Counselling

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to recognise situations where people may be in imminent crisis, and then to work collaboratively to minimise any safety concerns and make plans to access required support services. This unit applies to any community services worker involved in crisis intervention. Management of the crisis may involve face-to-face, telephone or remote contact with persons involved. The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation, Australian/New Zealand standards and industry codes of practice.

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to evaluate and enhance own practice through a process of reflection and ongoing professional development. This unit applies to workers in all industry sectors who take pro-active responsibility for their own professional development. The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation, Australian/New Zealand standards and industry codes of practice.

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to identify and work within the legal and ethical frameworks that apply to an individual job role. This unit applies to community services and health workers who play a proactive role in identifying and meeting their legal and ethical responsibilities. The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation, Australian/New Zealand standards and industry codes of practice.

The unit describes the skills and knowledge required to identify Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultural safety issues in the workplace, model cultural safety in own work practice, and develop strategies to enhance cultural safety. This unit applies to people working in a broad range of roles including those involved in direct client service, program planning, development and evaluation contexts. The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation, Australian/New Zealand standards and industry codes of practice.

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to work respectfully with people from diverse social and cultural groups and situations, including Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people. This unit applies to all workers. The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation, Australian/New Zealand standards and industry codes of practice.

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to use a structured approach to counselling to determine, establish and confirm the nature of the counsellor client relationship according to the agency’s counselling model. This unit applies to individuals whose job role involves working with clients on personal and psychological issues within established policies, procedures and guidelines. The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation, Australian/New Zealand Standards and industry codes of practice.

This unit describes the skills and knowledge to support clients to identify and work though concerns, and to manage the overall counselling process to its conclusion. This unit applies to individuals whose job role involves working with clients on personal and psychological issues within established policies, procedures and guidelines. The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation, Australian/New Zealand Standards and industry codes of practice.

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to undertake case management meetings to plan, monitor and review service provision. Workers at this level work autonomously and are responsible for own outputs within organisation guidelines. This unit applies to work in a range of health and community services contexts. The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation, Australian/New Zealand standards and industry codes of practice.

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to use advanced and specialised communication skills in the client-counsellor relationship. This unit applies to individuals whose job role involves working with clients on personal and psychological issues within established policies, procedures and guidelines. The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation, Australian/New Zealand Standards and industry codes of practice.

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to research key concepts and constructs of theories of personality and human development, and link those to counselling practice. This unit applies to individuals whose job role involves working with clients on personal and psychological issues within established policies, procedures and guidelines. The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation, Australian/New Zealand Standards and industry codes of practice.

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to apply theory underpinning behaviourism and social learning to formulate and monitor a program for behaviour change in a counselling context. This unit applies to individuals whose job role involves working with clients on personal and psychological issues within established policies, procedures and guidelines. The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation, Australian/New Zealand Standards and industry codes of practice.

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to select and use different counselling therapies to meet client needs. This unit applies to individuals whose job role involves working with clients on personal and psychological issues, within established policies, procedures and guidelines. The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation, Australian/New Zealand Standards and industry codes of practice.

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to assist clients to clarify their goals, explore options and develop a course of action. This unit applies to individuals whose job role involves working with clients on personal and psychological issues, within established policies, procedures and guidelines. The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation, Australian/New Zealand Standards and industry codes of practice.

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to engage with diverse people to determine relationship issues and support relationship building using a strengths-based approach. This unit applies to individuals working with individuals and families in community services work. It does not include formal relationship counselling. When combined with other units it may apply to group work. The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation, Australian/New Zealand Standards and industry codes of practice.

This unit describes the skills and knowledge to identify and manage immediate suicide risk and work with the individual to achieve safe outcomes. It includes the requirements for developing a clear safety plan for addressing any immediate danger to the person at risk or others, mobilising access to emergency medical help when needed and facilitating links with further support. This unit applies to people in formal helping roles in any community service context. Suicide safety may involve face-to-face, telephone or remote contact with the person involved. The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation, Australian/New Zealand standards and industry codes of practice.

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to practice and contribute to the continuous improvement of trauma informed care within a service. This unit applies to individuals working in the community services and health sectors where services are informed by the knowledge and understanding of central trauma, particularly the impact of interpersonal violence.

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to assess intervention needs, and then to implement and monitor brief intervention strategies for people at various stages of the change process. This unit applies to workers in a range of community services contexts.