic: The goal must be doable and relevant to you so you believe you can achieve it.
Timely: The goal must have a time frame to aim for with a start date and end date
For example,
It is not enough to say, 'It is my goal is to create a brochure.' It is not a SMART goal.
A SMART goal might be, 'I will create 10 brochures for Reception with a summary of all the services we offer for visitors and new clients to our child, youth and family counselling services organisation (specific). I will start today, using my skills and experience with Microsoft Publishing software and allocating 1 hour per day to finish in 4 weeks time (achievable, realistic), checking my progress in two weeks to see if I have made 5 brochures (measurable, timely) and asking for support from my co-workers if needed.' (achievable, realistic)
Work goals and plans need to be discussed and agreed upon with appropriate people in your workplace. Appropriate people to discuss your goals and plans with include:
Supervisors, Team Leaders or Managers
Other colleagues (employees) such as a work mentor or more experienced colleagues
In the example above management may agree with your goal to create brochures to provide to visitors and new clients at the child, youth and family counselling service because they see it as a 'good fit' for the overall goal of increasing their clients use of services and their overall satisfaction with the organisation.
Summative Assessment 1: Short Answer Questions: Open the SG to complete Task 1
3.1.1 Understand the Relationship between Personal Work Goals and Plans and the Organisation's Work goals and Plans
3.1.1 Understand the Relationship between Personal Work Goals and Plans and the Organisation's Work goals and Plans
It is important that everyone in an organisation is working towards achieving the same end goals.
This is where the goals of the employees (your work goals) and team 'fit' with the bigger picture of the organisation or the main goals of the organisation. The goals of an organisation are usually found in their 'mission' statement.' This is an organisation's purpose or core objectives.
If you are unclear or confused about how your work tasks and responsibilities fit with the overall goals of the organisation, you should ask your supervisor, team leader or manager.
Using the example above of the brochure you wanted to create for new clients that detailed the services provided by your organisation, imagine you take this to the next team meeting for approval where it is agreed upon by your colleagues and management.
This is because your goal of providing information about the range of services provided, fits with the team's goal to build strong and positive working relationships with clients.
It also fits with the organisation's broader (bigger) goal and plan to ensure clients have access to the right support to provide children and families with opportunities to overcome challenges, grow and achieve their goals.
In small groups choose one of the following Bendigo community services to identify their mission statements (sometimes you won't find the heading 'mission statement,' so then look for clues found in statements around what they stand for, ambitions, strategic plans and goals, purpose): Share your findings with the class.
Bendigo Community Health Services here
Goodstart Early Learning Centre Golden Square here
Imagine you are working at either of the above organisations.
What might your role and tasks include?
How would these tasks fit with the organisations overall goals or visions?
3.1.2 Plan, Prioritise and complete tasks Within set Timeframes
3.1.2 Plan, Prioritise and complete tasks Within set Timeframes
In all industries employees need to be able to make short term decisions daily, weekly, monthly and long term about what tasks should be completed or prioritised in order of importance. In community services your clients will have a range of needs and your priorities will therefore change.
You also need to be able to estimate how long a task will take to help organise your day. This is called time management.
$86,400 Time Management Activity:
Students have $86,400.00 to spend any way they wish. The only restrictions are that they cannot bank any money and if they do not use any of the money they lose it. You cannot buy vouchers.
We then discuss why and how students spent the money the way they did.
In planning your workload you contribute to the smooth running of the organisation and reduce your own stress levels.
Work impacts our personal lives too. While there will be times you will need to work overtime, poor planning may mean that you have to work beyond your normal business hours more often than needed to complete tasks, cutting into your personal time.
It can be difficult planning the time a task will take in community services industries, however some tasks are easier to plan like updating client files, completing a stock check on supplies, responding to emails and regular housekeeping duties.
Ways to gauge (work out) the time it takes for each of these less urgent tasks includes:
keeping a log of how long the tasks take (the first time is always the longest)
asking co-workers for their advice
using tools like Clockify, Toggl, My Hours and Notion to track how much time you spend on each task or project. Try using one of these tools for a month to see how long you spend on each aspect of your job. Then work to cut the timewasters from your schedule.
What other ways can you think of to work out how long tasks will take?
At the end of the activity as a class discuss the importance of adjusting your daily and weekly 'To Do List' into more manageable smaller tasks that may also be required to prevent over scheduling.
Prioritising
Prioritising
Prioritising is the ordering of tasks from most important/urgent to least important/urgent daily, weekly and even monthly. In the community service industry, client care should be number one priority.
You need to be able to complete these tasks to meet your work organisation's timelines and requirements.
For example, if your work as an Intake worker at Anglicare Bendigo, responsible for taking all calls about child, youth and family services available in your local area, your organisation may have set the requirement that you answer 80 % of these calls during your shift from 8: 45 am to 1: 00 pm.
This requirement or standard is set to provide a high level of client care, by reducing the additional workload on your colleagues who are on shift after you and need to respond to unanswered calls and all other calls that come through on their shift.
Imagine that today you have also booked in a meeting during your shift with ICT to discuss new computer software available for your work desktop.
A quick review of your workload finds you will not meet this 80% performance standard of accepting all telephone calls, so you quickly re-prioritise, re-scheduling your ICT meeting for later in the week as client care takes priority.
Reviewing your work priorities to help determine if you are meeting your work requirements
Reviewing your work priorities to help determine if you are meeting your work requirements
Reviewing your work priorities part way through the day and week to monitor your progress, readjust timelines and priorities is an important part of time management. This will help you to determine whether you are meeting your work requirements.
Some tasks need to be prioritised such as client care and others such as filing or photocopying can generally be down further on your list of priorities.
When you have a range of competing demands on your time, you may find that you try to complete more than one task at a time. Depending on the tasks you are trying to juggle, this may result in all of the tasks being done to a lower quality than you would have achieved otherwise.
Some tasks like photocopying can be left to collect later while you focus on another more important task like in your job as an aged care worker, taking an elderly client for a walk in an aged care facility.
Working out how you can me more efficient is also important. For example, does your workplace have an administration worker who is able and willing to complete some of your photocopying for you?
How to Prioritise
How to Prioritise
You can prioritise work using different ways including:
hard copy diaries with daily, weekly and a monthly To Do List
electronic calendars - some organisations might ask you to use specific electronic calendars like Microsoft to help you organise your work day.
They may also have a policy of sharing your calendar with the team so that everyone if aware of your work schedule allowing time to be scheduled in-between for meetings and training.
These electronic calendars allow you to see your daily and weekly tasks as you would in a diary, alerting you to important tasks and deadlines and help you to plan for future tasks even when you are not at your desktop.
You should set an amount of time to complete each task in order of importance each day from high importance to low importance, estimating how long each task should take.
Throughout or at the end of each day you should review your progress, adjusting your To Do List or digital daily planner according to other tasks that have taken priority during any given day.
Wall calendar
Wall calendar's can be useful. For example, in your job as educator working as part of a team at the child care centre, a large Team Wall Calendar lists all educators daily tasks and responsibilities.
The wall calendar also includes any personal leave (holiday, carers, sick leave) so that all team members are aware of everyone's tasks and how they connect with each other, allowing for other unscheduled tasks to be slotted in as they arise and tasks to be shared as needed. This is regularly updated throughout the day.
Activity: Today during a team meeting, you have also been given the task of preparing a picture story book or pictures and words that includes all the children and educators undertaking games and activities that will be given to all children as a end of year gift in just over 12 weeks time. This is a longer term task and you are unsure how to include this on the Wall Calendar.
Your Day - to - Day Tasks set out on the wall calendar:
9: 00 am shift starts
9: 00 am - 10: 15 am - supervising outside play, playing games and assisting with toileting and changing
10:15 am - 10: 30 am - helping children get their snacks from their lockers and supervising snack time
10: 30 am - 10: 45 am - your morning tea break
10:45 am and 12:00 pm - supervising and leading creative play including pack up
12:00 pm - 12: 45 pm - helping children with lunch including feeding babies
12: 45 pm- 1: 15 pm - your lunch break
1:15 pm - 3: 30 pm - supervising outside/ inside play including music/ reading / singing / dancing, hosting visitors as well as supervising sleep time for babies and responding to any incidents, parent concerns etc.
3: 30 pm - 3:45 pm - your afternoon tea break
3: 45 pm - 5: 00 pm - helping children with snack including feeding babies, changing babies, logging children out on collection to go home, house keeping duties
5: 00 pm your shift ends
Think - Pair - Share: How do you prioritise the tasks you have been allocated
day - to- day to include the longer term goal of a picture story book to be completed in 12 weeks time?
In your Think - Pair - Share chat, it is important to understand that when making decisions about completing tasks you should consider how your decisions affects:
your clients
other colleagues in your workplace
other service providers you work with
your organisation's goals, plans and deadlines
Imagine that you thought having 12 plus weeks to complete the picture story book would give you plenty of time to take photos of the children in the yard and record the children telling you about their play activities.
You imagined it would be quick and easy to then use Microsoft Publishing to add graphic and words to the pictures to make a story book, print the pages and bind the books together to then give one each to the children and families as an end of year gift.
However, when your Manager asks you how the task is going a week after you were given the task, you admit you have not started and feel a little overwhelmed as the day - to - day tasks and other responsibilities like discussing parent / carer concerns in person and on the phone and taking on extra tasks due to a team member being away unwell having taken up all your extra time.
Who have you let down?
Seeking Support
Seeking Support
By asking for support, your Manager helps you to break up the task of preparing a 'picture story book' into smaller parts or chunks to include each day and week to complete the task in set time requirements.
