This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level required for this unit

Essential knowledge

The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively perform task skills task management skills contingency management skills and jobrole environment skills as outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit

These include sufficient knowledge of the following areas to undertake the role outlined

Complaints processes of the organisation and sector

Historical social political and economic contexts of mental health services and mental health consumer and carer movements including impacts of mental health systems on consumers and carers

Philosophical ethical and values based approaches to peer work

International and national developments in consumer and carer peer work

History and context of selfdirected recovery and recovery principles facilitation pathways and practices

Impacts and different types of stigma for consumers and carers including selfstigma individual stigma community stigma prejudice and discrimination on the recovery journey

Social justice issues principles and approaches including working from a rights based framework and awareness of the rights and responsibilities of consumer and carers and peer workers

Different understandings of mental illness and distressissues

Principles and practices of duty of care as these apply to peer work

Relevant legislation standards and policies that relate to mental health services and peer work

Language meaning and terminology in relation to mental health and peer work including dignity of risk and first person language

Essential skills

The candidate must be able to

Apply and promote the underpinning values ethics and philosophies of mental health peer work in all aspects of work

Communicate effectively with clinicians consumerscarers and other service providers

Maintain confidentiality and explain limits of confidentiality

Use inclusive and person first language

Use the consumers or carers preferred language and terminology and their personal meaning and interpretations

Apply an understanding of relevant legislation and standards in mental health peer work

Access and be informed by contemporary and emergent literature on mental health peer work and practices

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria Required Skills and Knowledge the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate this unit of competency

The individual being assessed must provide evidence of specified essential knowledge as well as skills

This unit is best assessed on the job or in a simulated workplace under the normal range of conditions

Consistency in performance should consider the requirements of the particular workplace context

The candidate must show evidence of being able to identify the context of mental health peer work and apply the values and philosophies of the area to their own work role

Conditions of assessment

This unit includes skills and knowledge specific to mental health peer work

Assessment must be undertaken by a qualified Assessor as determined by the Australian Quality Training Framework who has lived experience and holds this unit of competency or demonstrated equivalent competencies

OR

A consumercarer himherself who has lived experience and demonstrated experience in a consumer peer worker or carer peer worker role

accompanied by a qualified Assessor who has the necessary assessment competencies as determined by the Australian Quality Training Framework

Where the candidate being assessed in a consumer peer worker context they must be assessed by an experienced consumer peer worker with lived experience and a qualified Assessor where the consumer peer worker is not a qualified assessor

Where the candidate is being assessed in a carer peer worker context they must be assessed by an experienced carer peer worker who has lived experience and a qualified assessor where the carer peer worker is not a qualified assessor

Access and equity considerations

All workers in community services should be aware of access equity and human rights issues in relation to their own area of work

Assessors and trainers must take into account relevant access and equity issues in particular relating to factors impacting on Aboriginal andor Torres Strait Islander clients and communities

All workers should develop their ability to work in a culturally and linguistically diverse environment

In recognition of particular issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities workers should be aware of cultural historical and current issues impacting on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

Assessors and trainers must take into account relevant access and equity issues in particular relating to factors impacting on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people communities

In recognition of particular issues facing culturally and linguistically CALD diverse communities workers should be aware of cultural and current issues impacting on CALD groups

Assessors and trainers must take into account relevant access and equity issues in particular relating to factors impacting on individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse communities

Context of and specific resources for assessment

This unit can be assessed independently however holistic assessment practice with other community services units of competency is encouraged

Resources required for assessment of this unit include access to a workplace or simulated workplace where assessment may occur

Method of assessment

In cases where the learner does not have the opportunity to cover all relevant aspects in the work environment the remainder should be assessed through realistic simulations projects previous relevant experience or oral questioning on What if scenarios

Assessment of this unit of competence will usually include observation of processes and procedures oral andor written questioning on essential knowledge and skills and consideration of required attitudes

Where performance is not directly observed andor is required to be demonstrated over a period of time andor in a number of locations any evidence should be authenticated by colleagues supervisors or other appropriate persons

Social, political, cultural and economic context includes but is not limited to:

Access and equity principles in peer work includes:

The range of support services provided by consumer peers and carer peers may include but is not limited to:

Consumer in this context is defined as:

Carer: