Application
This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to facilitate the development of Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) Action Plans or similar plans required by commonwealth, state and territory legislation and regulations. It involves working with government departments, companies, building owners and service providers to develop DDA Action Plans for lodgement with the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) or to develop similar actions plans based on state and territory legislation for lodgement with the suitable state and territory anti-discrimination agency. Action Plans are intended to improve access for people with disabilities to the services and facilities that an organisation provides, and to improve the level of disability awareness of an organisation’s staff and the accessibility of buildings and grounds.
The unit supports access consultants who communicate with building owners and managers, government and regulatory representatives, and service providers on the implementation of the DDA or state and territory anti-discrimination legislation. It applies to access consultants who typically act in an advisory role to the client organisation developing the DDA Action Plan.
No licensing, legislative, regulatory, or certification requirements apply to this unit of competency at the time of endorsement.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the range of conditions. | ||
1. | Respond to client inquiry regarding DDA Action Plan. | 1.1. | Client requesting access advice to facilitate the development of an Action Plan is identified and their authority to act is established according to organisational requirements. |
1.2. | Client requirements are discussed, clarified and confirmed according to organisational requirements. | ||
1.3. | Own competence and organisational capability to respond to client needs are determined and assessed. | ||
1.4. | Client brief for Action Plan and authority to proceed are negotiated with client and documented according to organisational requirements. | ||
1.5. | Contractual arrangements for Action Plan are negotiated, confirmed, documented and stored according to client, organisational and legislative requirements. | ||
2. | Collect data and analyse profiles and practices in conjunction with client. | 2.1. | Data is collected according to client, organisational and legislative requirements to develop a comprehensive profile of client organisation, current business practices, and customer base. |
2.2. | Work plan for developing Action Plan in collaboration with client is negotiated and documented. | ||
2.3. | Collected customer profile data is analysed to identify shortcomings in accessibility according to client, organisational and legislative requirements. | ||
2.4. | Barriers impeding relationship between client organisation and its customers are identified and documented in conjunction with client. | ||
2.5. | Customer profile data and identified barriers are used to establish, in conjunction with client, a benchmark for assessing improvements in access provision. | ||
3. | Facilitate client planning processes to achieve DDA objectives. | 3.1. | Policies and programs that achieve required regulatory and legislative objectives relating to access are developed in conjunction with client, based on collected data. |
3.2. | Goals and timeframes to implement developed policies and programs are established and documented in conjunction with client. | ||
3.3. | Monitoring processes to measure implementation of developed policies and programs are established and documented in conjunction with client. | ||
3.4. | Evaluation strategies to gauge effectiveness of policies and programs in achieving access compliance are developed and documented in conjunction with client. | ||
3.5. | Persons responsible for implementing Action Plan are identified or appointed in conjunction with client. | ||
3.6. | Internal communication strategy to communicate benefits of Action Plan to business and its personnel is developed and documented in conjunction with client. | ||
3.7. | Training and professional development opportunities to support staff in implementing Action Plan are identified and documented in conjunction with client. | ||
3.8. | Grievance policy and mechanisms are developed and documented, and procedures are implemented for handling grievances in conjunction with client. | ||
4. | Assist client to develop a process to implement and review DDA Action Plan. | 4.1. | External communication and marketing strategy to inform current and potential clients about improved service arrangements for people with disabilities is developed and documented in conjunction with client. |
4.2. | Action Plan is integrated into overall business planning processes in conjunction with client. | ||
4.3. | Processes for periodic review of Action Plan goals are established and documented in conjunction with client. | ||
4.4. | Processes for periodic updating of Action Plan to reflect current and future business practices are established and documented in conjunction with client. | ||
5. | Assist client to document and lodge DDA Action Plan. | 5.1. | All aspects of documenting the Action Plan are finalised in conjunction with client. |
5.2. | Action Plan documentation is collated into suitable format in conjunction with client, and copies are retained for future reference, monitoring, evaluation and updating according to organisational requirements. | ||
5.3. | Action Plan is forwarded to AHRC according to established organisational requirements and AHRC published guidelines. |
Evidence of Performance
A person demonstrating competency in this unit must satisfy the requirements of the elements, performance criteria, foundation skills and range of conditions of this unit.