You add your plans each day for working on the 'picture story book' on the Team Wall Calendar where all the team's plans are recorded for everyone else to see. In this way your colleagues know about your work plans and this also allows you to ask for support from your colleagues because you can see what their plans are too and they are only to willing to support you when they can.
In this way you have developed a strategy (a way) to record and prioritise your tasks and responsibilities through:
considering each task's importance,
the time each task will take,
deadlines for completion,
the resources you need,
whether tasks can be broken down into smaller parts.
seeking assistance when difficulties arise
You are setting SMART goals: specific, realistic, achievable, measurable, relevant and timebound goals that you monitor and adjust according to other things that may block progress on a daily basis (example, broken down photocopier/ printer). This might also include asking for additional support to meet your deadline.
Example: Break up the large task of creating a picture story book for each child to complete smaller parts each day / week
Task
Take pictures of children in activities / yardand ask children questions about their activities and play and record their answers
Time required: 30 mins each day x 3 weeks
Edit / sort pictures to use for picture story book and print pictures to use
Time required: 60 mins daily x 1 week
Use Microsoft Publisher to add text, graphics
Time required: 30 minutes daily x 2 weeks
Print and collate all pages for a book for each child
Time required: 30 minutes daily x 1 week
Bind picture story books using binding materials
Time required: 30 mins daily over 2 weeks
Total time: 9 weeks
Extra time available if needed: 2 weeks and 3 days
Notice that your timeline is flexible (well within the 12 weeks you were initially given) in giving yourself some extra time as priorities change
Research indicates we are either a morning person or a night person. *
In some community service organisations and in some situations you may be able to help manage your time through working out when you are at your most productive.
Are your more motivated and alert in the morning?
Are you more unmotivated, tired and distracted in the afternoon?
Knowing this will help you to schedule your day where possible according to the tasks that require detail and attention.
Find out which one you are by clicking on the link to the left.
Source * https://www.brainfacts.org/thinking-sensing-and-behaving/sleep/2019/are-people-really-morning-larks-or-night-owls-101419
A Day in the life of an Aged Care Home Care worker
A Day in the life of an Aged Care Home Care worker
Watch the video clip to then discuss the ways the worker manages their daily to do list and the support available to the worker in this role with Baptist Care Australia.
Think - Pair - Share: What can you do to help work out whether you are successfully completing the tasks allocated to you?
Reviewing your progress
Reviewing your progress
Reviewing your progress by looking at your To Do List is one way of working out whether you are successfully completing tasks allocated to you.
Another way you can determine if you are successfully completing tasks allocated to you is through feedback.
Feedback can be used to measure how well you have completed a task compared to the organisation's standards.
Feedback can come through:
colleagues
supervisors
clients
Feedback can be:
informal (e.g. during a coffee break)
formal through a performance review or scheduled supervision
personal reflective thought (asking yourself, What did I do well? How can I improve on this? What can I do differently to get a better result?)
Summative Assessment 1: Short Answer Questions: Open the SG to complete Task 2
Summative Assessment 2: Students will also complete Simulation 1 in the SG with guidance from the teacher
3.2 Complete Work Tasks in accordance with organisational requirements
3.2 Complete Work Tasks in accordance with organisational requirements
Being an effective employee means knowing what community services standards, polices and procedures that you are required to know and follow in your workplace.
These might include:
access and equity principles
anti-discrimination policies
ethical standards
Child Protection and Mandatory Reporting
client confidentiality and privacy
boundaries in the client / carer relationship
workplace health and safety
mobile phone usage
non-smoking
leave entitlements and payment
3.2.1 Follow Organisational standards, Policies and Procedures
3.2.1 Follow Organisational standards, Policies and Procedures
Policies are statements about 'what' your organisation expects. Procedures are 'how to' carry out your organisation's policies.*
Procedures provide a set of instructions on how to perform a certain task and can be directly linked to the policy. For example, a aged care organisation might have a procedure or step by step guide on how to accurately record dates and times of all medications given to residents.
This supports employees to follow the policy of providing consistent quality care and work efficiently and effectively.
Source * https://www.i-sight.com/resources/policies-and-procedures-in-the-workplace-the-ultimate-guide/
View the videoclip
View the videoclip
3.2.1.1 Access And Equity
3.2.1.1 Access And Equity
Access and Equity are principles of social justice and are established through Equal Opportunity Laws and Anti-Discrimination Laws. *
All workplaces must have access and equity policies which sets out what employees are required to actively practice and model every day in all aspects of their work.
So what is an Access and Equity policy?
As a class view the video clips on Equality and Equity.
Equality is giving everyone the same resources to participate and succeed based on the belief that everyone has the same needs.
Equity relates to fairness by recognising some people are more disadvantaged than others in being able to access services, resources and facilities.
Equity refers to giving people resources according to their individual need so that everyone has the opportunity to participate and succeed.
For example, A clinic distributes health information only in English. A family who speaks only Spanish or Mandarin cannot understand:
How to book an appointment
What vaccines are available
A supermarket advertises jobs but only accepts applications online. A qualified applicant without internet at home cannot easily apply.
Why this matters
The job is technically “open to everyone,” but not everyone has equal access to apply. An equitable approach might include:
Allowing paper applications
Providing in-store application kiosks
Offering help with the application process
Access is the capacity all people to use (access) services regardless of their religion, cultural background or country of birth. It is the right to enter buildings or a space and to use a facility or service.
Access and Equity principles are protected through Equal Employment Opportunity and Anti-Discrimination Law which means organisations who fail to uphold these principles can be legally liable.
As a community service worker you should make it your priority to be familiar with your organisations policies and procedures relating to access and equity principles to ensure you are always acting in fairness and not breaching Anti-Discrimination Laws.
Ask your Supervisor or Human Resources for access to this if this information is not readily made available.
Some examples of access issues:
some people with a disability do not have the same access to places and services because their needs in areas such as mobility and communication have not been met. For example, a person who is seeking support with housing enters a service only to find the Reception counter is too high for their wheelchair.
a newly arrived refuge family seeking support to access urgent housing and information about social connections and who on entering a service struggles to understand as the information is not available in their first language and no interpreter is available.
a person who seeks to enrol their child into a childcare centre but is refused a service because of their appearance, religious beliefs or sexuality.
a person in a wheelchair who has difficulty shopping at the local supermarket due to a turnstile at the entrance (mechanical gate) and displays and goods in the aisles
Source * https://humanrights.gov.au/about/news/speeches/access-and-equity-human-rights-practice
Summative Assessment 1: Short Answer Questions: Open the SG to complete Task 3
You will need to access the following link for this task: www.communitygrants.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/2022-06/424-access-equity-download-3.pdf
3.2.1.2 Anti - Discrimination Policy
3.2.1.2 Anti - Discrimination Policy
All workplaces must have clear documented policies (what is expected) and standards (criteria) for how all people within the organisation are expected to act toward other staff and clients. This workplace requirement is set out in Anti-Discrimination Law.
We all want to be treated fairly at work or school or in community life. We don't want to be judged by the way we look, our disability, sexuality, religious or political beliefs or our age.
Anti-Discrimination Laws:
Australia's first Anti-discrimination Act was first established in NSW and the ACT in 1977 to address discrimination in Australia.
In Victoria anti-discrimination policy is set out in the Victorian Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (first established in 1977).
All employees should make it their priority to be familiar with their workplace anti-discrimination policies to ensure they are meeting organisational requirements in regard to their work role in treating all clients fairly and to also ensure as an employee they are treated fairly in the workplace.
Other Anti-Discrimination Law that organisations are also required to follow through their policies and standards for how the organisation is expected to act include the:
Age Discrimination Act 2004 - age discrimination occurs when a person is treated less favourably than others in a similar situation because they are considered too old or too young. This includes employment, education, accessing other services or renting or buying a house / unit.
Examples include not employing certain people because they won't fit in due to their age; harassing or bullying a person because of their age, not giving a person a promotion because they are deemed to young or old and terminating a person's employment because of their age.
Sources * https://www.humanrights.vic.gov.au/for-individuals/discrimination/
https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/employers/age-discrimination#:~:text=The%20Age%20Discrimination%20Act%202004,on%20the%20basis%20of%20age.&text=The%20ADA%20also%20protects%20younger,buying%20a%20house%20or%20unit.
McDonalds is currently in the spotlight over allegations they have exploited (taken advantage) of young workers by not giving them their entitlement of a 10 minute break for shifts of 4 hours or more.
Under both the McDonald's Australian Enterprise Agreement 2013 and Fast Food Industry Award 2010, these paid 10 minute breaks are protected by law.*
As a class view the clip above and have a discussion:
Is this class action complaint unlawful age discrimination?
Why or why not?
Source *https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-11-01/workers-at-melbourne-mcdonalds-allegedly-denied-paid-rest-breaks/100582146
Note: Racial profiling or ethnic profiling is the act of suspecting, targeting or discriminating against a person on the basis of their ethnicity, religion or nationality, rather than on individual suspicion or available evidence.
For further reading on this issue click here.
Some other Anti-Discrimination Laws you should be familiar working in the community services industry include:
Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (makes it unlawful to discriminate against a person, in many areas of public life, including employment, education, getting or using services, renting or buying a house or unit, and accessing public places, because of their disability.)
Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (promotes equality before the law for all people regardless of race, colour or national or ethnic origin. It is unlawful to discrimination against people on the basis of race, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin.)
Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (protects people from unfair treatment on the basis of their sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or relationship status, pregnancy and breastfeeding. It also protects workers with family responsibilities and makes sexual harassment against the law.) *
Source * https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/employers/quick-guide-australian-discrimination-laws
What to do when discrimination is an issue in the workplace
What to do when discrimination is an issue in the workplace
When discrimination becomes an issue it may be able to be worked out inside your workplace such as speaking with your supervisor or senior management.
If this fails or is inappropriate, you can speak with Human Resources to look at organising an independent (3rd party) Mediator to help resolve an issue.
You may also contact your union if you are a member, such as the Australian Workers Union whose role is to represent its members when issues arise at work.
Some workplace discrimination issues cannot be resolved inside the workplace.
Employees have the option of raising their concerns with the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (who works to help resolve discrimination complaints with support where needed in court cases) here .
Employees can also raise their concerns with the Fair Work Ombudsman (who provides information about rights and obligations and acts to enforce these) here.
Sources * https://www.awu.net.au/vic/our-branch/about/
https://www.fwc.gov.au/disputes-at-work/how-the-commission-works/commission-offices/victoria
https://www.ombudsman.vic.gov.au/
https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/legal/legislation
Think - Pair - Share: Your teacher will ask you to go to either the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission or Fair Work Ombudsman website above to browse and discuss / record brief notes:
1.Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission here
Find what types of discrimination issues (look at the bold headings in the left hand column) an individual might seek information and support about in the workplace by going to the Individuals tab
What information might be available for organisations by clicking on the Organisations tab.
Click on Dispute Resolution tab and FAQs:
Does the commission undertake an investigation?
How do they help people resolve complaints?
2. Fair Work Ombudsman here
Click on 'Our role and purpose,' and read 'Our functions, to then name a few.'
Click on the 'Compliance and enforcement,' tab to then discuss / record two of its responsibilities and name three of enforcement options when there is a breach of the Fair Work Act 2009.
Discuss / Share your findings with the class.
Summative Assessment 1: Short Answer Questions: Open the SG to complete Task 4
3.2.1.3 Ethical Standards
3.2.1.3 Ethical Standards
Community Service organisations will have documented ethical standards which act to guide decision-making in maintaining the rights of and acting with fairness to clients. These include a Code of Ethics and a Code of Conduct.
Ethical standards are moral obligations or what is considered by society as 'the right thing to do', which all workers should follow. *
These ethical standards may be set out in an organisation's Codes of Ethics (which are the BROAD / WIDER values and expectations of employees in an organisation.)*
An organisation's Code of Conduct is a document that outlines the SPECIFIC behaviour workers are expected to follow.*
Most organisations will have a Code of Conduct which outlines both appropriate and inappropriate behaviours and will be tailored to the organisation your work in. This should be made available for new staff during their induction (introduction) to the workplace. *
For example, if you work for the Department of Health and Human Services in the areas of Child Protection, disability services or housing support services, the individual organisation's Code of Conduct might include:
defining appropriate relationships including boundaries between clients including children and staff or volunteers
state the organisation’s process for managing breaches of the code of conduct including potential consequences for non-compliance by staff or volunteers
Codes of Conduct are also in place for all services falling under 'Aged and Community Services Australia,' (ACSA) which is the leading national peak body supporting not for profit, church and charitable providers of retirement living, community, home and residential care for more than 450,000 older Australians.
Codes of Conduct exist also by the national authority, 'Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority,' (ACECQA) which looks after the education and care services in Australia,.
Sources * https://dhs.sa.gov.au/services/community-and-family-services/child-safe-environments/developing-a-code-of-conduct
http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/our-publications/eca-code-ethics/
https://keydifferences.com/difference-between-code-of-ethics-and-code-of-conduct.html
A Day in the Life of a Residential Care Worker (Trigger warning)
View as a class to then discuss how the Code of Conduct would apply to residential care workers.
About Residential Youth Work at Anglicare Victoria
We are the state’s largest provider of Out Of Home Care services and provide therapeutic care to young people across over 28 residential homes in Melbourne and Victoria. Within each house, a team of between 8 and 12 staff provide trauma informed therapeutic care to young people which includes responding to the young person’s emotional and functional needs, the development of their personal skills, all administrative requirements and household duties.
About YOU
Our residential youth workers are passionate, motivated, resilient supportive and act as role models for the young people while supporting colleagues to provide a safe and nurturing home environment. This requires excellent communication and relationship building skills, the ability to maintain professional boundaries and an understanding of how to work therapeutically with young people with complex needs.
3.2.1.4 Privacy and Confidentiality
3.2.1.4 Privacy and Confidentiality
Employees in community service organisations have an ethical and legal responsibility to uphold client confidentiality and privacy. These two terms are often thought to be the same but they are different.
Confidentiality is about who you share information with.
Privacy is about how you protect and handle information.
Imagine your GP discussed your personal medical information with the cleaner at the clinic. This would be a breach of both confidentiality and privacy because the cleaner does not need that information to perform their job.
Starting with this example helps us understand the difference between confidentiality and privacy.
Confidentiality:
Confidentiality:
Confidentiality is an ethical and professional responsibility. It means that workers must protect personal information shared by a client and must not disclose it to unauthorised people without the client’s permission.
Clients provide personal information to health and community service workers (such as counsellors, mental health workers, or doctors) for a specific purpose. That information must only be used for that purpose and only shared with people who have a legitimate need to know.
For example, when a GP refers a patient to a specialist, the GP includes relevant personal and medical information in the referral. The specialist may then send information back to the GP after the consultation.
This is not a breach of confidentiality because:
The information is shared for the purpose of providing care
Both professionals are directly involved in the person’s treatment
The patient would reasonably expect this information to be shared
A breach of confidentiality occurs when information is shared with someone who is not involved in the person’s care or does not require the information to perform their role.
Privacy
Privacy
Privacy is broader than confidentiality. It refers to how personal information is collected, stored, accessed, used, and disclosed.
In Australia, privacy is protected under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). This law protects individuals’ personal information, including details such as their name, address, contact details, and health information.
Privacy ensures that:
Personal information is only collected when necessary
It is stored securely
Only authorised people can access it
It is used and disclosed appropriately
Under the Privacy Act, individuals have the right to:
Access their personal information
Be informed about why their information is being collected and how it will be used
Request corrections to inaccurate information
Make a complaint if they believe their information has been mishandled
There are some times when this right to privacy does not exist including:
if a person is seen as a serious threat to themselves or others and providing this information will help (examples, ambulance, mental health professional)
when the information will reduce or prevent a serious threat to public health or safety, for example, if you have a serious contagious illness and the public needs to be warned.*
in law enforcement situations such as if a serious crime has been committed
when the person gives their permission freely*
https://sprintlaw.com.au/difference-between-privacy-and-confidentiality/
How to maintain confidentiality and Privacy
How to maintain confidentiality and Privacy
Organisations and their employees should maintain confidentiality and privacy through the following practices:
Secure storage of information
Store all information on secure systems
For example, encrypt files in programs like Word or Excel and use system protections to prevent unauthorised access.
Use of strong authentication
Use a passphrase - a sentence-like string of words used for authentication that is easy to remember but difficult to crack
Recent guidance from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST, May 2021) advises that password length is more important than complexity
Instead of short, complex passwords, use long passphrases with multiple words (over 15 characters)
Example: TechTuesday2028Strengthen!
Secure printing systems
Ensure printers are placed in secure areas to reduce the chance of client information being misplaced or stolen
Avoid having printers in busy reception areas where unauthorised people could access documents
Proper disposal of confidential information
Shred confidential files before disposal to prevent unauthorised access to sensitive information
Private meetings and interviews
Hold interviews or meetings in private settings
Ensure that new client forms and other sensitive documents are completed in a space that protects privacy
Access and share information on a need-to-know basis
Only access or discuss personal information with people who are authorised and need it to perform their role
Confidentiality agreements
Many community services organisations require employees to sign confidentiality contracts
Breaching these policies can lead to serious consequences, including dismissal
Videoclip 1 - view as a class
Videoclip 2 - view as a class
As a class look at Videoclip 1 about the Differences between Confidentiality and Privacy.
Then view Videoclip 2 on Maintaining Privacy and Confidentiality. Discuss main ideas.
Summative Assessment 1: Short Answer Questions: Open the SG to complete Task 5
3.2.1.5 Harassment
3.2.1.5 Harassment
Harassment is unwanted behaviour and includes verbal, written and physical behaviour. It includes telling insulting jokes about racial groups, displaying racially offensive material or asking intrusive questions about someone's personal life.
Harassment can be against the law when it is discriminatory in nature or when it includes conduct of a sexual nature or when it causes a risk to someone's health and safety.*
Sexual Harassment (Trigger warning)
Sexual Harassment (Trigger warning)
Sexual harassment is harassment that is sexual in nature and generally includes unwanted sexual advances, conduct or behavior. Sexual harassment in the workplace is a form of unlawful discrimination and is taken seriously by the courts.
Sexual harassment can be physical, verbal or written. It can include displaying pornographic posters or screen savers, sexual jokes or comments, inappropriate sexual touching and invading a person's personal space in a sexual way.*
Sexual harassment affects all workplaces across Australia.
Research shows people being harassed at work often just want the behaviour to stop and to get on with the job. However, especially in severe cases of sexual harassment and sexual assault, the situation doesn't go away and often gets worse over time.*
A national Australian survey by the Australian Rights Commission in 2018 above found:
72 % of Australians (both men and women) have been sexually harrassed at some point in their lives
one in five 15-17 year olds have experienced sexual harrassment at work.
People aged 18-29 (45 %) are more likely than those in other age groups to have experienced sexual harrassment at work
the survey found one in five people who made a formal complaint were labelled as a troublemaker (19 %), were victimised or isolated or ignored by colleagues (18 %) or resigned -quit their job. (17 %). *
However, the majority did not formally report their experience or seek support or advice, 'with many victims believing a formal complaint would be viewed as an overreaction or that it was easier to stay quiet.'*
Lodging a complaint internally and externally
Lodging a complaint internally and externally
Aside from internal workplace reporting procedures, those who have been sexually harassed at work can lodge an external complaint with the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (works to help resolve discrimination complaints with support where needed in court cases) here.
They can also contact the Fair Work Ombudsman (provides information about rights and obligations and acts to enforce these) here .
Promisingly the issue of what more can and should be done to address workplace sexual harassment is in the spotlight at the Federal level after a recent review (2021) by Sex Commissioner, Kate Jenkins, sparked by allegations of sexual abuse by a employee, found 1 in 3 people working in Federal Parliament had experienced some kind of sexual harassment there.*
Source * https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/doc/preventing-workplace-sexual-harassment-guide
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-03-01/preventing-sexual-harassment-workplace-reform/13187766
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-11-30/sexual-haassment-report-parliament-brittany-higgins/100660894
https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/sex-discrimination/publications/everyones-business-fourth-national-survey-sexual
3.2.1.6 Bullying (tRIGGER WARNING)
3.2.1.6 Bullying (tRIGGER WARNING)
Workplace bullying is considered a type of harassment and is often used interchangeably (meaning seen as the same thing).
Workplace bullying is repeated, unreasonable behaviour that creates a risk to health and safety. *
Look at the Beyond Blue research (2016) to the left. What research surprises you or raises more questions?
Examples of workplace bullying include repeated:
verbal abuse. For example, being sworn at, threatened, insulted, continual inappropriate and/or invalid criticism, name calling, practical jokes, unjustified threats of punishment, belittling and humiliation, gossip and malicious rumours, inappropriate language, yelling
hostile behaviour toward a staff member or group. For example, excluding them from workplace conversations or workplace meetings
cyberbullying - sharing humiliating things about a person by mass email or mass chat, spreading lies or gossip about a person on social media or sending instant messages of text messages directly to the person
threatening body language
unreasonable demands, unnecessary pressure and impossible deadlines which are targeted at an individual or group of individuals
In the community services industry you may be required to report bullying.
For example, working at Jenny's Early Learning Centre, you are required to:
'Report any observation or suspicion of inappropriate interactions with children or their families by employees to their line supervisor or the next level up of supervision if the person suspected to be engaging in inappropriate interactions is the line supervisor.' *
In the same way you need to report any observations of bullying behaviour by children toward children.
A study on the development of physical aggression in infancy by Dr Richard Tremblay, a researcher at the University of Montreal (Canada), published a few years ago, showed that physical aggression appears during the first year after birth. It's frequency increases rapidly during the second year, reaching a peak between 24 and 42 months, and then decreases steadily.*
https://www.health.vic.gov.au/worker-health-wellbeing/understanding-bullying-and-harassment
https://www.careforkids.com.au/child-care-articles/article/106/bullying-in-child-care
Types of bullying in early childhood
Types of bullying in early childhood
The most common type of bullying in early childhood organisations are physical and verbal and to a lesser extent social isolation.
Physical bullying includes hitting, punching, pushing, kicking and so on. While many of these behaviours occur on a daily basis in child care environments, when they are directed towards the same children over an extended period of time they can have serious effects.
Verbal bullying includes calling children names, making cruel comments about personal appearance, clothing etc.
Social isolation occurs when particular children are excluded (not included) from activities and games by other children in a group.
Child care centres are now encouraged to develop an Anti-Bullying Policy as a proactive way of dealing with the issue of bullying head on. The purpose of an anti-bullying policy is to make it clear where the child care service stands on the issue of bullying and what action the service will take in the event of bullying.
You should be familiar with your organisations policies and guidelines about what will be done to deal with incidents of bullying such as counselling, interviews with parents and support to the victim.*
Workplace bullying may be a breach of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic) when it can be seen as:
creating a risk to a person's health and safety and the employer has failed to take reasonable steps to prevent and address it
an employee has acted in a way that fails to take reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and others at work
Workplace bullying may also be considered a criminal offence under section 21 A of the Crimes Act (1958) Vic also known as 'Brodie's Law' which applies to all forms of serious bullying including physical, psychological, verbal and cyberbullying.*
Sources * https://www.health.vic.gov.au/worker-health-wellbeing/understanding-bullying-and-harassment
https://www.i-sight.com/resources/11-types-of-workplace-harassment-and-how-to-stop-them/
Summative Assessment 1: Short Answer Questions: Open the SG to complete Task 6
3.2.1.7 Child Protection and Mandatory Reporting (Trigger warning)
3.2.1.7 Child Protection and Mandatory Reporting (Trigger warning)
Mandatory Reporting refers to the legal responsibility of certain groups of people to report a reasonable belief of child sexual and physical abuse to child protection authorities under the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005. *
This means in certain workplaces, in the course of carrying out your work role you must make a report as soon as possible after forming a belief on reasonable grounds, a child is in need of protection if they have experienced or are at risk of significant harm from physical or sexual abuse and the child’s parents have not protected or are unlikely to protect the child from this harm.*
Mandatory Reporters can like anyone also report other types of significant harm however they are not mandated (legally required) to do so, rather it is a ethical responsibility (or the right thing to do).
Other types of significant harm include:
emotional and intellectual development
neglect
exposure to family violence
Abandonment
Parental incapacity
Domestic and family violence
Definition of a child
In Victoria, a child is defined as a person who is under the age of 17 years, unless they are subject to a Child Protection Order granted by the Children’s Court of the Victoria Family Division that continues to be in force until they turn 18 years of age.
The Department of Families, Fairness and Housing is responsible for Child Protection in Vic.
What is Reasonable Belief?
A reasonable belief is formed if a reasonable person, doing the same work, would form the same belief on those grounds, based on the same information.
Mandated Reporters working in community services in Victoria are:
early childhood workers
school counsellors (including staff providing direct support to students including youth workers, school health and wellbeing staff, Student Support Services staff)
police officers
out of home care workers (except voluntary foster and kinship carers)
youth justice workers
registered psychologists
You should make it your priority to ensure you follow your organisation's policies and procedures in making a report of suspected child abuse to the relevant Child Protection Intake Service in Victoria.
Who to make a report to?
Who to make a report to?
The Victorian Child Protection Intake contacts can be found here.
To report concerns about the immediate safety of a child outside of normal business hours (between 8:45 am and 5: 00 pm), you would contact the After-Hours Child Protection Emergency Service on
13 12 78.
For life threatening concerns about a child or young person you would the Police on 000.*
Source * https://providers.dffh.vic.gov.au/mandatory-reporting
Criminal offences
Criminal offences
Failure to disclose
All adults must report to Victoria Police when they form a reasonable belief that a sexual offence has been committed by an adult against a child under the age of 16.
Failure to disclose the information may be a criminal offence unless there is a ‘reasonable excuse’ or an individual has an 'exemption' from doing so.
If an adult that reasonably believes that a sexual offence has been committed against a child under the age of 16 by another adult, then they must call Victoria Police on 000 or the local police station.
For more information, refer to the Department of Justice and Community Safety website: Failure to disclose offence
A day in the life of a Victorian Child Protection Worker (Trigger Warning)
A day in the life of a Victorian Child Protection Worker (Trigger Warning)
As a class view the video clip to learn more about the day in the life of a Child Protection Worker taking calls including Mandatory reporting calls.
View the video clip for more information about The Orange Door
The Orange Door (Trigger warning)
The Orange Door (Trigger warning)
In your work role in health and community services, you should also be familiar with other services in your local area to offer support to your clients if you are working with children, young people and families.
For example, if you are working in child care, Family Day Care or even After School Care and you are worried about a child's well-being you can refer to The Orange Door in the City of Greater Bendigo and across Victoria.
Why is it called the Orange Door?
"If you look up the meaning of the colour orange you will find words such as joy, determination, change, and freedom" - Rosie Batty
The Orange Door is now open in Bendigo with Anglicare working with other specialist services to be the new first access point for families experiencing family violence and other well-being concerns.
Here people will receive the services they need to be safe and supported including support with accommodation and counselling.
The Orange Door is also the access point for those who need assistance with the care and well-being of children.
The Orange Door is a free service.
A referral to The Orange Door would be appropriate where families:
are experiencing significant parenting problems that may be affecting the child development
are experiencing family conflict, including family breakdown
are under pressure due to a family member's physical or mental illness, substance abuse, disability or bereavement (passing of a loved one)
are young, isolated or unsupported
are experiencing significant social or economic disadvantage that may adversely impact on a child's care or development.
If unsure, you should speak with a colleague or your supervisor or team leader at your organisation if you believe a referral to The Orange Door is appropriate for a family and follow your organisation's policies.
You should also try and engage (involve) the family in the referral process where appropriate and should seek advice from your supervisor / team leader when unsure.
