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

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

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

The application of competency is to be assessed in the workplace or realistically simulated workplace

Assessment is to occur under standard and authorised work practices, safety requirements and environmental constraints

Consistency of performance should be demonstrated over the required range of situations relevant to the workplace

The circumstantial or unsolicited testimony of project participants, governments or other non-government organisations regarding ethical behaviour should be considered as significant evidence in relation to this unit

Access and equity considerations:

All workers in development and humanitarian assistance should be aware of access, equity and human rights issues in their own area of work

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

In particular workers should be aware of cultural, historical and current issues facing the people and culture in which they are working

Assessors and trainers must take into account relevant access and equity issues relating to the culture in which they are working

Context of and specific resources for assessment:

This unit may be assessed independently, however holistic assessment practice with other related units of competency is encouraged

Assessment of essential underpinning knowledge, other than confirmatory questions, will usually be conducted in an off-site context

Resources required for assessment include access to:

workplace location or simulated workplace

specifications and work instructions

policy manuals and procedure manuals (international and local, including sector specific manuals)

relevant documents (such as project documents, trip reports, staff assessments, memos, leave records and performance reviews)

relevant equipment (such as vehicles, office equipment and communications equipment)

managers, co-workers and other staff

Method of assessment:

Assessment needs to take into consideration the practical difficulties associated with attempting on-job assessment in the field

Given the nature of this unit, candidates should be expected to present evidence from within a real field environment

If this is not possible, demonstration of some performance criteria in this unit may be achieved through observing the behaviour and responses of the candidate under a stressful situation similar to those likely to be encountered in the field

While it is unethical and inappropriate to place a candidate in real danger, a life-like simulation may provide the best opportunity to observe 'near-real' responses

Underpinning knowledge may be assessed through:

written assignments

project reports

debriefings

action learning projects

Assessment should be supported by supplementary evidence from a wide range of sources, preferably including evidence from one or more field situations

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

Essential knowledge:

The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role

This includes:

Values, principles and ethics underpinning work in the sector, including the Paris Declaration and Accra Principles and principles of 'Do No Harm'

Australian Agency for International Aid (AusAID) guidelines, including Development for All (Disability) Strategy and Child Protection Policy

Cultural and country context of specific field projects/programs and sufficient knowledge of local language/s to support basic communication

Partner country's national development strategies, institutions and procedures

Basic understanding of the country's political and power structure

First principles in area of technical expertise

Essential skills:

It is critical that the candidate demonstrate the ability to:

Be flexible and innovative in analysing technical issues in a specific field environment and reducing technical aspects to first principles to find practical solutions

Analyse factors impacting on technical issues and potential solutions

Work effectively within constraints provided by limitations on availability of resources and infrastructure and adapt technical knowledge to realistically address requirements of specific situations

Find and develop innovative solutions for issues using limited resources and available structures in own area of technical expertise

Effectively communicate with other stakeholders, including community members, about technical issues using language and concepts they understand

Listen to and consider options for technical solutions that may be outside conventionally acceptable limits

Modify thinking and application in relation to own technical skills and knowledge to address situation issues and available resources

Share skills and knowledge with community members to support ongoing maintenance of selected technical solution

Establish and maintain monitoring and evaluation processes to support and adjust technical solution as required

In addition, the candidate must be able to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role

These include the ability to:

Comply with relevant organisation policies, procedures and requirements on work health and safety (WHS), stakeholder welfare, security and related issues

Effectively communicate with and work safely with others in the work area

Work as part of a team environment to complete tasks

Identify and clearly define problems and demonstrate appropriate response procedures

Initiate new ideas or work methodologies

Accurately plan and organise work activities

Efficiently manage own responsibilities and timelines for completion of work

Demonstrate personal management, including initiative, self motivation and direction

Retain clear sense of personal values and ethics in ambiguous or stressful situations