The person must also develop a Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) Action Plan for an organisation that complies with Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) guidelines.
The above Action Plan must:
be developed in conjunction with client and be based on review of current business practices and customer profile
include:
review of the organisation’s services, facilities, buildings and grounds against regulatory and legislative requirements relating to disability access
evaluation of the provision of access in relation to those requirements, including identification of barriers listed in the range of conditions
application of codes of practice and other regulatory and legislative requirements to plan development processes
review of level of disability awareness of staff
goals and targets to ensure measurable improvements to accessibility
monitoring process and suggested evaluation strategies
grievance policy and mechanisms
timeframes for Action Plan.
In facilitating the development of the Action Plan, the person must:
assist clients to develop and document management-related processes to implement and review the above DDA Action Plan, including:
internal communication strategy
required training and professional development
external communication and marketing strategy
periodic review of Action Plan goals
periodic updating of Action Plan
reflect the impact of the full range of disabilities and the limitations that each disability places on the individual’s ability to access the organisation’s services and facilities
reflect the requirements of the commonwealth DDA or state and territory anti-discrimination legislation covering the development of Action Plans or similar plans
advise on compliance with legislative requirements and usability by people with disabilities
assist clients with documenting and lodging each of the above DDA Action Plans according to established organisational requirements and AHRC published guidelines
fulfil contractual requirements with client
recommend, where required, corrective actions to:
enhance accessibility
overcome areas of access non-compliance, including strategies for alternative means of providing full access for users.
In developing the above plan, the person must:
develop a work plan for the development process
use effective consultation skills with clients and other key stakeholders to confirm and elicit plan information
interpret how the full range of barriers impacts on people with a range of disabilities and impairments
reflect client or stakeholder information requirements
use research skills to source information for input into Action Plan and to assist in developing potential solutions to the provision of adequate access
use measurement tools in line with manufacturer specifications and record collected data accurately
communicate in plain English
meet organisational requirements, including plan format and timeframes.
Evidence of Knowledge
A person demonstrating competency in this unit must demonstrate knowledge of:
key requirements of the following legislation, regulations and standards relating to developing a DDA Action Plan:
state and territory anti-discrimination legislation and regulations requiring the completion of Action Plans or similar documents
Australian standards relating to accessibility
Building Code of Australia
Disability Discrimination Act (DDA)
DDA Premises Standards
AHRC guidelines for registered DDA Action Plans
international standards relating to accessibility
work health and safety (WHS) legislation and procedures
disability awareness to inform Action Plan development, including:
range of disabilities to be considered when analysing organisation’s accessibility
disability-specific physical barriers to access
disability-specific minimum requirements for enhancing accessibility
organisational requirements relating to developing DDA Action Plans, including:
client service standards
client privacy, confidentiality and security requirements
procedures for researching and developing organisation-specific plan content
processes for recording collected information and administering plan documentation
procedures for writing, storing and lodging Action Plans
quality assurance requirements
key requirements of professional code of practice for access consultants
key principles and techniques associated with:
consultation processes
change management
coaching
communication, including range of presentation formats for conveying information to participants in Action Plan development process
goal setting
group dynamics and processes
limitations of own work role, responsibility and professional abilities with regard to facilitating the development of a DDA Action Plan.
Assessment Conditions
The following must be present and available to learners during assessment activities:
equipment:
computer and software to access, retrieve, store and distribute plan-specific documentation
specifications:
state and territory anti-discrimination legislation and regulations requiring the completion of Action Plans or similar documents
Australian standards relating to accessibility
Building Code of Australia
Disability Discrimination Act (DDA)
DDA Premises Standards
AHRC guidelines for registered DDA Action Plans
international standards relating to accessibility
WHS legislation and procedures
relationships, including consultation with:
building owners and managers
regulatory authorities, including state, territory and local government representatives
government departments and agencies
service providers
colleagues.
Timeframe:
in line with timeframe established in contractual arrangements for DDA Action Plan development.
Assessor requirements
As a minimum, assessors must satisfy the assessor requirements in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) current at the time of assessment.
Foundation Skills
This section describes the language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills essential to performance in this unit but not explicit in the performance criteria. | |
Skill | Performance feature |
Learning skills to: | maintain knowledge of current legislation, regulations, standards, practices and industry updates relating to access matters and AHRC requirements. |
Numeracy skills to: | interpret and use ratios and scales to analyse organisational services and facilities against access requirements and provision. |
Oral communication skills to: | facilitate discussion with clients to explore business and plan requirements, demonstrating: command of language to convey information relating to plan requirements in a clear and accessible manner communication techniques suited to individual clients and required to clarify and elicit information convey knowledge and ideas through oral and visual means. |
Reading skills to: | read a range of complex texts and extract information relating to access requirements and specific DDA Action Plans identify and assess information in business documentation to identify accessibility requirements and compliance with those requirements. |
Writing skills to: | write plain English Action Plans that meet client requirements and detail accessibility outcomes that: are based on consultation with client and other required stakeholders and a detailed analysis of service and facility characteristics impacting on access represent and convey the needs of diverse disabilities and impairments. |
Digital literacy skills to: | apply information technology and computer skills when accessing information and preparing documentation and Action Plan. |
Initiative and enterprise skills to: | evaluate the provision of access in relation to legislative requirements use opportunities to plan strategies to eliminate identified barriers and facilitate change for greater disability access in organisational services and facilities provide guidance during the change-management process. |
Planning and organising skills to: | assist client in implementing organisational policies and procedures relating to Action Plan. |
Range Statement
This section specifies work environments and conditions that may affect performance. Essential operating conditions that may be present (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) are included. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. | |
Profile must include information on: | client’s business operations and premises client’s customer base, including: existing customers changing nature of potential customer base range of potential customers services offered by client, including: nature of services known use of services by customers with disabilities, and frequency of that use staff profiles. |
Work plan must include: | key stakeholders to include in consultation and development processes consultation processes checklists or procedures for identifying service and facility barriers selected research techniques to obtain suitable data for input into the Action Plan. |
Barriers to be considered must include: | attitudinal barriers, including: stereotypes that cause people with disabilities to be perceived: as different or less capable according to their disabling condition, rather than as individuals negative attitudes, such as: fear or anxiety associated with how to behave or what to expect from a person with a disability discomfort with or aversion to physical or mental difficulties or weaknesses communication barriers, including: organisational information that: portrays people with disabilities in a negative manner is not available in alternative formats, such as large print, braille, computer disk, audio tape, or captioning on video displays organisational marketing strategies that do not advertise the availability of services to people with disabilities limited or no personnel with experience with assistive technology and practices, such as telephone typewriters, audio-induction loops, and sign language physical barriers, including: restricted access to: areas to which customers are entitled to have access physical structures, such as doors, steps and stairs structures designed to deliver services or promote goods, such as service counters, information counters, and display units confusing or inadequate signage or décor lack of non-visual guides to assist customers with vision or hearing impairment in wayfinding lack of accessible paths of travel to and within all spaces of building or premises required by legislation to be accessible lack of tactile ground surface indicators, security alarm pads, non-visual warning systems, and help points. |
Policies and programs must include consideration of the following organisation-specific initiatives that improve access: | remove physical barriers to access: conduct access audit implement correctional renovations that remove access barriers to premises and services remove communication barriers to access: provide information in alternative formats improve information technology improve adequate signage for the vision impaired train staff in sign language for the hearing impaired increase disability awareness among staff: regular disability awareness training and mentoring for existing staff disability awareness training as a component of new staff induction procedures recruit and employ people with disabilities review and evaluate Action Plan progress: monitor program implementation against targets and timeframes, and evaluating it against Action Plan goals incorporate Action Plan into mainstream business planning: integrate Action Plan considerations into business marketing, communication and training programs inform employees about Action Plan: disability awareness training that educates staff about their role in implementing the Action Plan supervisors being accountable for the performance of staff in relation to Action Plan publicise organisation’s commitment to people with disabilities and associated disability awareness initiatives develop a complaints procedure for staff and customers with regard to access issues. |
Legislative objectives must include: | the DDA commonwealth, state and territory anti-discrimination legislation and regulations. |
Sectors
Access consulting