The phone number for Orange Door is: 1800 512 359
As a class view the Orange Door YouTube clip above
Sources * https://orangedoor.vic.gov.au/
https://www.anglicarevic.org.au/news/everyone-has-the-right-to-a-safe-and-secure-home/
Summative Assessment 1: Short Answer Questions: Open the SG to complete Task 7
3.2.1.8 The Client and Carer Relationship
3.2.1.8 The Client and Carer Relationship
You should ensure you follow your organisation's Code of Conduct for maintaining professional boundaries, which are those rules and limits that prevent the lines between carer and client from becoming blurred.*
For example, not performing additional favours for clients, outside your role and not discussing your personal problems with your client (such as family or financial concerns).
As a class view 'Maintaining professional relationships in community services (1.33 min) and the video following this, 'Boundaries for paid caregivers.' (11 mins) to see how you could manage boundaries in each of the situations.
Examples of boundaries becoming blurred include:
accepting gifts
giving out your personal information (phone numbers, addresses);
agreeing to socialise outside of the organisation
breaching confidentiality
inappropriate verbal/physical aggression
inappropriate touching/sexual contact or commencing a relationship with a client
keeping information to yourself (not documenting)
shopping for the person in your own time or with your own money
agreeing to use your vehicle to transport a client outside of work hours or allow a client to stay at your house because they are homeless (example, child, young person)
There may be occasions when boundaries may be blurred, that can be due to stress, bad luck or even client putting pressure on you. For example, agreeing to shop for a client outside of work hours.
In these situations it is your responsibility to ensure these blurred boundaries do not become a pattern.
Taking time to reflect on your work practices, seeking extra training or support with managing your workload may help you maintain (keep) your professional boundaries.
Some blurred boundaries like sexual relationships can result in not only disciplinary (consequences like being fired) actions from your organisation but legal action through the courts.
Source * https://www.ausmed.com.au/cpd/articles/professional-boundaries
Review: In your role as an Aged Care Support Worker, you have spoken about your struggle and stress in trying to save enough money for a deposit to purchase a house. A client has offered to lend you $20 000 to help with your deposit on your first house.
What blurred boundaries potentially have resulted and what should you now do?
Summative Assessment 1: Short Answer Questions: Open the SG to complete Task 8
3.2.1.9 Work Health and Safety Policies and Procedures
3.2.1.9 Work Health and Safety Policies and Procedures
As you are aware from earlier learning, community services workers have a responsibility to be aware of and follow their organisation's work health and safety (WHS) and emergency procedures to maintain their own safety and that of the people in their care, co-workers and visitors to the workplace.
What is a Workplace?
What is a Workplace?
A 'workplace' is any place where you as an employee may find yourself when carrying out your work. In the community services sector some workers 'take the workplace with them' to perform their duties. For example, client's homes and even a vehicle if it is a main duty in a job. Therefore employers' duties include these places where a worker carries out their job.
Employers
Employers
Under the OHS Act 2004 all employers have a duty of care (or responsibility) to ensure the health, safety and welfare of all employees by providing as far as reasonably practicable (meaning what was reasonably able to be done to ensure health and safety) the following:
a working environment that is free from health and safety risk
measures to ensure the safe storage of hazardous substances
information, instruction. training and supervision for all employees
processes for regular review of risk control measures
personal protective equipment (PPE), including clothing and footwear where necessary
emergency procedures and first aid
report notifiable incidents to Work Safe Victoria which makes Occupational Health and Safety laws to create safe work places in Victoria.
Employers need to also ensure that all people including volunteers, clients, suppliers and visitors are provided with information and instruction regarding site safety and safe use of any equipment, emergency procedures and any other health and safety issues to which they could be exposed.*
Work procedures that place employees at risk of harm can also place clients at risk. For example, employees using unsafe lifting practices in child care, disability and aged care settings may injure themselves and place a child or aged client at risk of harm.
Employees
Employees
Employees are people working in a workplace under a verbal or written contract of employment.
Under the OHS At 2004 employees have a responsibility to:
take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that of others in the workplace
cooperate with their employer's efforts to follow health and safety requirements (for example, by following procedures for using equipment properly and participating in hazard identification and reporting)
not interfere with anything at the workplace which has been provided in the interest of health, safety and welfare.* For example, interfere with fire extinguishers, safety exits or alarms.
*Source: https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/resources/working-safely-community-services
Summative Assessment 1: Short Answer Questions: Open the SG to complete Task 9
3.3 Use effective Questioning to Seek Assistance From Colleagues when difficulties arise in achieving tasks
3.3 Use effective Questioning to Seek Assistance From Colleagues when difficulties arise in achieving tasks
At times you many need to seek assistance from supervisor or colleagues when difficulties arise in completing your set tasks.
Knowing what type of questions to use with colleagues, supervisors or managers in different work situations is important to obtain the right information to support your ability to complete work tasks effectively and efficiently.
Asking the right questions to communicate effectively also ensures other workers are able to plan and complete their workload without unnecessary disruption.
We will look at the following questioning techniques:
Open-ended Questions
Closed Questions
Probing Questions
Open-ended Questions
Open-ended Questions
Open questions are useful when you want to gain more information about something like how to complete a work task or find out a co-worker's opinion on an issue.
They begin with WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHY, WHEN OR HOW.
For example, 'What is the procedure for organising a day trip for the residents?' or 'What should I bring along to our supervision session each week?
Closed questions
Closed questions
Begin with, 'Did, Can, Will or Have' and invite a 'YES' or 'NO' response and are useful when you want to get facts, testing your understanding or the other person's and to end a conversation.
For example, 'So if I undertake this professional development training, I will be eligible to apply for a promotion?' or 'Ok, I will do a stock check on our art supplies for the children and let you know what needs ordering by the end of the day. Is there anything else you would like me to do before the end of the day as well? *
Probing Questions
Probing Questions
Probing questions are another way of finding out more detail about something that has been said and to ensure you thoroughly understand it. *
Sometimes it's as simple as asking for an example to help you understand something that has been said.
For instance, ' Just so I know I have understood, can you show me an example of a letter we would write to a client?'*
At other times you need more information to clarify what has been said. For example, 'When do you need this report by?' or 'Do you need to see a draft before I give you my final report on this project plan?'*
You can also use the word 'exactly' to probe further. For example, 'Who exactly is going to read this report?' or 'What exactly do you mean by....?'
https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMC_88.htm
Leading Questions
Leading Questions
Leading questions attempts to lead a person in a particular way of thinking, in the way you as the speaker might be thinking and usually invites a 'yes' or 'no' answer. It can be useful to encourage a client, such as, 'Would you like me to go ahead and make an appointment for you to see the Family Counsellor tomorrow at 4:00 pm?'
Source * https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMC_88.htm
Open-Ended Questioning Activity: Split into pairs or small groups. One person starts with asking an open ended question (Who, what, when, where, why, how). The person receiving the question must respond to the question and ask another question and so on. See how many open-ended questions you can ask and answer in 2 minutes.
Summative Assessment 1: Short Answer Questions: Open the SG to complete Task 10
3.4 Identify factors affecting Work Requirements And Take Appropriate Action
3.4 Identify factors affecting Work Requirements And Take Appropriate Action
At any given time there will be factors (things) that arise that impact your ability to complete your work. Some of these can be identified early and actions taken to develop back-up plans. For example, plan for an outside event to be brought inside if poor weather occurs.
Other factors cannot always be predicted (known), however it is important that you take appropriate action to manage your time effectively.
Some of these factors include:
Technology or equipment breakdown
Resource issues (budget constraints, lack of access to equipment, books, other materials and staff absence)
Environmental factors (lack of time, weather, workspace)
Changes to procedures or new procedures introduced
Think - Pair - Share
Think about when you are completing your school work or casual / part-time work.. Discuss which of the following factors has impacted your ability to complete your school work. How did you find a solution?
Technology or equipment breakdown
Resource issues (lack of access to equipment, books, other materials and staff)
Environmental factors (lack of time, weather, workspace)
Changes to procedures or new procedures introduced
Technology or Equipment breakdown:
Technology or Equipment breakdown:
If technology breaks down (for example, fax machine or photocopier) or their is an Internet outage preventing you from completing an urgent report or responding to emails, the ability to complete your work can be impacted resulting in work requirements being incomplete or delayed.
You should be flexible in scheduling your tasks that enables you to move on to another task when there is a technology issue or equipment breakdown.
You should also schedule your time where possible so that important administration tasks like writing important letters and reports or a large photocopying run are not left to the last minute so that any outages and machinery breakdowns are not going to severely impact your deadlines, clients or colleagues.
Resource issues:
Resource issues:
Financial resources:
Every workplace whether government or privately operated will have set budgets that have to be worked within. This will place restrictions on the type of equipment and materials you can purchase and quantities as well as activities you can organise as well as the hiring of more workers.
For example, you may have organised for a local musical band to attend the Aged Care Facility as a one off activity for the residents only to be told a month prior there is no room in the budget for this additional cost because of funding cuts. You will therefore need to consider other options such as local performers who do not charge fees or minimal fees within the budget. You can also be creative by holding a concert that involves the residents who may have certain talents and interests as well as staff and families of clients.
Human Resources issues:
There may be colleagues away on sick leave or other leave resulting in you unable to complete your planned activities through not having the extra support needed.
For example, in childcare there has to be a certain ratio (number) of staff to children when going on an excursion.
You and another educator are set to go on an excursion with the children aged 3 years and above. However, you have to cancel the excursion because the educator (staff member) is away on sick leave. There are no other educators to fill in because of the need to ensure there is enough staff supervising back at the childcare centre for all other younger children.
Staff shortages can also mean delays in finding and in the delivery of supplies including equipment and materials impacting the ability to carry out set work tasks in community service organisations.