Identify areas for personal improvement or training in self and others

Demonstrate ethical handling of service delivery issues

Work with people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, showing sensitivity to cultural and political differences, including:

awareness and understanding of cultural differences and issues associated with disadvantage and disability

ability to express that awareness and understanding clearly and concisely

ability to build rapport with others, including participants, community leaders, donors, government representatives and other non government organisations involved in development assistance work

use basic strategies to overcome language barriers (fluency in more than one language would be a major asset)

no political bias in own conduct

Use emotional state control

Cope with stressful work environment

Demonstrate adaptability and the ability to deal with ambiguous situations

Use communications equipment, including telephone, radio, satellite phone, fax and email

Use computing equipment and common software programs

Use administration and routine office procedures

Select and use appropriate technology

Demonstrate basic financial management

Apply skills in:

accessing relevant records and information sources

adapting to different environments and responding effectively to challenges

capacity building

communicating effectively with a wide range of different audiences

interviewing and recording

networking

report writing

setting priorities

undertaking new tasks

working safely and encouraging a safe workplace

language, literacy and numeracy skills such as those required to:

collect, analyse and organise data

communicate in spoken and written form with a range of audiences

adjust spoken and written language to suit audience

prepare or customise materials

calculate and estimate times, costs and quantities

The Range Statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Add any essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts.

Concepts and principles of aid effectiveness and community development include:

Ownership, including:

using delivery processes that support partner countries to exercise effective leadership over their development policies and strategies

coordinating development actions

involving communities and local government in decision making, implementation, monitoring and evaluation

encouraging community's and local government's contribution to problem solving

Alignment, involving maintaining a comprehensive understanding of partner countries' national development strategies, institutions and procedures to guide program delivery

Harmonisation:

actively seeking to collaborate with other Official Development Assistance (ODA) partners to create added value and greater development effectiveness

Managing for results, including continuous improvement of systems to:

manage for development results

support evidence-based decision making

Mutual accountability, involving demonstration of:

full transparency and accountability for the use of development resources in program delivery

Factors that may impact the situation may include:

Lack of or inability to access resources and technology

Local policies, infrastructure and existing systems relating to technical support of the situation

Political factors

Community resistance

Community ability and motivation to maintain introduced resources

Instability or volatility - e.g. in social, physical, political and/or economic environment

Ability to fund and support technology as part of ongoing solution

Cultural sensitivities

Principles of aid effectiveness

Key stakeholders may include:

Community members

Multi-disciplinary team members

Other workers on the project or program

Project or program manager

Funding bodies

Culturally sensitive issues refer to:

Many ways in which cultures vary

While very different cultures present obvious challenges to those moving into them, cultures which, on the surface, appear to be more closely related can also be challenging because the differences are more subtle

Culturally sensitive issues may include:

clothing preferences

cultural imperialism

decision making processes

directness in conversation (or not

disadvantage and disability

evangelism or proselytism

food and drink preferences

form of government

gender of interviewed

gender of interviewer

gifts

greetings

identification (with self, family, community, religion, cultural or ethnic group and country)

introductions

options for expressing disagreement or disapproval

preferences relating to positions offered to women or elders

requirement of single or multiple gender team

role of political parties

role of religious authorities

role of royal family or traditional rulers

role of the military

sensitive topics for conversations

Monitor and evaluate may include:

How identified ethical issues are considered and incorporated in the program design
For instance, in designing a project in a conflict environment, considering if provision of aid will:

have a positive effect on the conflict (i.e. help people to stop fighting) or

add to the conflict (i.e. increase competition and mistrust)

How identified culturally sensitive issues are considered and incorporated in the program design
For instance, in designing a program efforts are made to ensure that:

the program assists the affected people without political, religious or gender discrimination

programs are carried out in a way that uses and enhances local knowledge and skills

Program goal and purpose

Program outputs

Project activities

Implementation plan and schedule,

Program inputs or resources required

Program impacts,

Management of risks

Constraints and assumptions

Program sustainability

Management structure and staffing requirements

Addressing principles of development and/or aid effectiveness

Financial management and use of resources

Implications may include:

Misunderstanding and conflict

Real and important needs of target community may not be addressed

Image and reputation of the organisation may be affected

Program procedures may be less efficient and effective

Lack of participation of affected communities