Staff absences will also sometimes mean extra tasks being given to other staff or even being asked to complete overtime, impacting the ability to complete their own set work.
While it might seem logical for an organisation to hire more staff budget limitations and labour shortages (availability of workers) will often prevent this.
Having back-up plans in place is important to ensure efficiency and quality client care in these situations.
Environmental Factors
Environmental Factors
Time:
Time is one environmental factor that impacts the ability to complete work tasks and goals.
This is where effective time management through setting priorities and a daily work schedule can help you to clearly establish the order in which you should complete tasks to meet your goals and the goals of the organisation.
It won't be easy planning your work tasks in community service organisations because you are working in client care where there are many client requests and needs to respond to that can be unpredictable.
For example, you may be a Home Care Worker supporting elderly and those with additional needs to remain living in their home.
Your work daily schedule has involved providing support across the morning to two clients, lunch and then again a further two clients and administration tasks back at the office before leaving work at 5: 30 pm.
However unexpectedly one of your clients asked you take them to purchase another pair of reading glasses as they have accidentally broken both pairs. This home visit takes you 2 hours rather than the one hour planned. You re-prioritise your afternoon and decide the administrative tasks (catch up on emails and non-urgent phone calls) can wait until tomorrow to ensure you can still visit your clients across the afternoon as client care always comes first.
Sometimes too, making changes to your own behaviour is needed to better manage your time.
Recent research (2019) suggest Australians check their phones on average 85 times a day and spend 46 hours a week looking at screens.* As an employee you need to consider, how much of this screen time is work related?
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-01-18/childcare-centres-want-free-rapid-antigen-tests-during-covid-19/100761718
Weather:
Poor weather can impact your achievement of work goals and plans. You are required to ensure the health and safety of your clients and therefore will need to tailor activities for clients (example, children, elderly) with a back-up plan in place. This will be especially important when planning activities in advance (ahead).
For example child care centres and schools follow the Cancer Council Victoria recommendations whose aim is to reduce the impact of cancer.
While exposure to sunlight has some health benefits, too much sun exposure in the first 15 years of life greatly contributes to the lifetime risk of skin cancer. Too much exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation can cause sunburn, skin damage and skin cancer. *
Children’s services can help prevent skin cancer because children attend children services at times when UV radiation levels are high and because they can play an important role in changing children's behaviours through role modelling. UV radiation cannot be seen or felt, and can be damaging to skin on cool, cloudy days as well as hot, sunny ones. *
This means childcare centres have policies in place to provide and maintain adequate shade for outdoor play and sun protection practices such as a 'no hat, no play,' policy and sunscreen when UV is at its highest between October - March and between 11:00 am and 3: 00 pm (daylight savings time).*
Source * https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2021-08/SunProtectionGuidelines.pdf
Imagine you came to work on the Monday after a weekend of strong winds to find severe damage to the shade structures covering the sandpit/water play area and climbing equipment at your childcare centre.
You and the other educators and staff after checking it is safe to do so, remove fallen shade structures to ensure the safety of the children before they arrived.
However, the play area could not be used that day as the UV index rating was high and you could not provide children with the shade required to keep them safe from the UV rays.
What would your back-up plan be? Why is it important to have a back-up plan?
Competing work demands:
Competing work demands:
Working in community services will involve competing work demands, where there are a number of tasks that require completing and you need to work out what to prioritise (complete in order of importance). In community services industries client care will be number one priority.
If you feel you have too may competing work requirements then you should raise your concerns with your supervisor or team leader. It is better that you let your supervisor know in advance that you will not be able to meet a deadline so that possible solutions can be found that meets your needs and for best client outcomes.
Sometimes this might mean you are offered more training in certain areas of your work tasks and responsibilities to help you manage your time.
For example, you may find using the organisation's computer technology difficult, slowing down your ability to type up client notes and complete work documentation such as letters and reports. Asking for support will mean you are more likely to be able to find a solution to help you plan and manage your time to complete your work tasks. In this instance it might be further training to better use the computer technology
Changes to procedures or new procedures
Changes to procedures or new procedures
Changes to procedures in a workplace can impact an employees ability to complete their work tasks. Changes in management, the introduction of new technology, changes to public health orders and changes to the law will all impact your ability to complete work tasks.
Employees will be more willing to accept change if they have been prepared through adequate notice, education and training as required.
Employees should also request training and education in new procedures such as the introduction of new technology particularly if these new changes have occurred when they have been on leave. Seeking support from a colleague or supervisor in the first instance will be important.
For example mandated (required by law) COVID 19 vaccination requirements under Victorian Emergency Pandemic Public Health Orders meant many employees including health care workers, aged care workers, disability workers, child care and after school care workers including volunteers, reception workers and cleaners, were required to be fully vaccinated to continue employment in their workplace. Evidence of vaccination and valid medical exemptions by the set due dates were required.*
Government media awareness campaigns to educate people about the benefits of vaccination was important in the lead up to this compulsory change in work requirements for most workers to accept these new changes to continue working in these industries.
Sources * https://www2.seas.gwu.edu/~shmuel/WORK/Differences/Chapter%203%20-%20Sources.pdf
https://asthma.org.au/about-asthma/triggers/why-does-my-asthma-get-worse-in-cold-air/
https://www.playaustralia.org.au/sites/default/files/LibraryDownloads/outdoorplayguide.pdf
https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/covidsafe-settings-guidance-early-childhood-education-and-care
https://www.legalaid.vic.gov.au/find-legal-answers/covid-19-coronavirus/mandatory-vaccines-and-work
Class review:
Imagine that you work for a privately run family counselling service who have seen an increase in clients over the last 12 months. In response, the service has introduced a new client information and case management system to replace the existing paper based system.
This new electronic system means files can be used remotely (away from the organisation) when needed and means more than one person can read the client files as needed. The electronic system also avoids the problem of misfiling or misplacing important files.
This means improved efficiency for you to complete your work tasks and the organisation in managing an increased work flow.
What steps should the employer take to encourage employees to accept this change for increased efficiency in work tasks?
Summative Assessment 1: Short Answer Questions: Open the SG to complete Task 11
3.5 Use Business technology Efficiently and Effectively To Complete Work Tasks
3.5 Use Business technology Efficiently and Effectively To Complete Work Tasks
The following technology will help you to complete your work tasks however they will need to be readily available and regularly maintained (serviced) for your effective use.
Remember, there will be factors impacting your ability to complete your work requirements including the availability of business technology.
To complete your work tasks efficiently using the appropriate digital technology, you must learn how to use the technology according to your organisation's requirements. For example, you should know your login procedures and how to name, open and securely close files.
Your organisation should provide you with training on how to use all technology and you should also have access to equipment user manuals specific to the technology you want to use.
Some of the business technology used across community service organisations include:
computers and computer software
mobile technology- laptops, tablets and Netbook computers
fax machines, photocopiers, printers, shredders and scanners
Computers and Computer Software
Computers and Computer Software
Computers are electronic devices for storing and processing information. Computers are either desktops or laptops which a portable devices that you can use outside of the office. laptops are useful when your workplace involves a lot of travel, for example, home visits to see clients.
Computers use different types of programs known as computer application software that allow the user to perform specific tasks. Sending and retrieving emails is one usage.
The type of software you used in community services will depend on the type of documents you need to create in your organisation.
For example, you might work as a Supervised Access Worker which involves supervising children when in the care of their parent/s due to protective concerns. Part of your role involves typing up reports about these access visits.
Your organisation might ask you to use Word Processing software to create these access reports.
Word Processing Application Software
Word Processing Application Software
Word Processing software allows you to create, edit, format, print and save text documents such as letters, memos and reports.
The most common used work processing software is Microsoft Word. *
Source * https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/word
Desktop Publishing Software
Desktop Publishing Software
Desktop Publishing software is designed for creating visual communications like brochures, flyers, newsletters, posters and more. It allows you to manipulate page size, text, graphics and borders.
Examples include Microsoft Publisher and Adobe Indesign. *
Source * https://www.g2.com/categories/desktop-publishing
Presentation Application Software
Presentation Application Software
Presentation Application Software is designed to allow users to present information, ideas and thoughts with text, pictures, sound and video. Microsoft's PowerPoint using slides to present information is the main example of Presentation Application Software. Google Slides and Apple Keynote are other examples.
Source * https://www.techopedia.com/definition/16572/presentation-software
Spreadsheet Application Software
Spreadsheet Application Software
Spreadsheet Application Software helps in organising, storing and analysing data in columns and rows to perform mathematical sums.
A spreadsheet presents a lot of information in an easy-to-read format. It can help with creating budgets, producing graphs and charts and for storing and sorting data. Well known spreadsheet software include Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets and Apple Numbers. *
Source * https://www.jotform.com/blog/best-spreadsheet-software/
Time Management Application Software
Time Management Application Software
Time management applications allow you to manage your time by planning ahead.
Digital planners like Microsoft Calendar remind you when your next staff meeting is happening. It can also be used as a Planner to manage project tasks.
Time tracking apps like Clockify, Toggl track, and My Hours track how much time you spend on each task or project. Try using one of these tools for a month to see how long you spend on each aspect of your job.
Todoist developed in 2007 is used by more than 25 million people and consistently ranks among the top time management apps on the market. It is available on most devices, from iOS to Android, macOS, Windows, and more, meaning you can seamlessly transition between your phone and computer and have confidence everything is up to date.
Sources * https://www.verywellmind.com/best-time-management-apps-5116817
Mobile Technology
Mobile Technology
Mobile technology is technology that goes where the user goes and includes devices like:
laptops - portable computer
mobile phones like Smartphones
tablets - often operating on the same systems as smartphones but with more powerful components, tablets offer even more portability than laptops with much of the same functionality however are smaller.
watches- a wearable computer in the form of a watch with functionality like a Smartphone allowing the user to answer calls (some offer voice dictation), provides notifications and some models the ability to make calls.
two-way pagers - are capable of receiving numbers dialed from a phone as well as emailed word messages plus you can email back directly from the page
notebook computers
GPS-navigation devices
The communications networks that connect these devices are loosely termed wireless technologies. They enable mobile devices to share voice, data and applications (mobile apps).*
Source *https://www.lifewire.com/what-is-a-mobile-device-2373355
Client Information Management Software
Client Information Management Software
Client Information Management Software manages the day-to-day operations and will be tailored to your organisation. For example, OWNA, an All-In-One Child Care Management Software for early education services in Australia is designed to manage enrolments, monitor attendance, keep a record of child immunisations and manage session scheduling.
Source * https://www.softwaretestinghelp.com/client-management-software/
Web Browsers
Web Browsers
Web browsers or simply browsers are application software used to access and view websites through accessing the internet/ the World Wide Web.
It retrieves (gets) the necessary content from a web server and then shows the page on the user's device upon user requests.
The most popular web browsers are Google Chrome, Internet Explorer (now Microsoft Edge), Firefox, MS Edge and Safari.
However while this technology can be a time saver it can also be a time waster. If you check your email 80 times a day, Facebook or Twitter and browse the web for personal purchases you may find yourself wasting time.
Sources * https://www.bridge-global.com/blog/types-of-application-software/
https://www.zimegats.com/the-7-most-common-types-of-business-technology/
Fax machines, photocopiers, printers, shredders and scanners
Fax machines, photocopiers, printers, shredders and scanners
Fax machines - A fax machine is a device that is used to send documents electronically over a telephone network. The transmissions it sends are called 'faxes,' and these can be between two fax machines, or between a fax machine and computer or online fax service that is equipped to send and receive faxes.
When you send a fax, you receive a 'confirmation page.' This is a printout that the fax machine on the receiving end has said: 'message received.'
It includes details such as the date and time of the communication and the fax numbers of both fax machines.
A confirmation page is important because this makes it more difficult for someone to claim that they 'never received the message.'
Sending by email means the message is sent but there is no confirmation of its receipt. Did the message go in someone’s inbox? Was it the right person’s inbox? Did it go in a spam filter?
Sources * https://faxauthority.com/why-is-faxing-still-used/
Photocopiers - As technology has advanced, it's become possible to do more than just make multiple (more than one) copies which is the original purpose of a photocopier, but this depends on the photocopier make and model.
Photocopiers collect documents a certain way in order to make them easier to hand out as packets and provide the option to have documents stapled or three-hole punched.
Photocopiers print double-sided without requiring you to remove and flip the paper, as you must do with some printers.
You can enlarge (make bigger) or shrink (make them smaller) documents or images, printing an A3 document on A4 paper, for example, or shrinking a photograph to match a frame.
Photocopiers now perform the functions of printers, scanners and fax machines.
Some digital copiers also have the ability to allow you to scan a document directly into an email attachment, to print from a USB or SD card and to print complex items, such as booklets. Some are connected to the internet and can be used to print documents from mobile phones.*
Source * https://bizfluent.com/info-8556223-advantages-photocopiers.html
Printers -
A printer is an external hardware output device that takes the electronic data stored on a computer or other device and makes a hard copy (paper copy). For example, if you created a report on your computer, you could print several copies to hand out at a staff meeting.
Printers vary in size, speed and capability. Depending on the quality, printers use black and white and high-resolution colour printing.*
Source *https://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/printer
Paper shredders - are very useful in the workplace to destroy sensitive or confidential workplace information. The Privacy Act 1988 places restrictions on the sharing and use of information in the workplace.*
Paper shredders slice documents into long thin vertical strips and make them unreadable.
Source *https://www.martinyale-machines.com/benefits-of-paper-shredders
Scanners - convert hard copy (paper) information into digital (electronic) information, which you can send electronically via email. In most offices, scanners are incorporated into a photocopier.*
Source *https://www.techwalla.com/articles/what-are-the-uses-of-scanners
Summative Assessment 1: Short Answer Questions: Open the SG to complete Task 12
3.6 Communicate Progress on Task to Supervisor or Colleagues as Required
3.6 Communicate Progress on Task to Supervisor or Colleagues as Required
It is important that you communicate your work progress to a supervisor, colleague or other appropriate person in the workplace according to your workplace's requirements.
In community services you will often be working as part of a team. This means clear and regular communication about your progress including any problems you have experienced in carrying out your duties as well as giving sufficient notice if a deadline is at risk of not being met.
For example, how will you or other team members know the progress of an end of year event held for young people living in residential care if you or they don't provide progress reports on their tasks and responsibilities?
What if it was your responsibility to book a large venue (place) to hold this end of year event event t and you experienced problems in finding the right venue within budget, booking performers and activities and not informing your team until they asked you two weeks before the event.
This resulted in having to change the scheduled event in order to hold a smaller one without performers or many activities at the for the young people because of the difficulties in booking a venue so close to Christmas.
This resulted in unnecessary conflict with your colleagues and management and disappointment for the young people.
(Trigger warning)
At times your colleagues may not be able to start or complete their tasks until you have completed yours.
For example, working in Intake with Child Protection you may have just taken a phone call from a primary school at 2: 00 pm with a report of risk to a young child that you believe requires a visit that day. You are also juggling other calls coming in as well and finding it difficult to record all the necessary information for your colleagues in the Child Protection Response Team who are waiting on you to type up the critical information and hand over the typed and printed report so they can work out its urgency and plan a response.
If you leave this too long you may delay (hold back) the Response Team's ability to respond before the end of the school day and therefore this could be placing a child at further risk of harm. Why?
Reporting Progress (Trigger warning)
Reporting your progress according to your workplace's requirements is important to ensure your clients are receiving the best care and other plans can be put in place to support you to complete tasks as needed to avoid delays, mistakes being made and client care being put at risk.
In your role as Child Protection Worker for example, as a response Worker you may have been sent out to interview a child at school and then the family where there are concerns a family member is using a stick to discipline children.
You would report back to your supervisor during the visit as part of your work requirement to discuss your risk assessment and help decision-making in the best interests of the children and family.
You may request further support from your supervisor with this particular case such as your supervisor organising a multicultural support worker to attend the visit to support you in educating the parents about 'acceptable discipline' in Australia or organising an After Hours Bail Justice Hearing as you have assessed the parents / carers cannot protect the children from further harm.
3.7 Seek Feedback on Work Performance from supervisors or colleagues
3.7 Seek Feedback on Work Performance from supervisors or colleagues
Think - Pair - Share:
How do you work out whether you are successfully completing your school tasks given to you or tasks given in your casual / part-time work?
Just as you would seek feedback from your teacher's as to how well you have completed a school task, you would seek feedback from work colleagues, supervisors or team leaders and managers as to how well you have completed a work task.
Feedback is a measure of how well you have performed and completed a task compared to the organisation's standards.
You should ask for feedback because it also shows others that you are committed to improving your skills and contributing to your team.
When receiving feedback or giving feedback, it should be constructive, meaning it should be supportive including what you have been doing well, areas for improvement and specific solutions or suggestions on how to improve.
For example, your supervisor may say, 'Your emails have become clearer recently Petra. I know you have been working on improving your email communication and your efforts are paying off.'
Feedback should not be destructive where no supportive feedback is given, rather simply pointing out faults, such as, 'You're wrong,' and 'You have no idea what you are doing.'
Constructive feedback can be useful to help you know whether you are on the right track and how you can improve.
Some workplace performance standards you will be measured on include:
percentage of telephone calls answered within a certain time
percentage of referral reports completed within a specified time
percentage of complaints responded to within a specified time (example, 48 hours)
percentage of clients visited within a specified time
average time versus the time taken to complete administrative tasks (letters, emails, reports)
average time versus the time taken to clean up the childcare centre at the end of the day
percentage of follow up phone calls made to clients in a specified time
The performance standards to be met in your workplace will become higher with experience.
Feedback can be:
informal - a quick chat during a walk back from the staff room with a colleague or supervisor or during a team meeting especially when the task involves other staff members
formal - through weekly / fortnightly supervision or a 6 monthly or yearly Performance Review or Appraisal
Feedback from colleagues
Feedback from colleagues
Asking for and receiving feedback from your colleagues is an opportunity for you to understand areas that you are doing well and where you can improve. Your colleagues can give you guidance about how to solve workplace problems effectively and efficiently.
Finding an appropriate time to ask for feedback is important. Asking for feedback when a colleague is busy such as in the middle of a phone call, discussion with a client or finishing a report due that day may not be the right time.
The best questions to ask are those that help you work out your strengths and weaknesses in regard to time management skills, contribution to the team and communication skills.
Supervisor Feedback
Supervisor Feedback
Your supervisor will also provide feedback during set supervision sessions that may occur weekly, fortnightly or even monthly. The aim of supervision is to provide support, instruction and feedback about work performance, identifying gaps and solutions.
It is also an opportunity for you to ask questions, address any concerns you have about your job role and tasks and even seek professional development opportunities.
For example, your supervisor gives you constructive feedback that, 'You are really supportive in giving each of the aged care clients your full attention in listening to their concerns and needs and trying to meet these. However, you do need to keep the conversation professional and not relate their concerns back to your own.'
This feedback will also help with your time management in being able to respond to and meet the needs of all our residents when you are at work.
Performance Review or Appraisal
Performance Review or Appraisal
The purpose of the Performance Review or Performance Appraisal is to evaluate your performance. In community service organisations, usually you will have completed a 'Professional Development Plan'
6 to 12 months earlier and this will be evaluated.
A review or appraisal is also an opportunity to identify training and development needs related to your position and the needs of the organisation. This once agreed to can be added on to your new 'Professional Development Plan' for the next 6 to 12 months.
Your supervisor or manager should give you constructive feedback in your review or appraisal.
For example, 'I have seen and heard how well you have mentored our new worker which has developed their knowledge and skillset and demonstrated your own confidence and leadership potential. We are needing to fill supervisory positions and we'd like you to further develop your conflict resolution skills with clients to take this next step into this supervisory role within the next 3 months. What do you think the next step is for you?'
You might agree a leadership role within your team is an interest of yours. You agree that developing your skills further in the area of effective conflict resolution is needed first.
In the review, you and your supervisor agree that you will take on the role of responding to all client complaints that are received by the organisation. You will also act as a Acting Supervisor when there is a need (for example, when a supervisor is on leave), to be reviewed in 3 months in terms of your performance and readiness for a supervisory leadership role.
Sources * https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/careers/soft-skills/constructive-feedback/
3.8 Monitor And Adjust Work according to feedback obtained
3.8 Monitor And Adjust Work according to feedback obtained
You should use the feedback given from others especially your supervisor or manager to adjust (alter) your work practices to ensure you are meeting your organisation's standards. Seeking regular feedback is also important to progress in your career through developing your skills.
Receiving feedback is however only useful if you can use it to improve your work performance.
Take the time you need to reflect (meaning to think about) on the conversations received from work colleagues and supervisors and consider the most important things that you might need to change and are willing to change. Then develop a plan (this can be part of your professional development work plan set in your annual review or goals set in supervision.)
Break this plan down into manageable SMART goals.
3.9 Identify and Plan opportunities for Improvement
3.9 Identify and Plan opportunities for Improvement
Training and development opportunities benefits both employees and the organisation.
Some benefits include:
gives employees confidence to tackle new situations confidently
can bring improved and new ideas into the workplace
addresses changes to technology or new laws
increases efficiency and productivity (work rate)
For example, providing adequate training to employees in the use of new equipment and technology leads to increased efficiency and willingness to use the equipment and technology to benefit clients and the organisation. *
All employees should have access to training for their professional development.
Supervisor's, team leaders and managers should inform their employees of the different training and professional development opportunities.
Employees can also suggest areas they want to improve and request relevant training that also meets
their goals for future career directions. Often this is achieved through the formal review process completed each year as discussed above.
Imagine you have received specific feedback at your annual formal review such as working on improving your time management to ensure you are making home visits to see all your clients at least once a week. This feedback should be used to identify and plan available opportunities for improvement.
Opportunities for making improvements include:
Internal (inside the organisation) and external (outside the organisation) training
Recognition of current competency (RCC)
Workplace skill assessment
Personal study
Formal / Informal training
Work experience and exchange opportunities
3.9.1 Internal and External training
3.9.1 Internal and External training
Internal training is training that occurs inside the organisation.
For example, mentoring involves using the skills of one employee to guide and teach another employee. A mentor in the workplace is someone who is capable of providing guidance to a less-experienced employee, the mentee. The mentor provide explanation and demonstration to develop the skills of the mentee.
For example, an experienced Intake worker in a busy family counselling service here in Bendigo would act as a mentor, demonstrating through modelling how to: answer a phone call, ask specific questions and then record this information to determine the right service to refer a family experiencing challenges using the organisation's client information system. *
The mentee will benefit from a mentoring relationship through developing their skills leading to them becoming more productive in the workplace.
The mentor also has the opportunity to develop their leadership skills leading to further career opportunities as well as greater job satisfaction.
The organisation benefits because mentoring is not an additional cost and supports building an inexperienced employees skills to then benefit the workplace through increased work productivity.
Source *https://leadershipmanagement.com.au/mentoring-in-the-workplace/
External training
External training is another training opportunity for employees. It is also a cost effective way of training up one employee through sending them to an outside training session and returning to share this new knowledge with other employees.
For example, an employee is sent to attend a training session with a service provider such as Bendigo Community Health Services, about the additional services Anglicare is now offering and how to make a referral to these new services for families experiencing challenges.
The employee brings this knowledge back to their organisation, providing an information session for all team members to support them in their daily work with clients.
3.9.2 Recognition of current competency (RCC)
3.9.2 Recognition of current competency (RCC)
Recognition of current competency (RCC) acknowledges skills and knowledge a person already has through their formal and informal learning and work experience. It can be used as credit toward a formal qualification.
For example, you may have started a Certificate III in Early Childhood
Education and Care at Bendigo TAFE and as part of your qualification are
required to complete a 25 unit of study on Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander cultural safety. You apply for RCC providing your VET transcript as
evidence because you completed this unit of study as part of your VET
training a year ago. If accepted, this means it acts as credit toward your
new qualification meaning you do not have to complete this area of study.
When applying for RCC you will need to supply evidence such as academic
transcripts, certificates, samples of your completed coursework and possibly
undertake an assessment. *
Source * https://www.voced.edu.au/content/glossary-term-recognition-current-competencies
3.9.3 WorkPlace Skill Assessment
3.9.3 WorkPlace Skill Assessment
Assessing an employee's skills while they are on the job is a means to determine if they are performing to the required standard, whether further training may be needed, or whether they have skills that can be utilised in other areas (such as in future team leadership.) *
A workplace skills assessment involves observing an employee as they perform their daily tasks, often over a period of time, and using a variety of methods to gain an all-round picture of that person’s current abilities and future potential.*
The assessor will look at how the employee performs their daily tasks. It is one of the most direct means of determining competency, because actual workplace resources and facilities are being used. It is also one of the most cost-effective methods, as workflow is not being interrupted.
For example, a supervisor might over a period of time observe an employee's communication and time management skills in receiving and making follow-up phone calls. They might also attend home visits with an employee to observe their communication and problem-solving skills.
What disadvantages might there be with workplace skill assessment?
Source *https://www.deakinco.com/resource/what-is-a-workplace-skills-assessment-and-how-does-it-work/
A possible disadvantage could be that the employee is aware they are being observed and therefore may be unable to perform to their best standard due to feeling uncomfortable. It could also mean the employee acts in the way they think the assessor would want them to, instead of how they would normally do things.
As discussed above, performing the observations over time instead of a once off and reassuring the employee the purpose is to provide constructive not negative feedback could help ensure the employee acts naturally and is at ease.
3.9.4 Personal Study
3.9.4 Personal Study
Personal study can include completing a short course or even a diploma or degree face-to-face or online and can be a way to further your career both at your current workplace and future directions.
Sometimes organisations will help you with the cost especially if this leads to greater productivity (work flow) for the organisation. It is more cost effective to upskill an existing employee where possible than hire another employee.
For example, working as an educator in childcare you may have an interest in upskilling to become a lead childcare educator to lead the room and coach other educators in their role.
You already have your Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care and many years experience but your employer has agreed to support you to complete your Diploma in early Childhood Education and Care through helping with the cost as they see your leadership qualities and are looking for you to be promoted once you have completed your course.
3.9.5 Formal and Informal Training
3.9.5 Formal and Informal Training
Formal and informal learning is another opportunity for professional development.
Informal learning is self-directed and unscheduled. It can involve personal learning through an employee reading articles, viewing videos or participating in online forums and online conversations and even deciding to Google ways to improve a process and build knowledge. It can also involve a colleague showing another employee how to complete a task.
Formal learning is structured, scheduled, has clear goals and usually led by an instructor or trainer. For example, it can occur face-to-face or online.
Formal learning might involve a set day every fortnight where employees come together to further their skills and knowledge in specific areas or might involve undertaking an annual First Aid course. *
Source * https://www.learnupon.com/blog/formal-and-informal-learning/
3.9.6 exchange opportunities.
3.9.6 exchange opportunities.
Exchange opportunities are like a foreign student exchange program. An employee is provided an opportunity to swap or exchange work with another colleague in another part or department of an organisation or with an external (outside) organisation.
It can be a situation where two employees 'exchange' positions for a set period of time, from a few weeks, to months, or longer. There, the employee is 'hosted' by the receiving department or organisation and gains exposure to the culture, employees, and clients of that office, learning new skills.
For example. an employee who works with the Department of Health and Human Services might participate in an exchange or swap from a Child Protection position with a employee who works with Disability Services within DHHS.
Both employees then learn about different aspects of the organisation and are given the opportunity to develop skills and knowledge, sharing and using these new experiences, skills and ideas when returning to their previous position.
For the organisation, having employees work in other roles for an extended length of time ensures that there is backup if someone takes a long-term sick leave or vacation, or suddenly departs the organisation.
The experience could also benefit the organisation by helping to keep employees who may have been thinking of leaving if not for the fresh view on the organisation they gain as a result of the exchange. *
Source * https://er.educause.edu/articles/2019/12/the-benefits-of-a-job-exchange-program
Summative Assessment 1: Short Answer Questions: Open the SG to complete Task 13
Summative Assessment 2: Workplace Simulations and Observation
Open the SG to complete Summative Assessment 2 and Summative Assessment 3 - Observations.
Your teacher will guide you through these assessments.
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