TRAINER and ASSESSOR HANDBOOK

Transcription

1 TRAINER and ASSESSOR HANDBOOK

2 This handbook is designed to give information about TaskForce Community Agency Inc. and arrangements for training. It includes things you need to know about: Who we are and what we offer participants, staff, professional standards, facilities and support services. Our policies and procedures. Our expectations of students. What trainers can expect from us. Our training program and operation is designed to safeguard your interests as a trainer and help you to make your stay with us happy and productive RTO No: 5818/TaskForce Community Agency Inc./Trainer & Assessor Handbook/v1 04/13 Page 2 of 11

3 Contents: 1. General Information 1.1 General Statement 1.2 Office Hours 1.3 Location 1.4 Parking 1.5 Access to Premises 2. Acceptable Behaviour Statement 3. Confidentiality Statement 4. Occupational Health and Safety Statement 5. Incident Management and Debriefing Statement 6. Organisation of Training 6.1 Fees and Payments for Trainers 6.2 Classrooms 6.3 Student Attendance 6.4 Student Evaluation 6.5 Classroom and Learning Resources 6.6 Student Assessment 6.7 Professional Development for Trainers 7. Code of Practice for Training Delivery 7.1 Education Standards, Resources & Environment 7.2 Marketing 7.3 Staff Competence 8. Managing Diversity 9. Student Information 10. VET, AQTF and Training Packages 10.1 VET 10.2 AQTF 10.3 AQF 10.4 Training Packages 10.5 Higher Education Skills Group Funding RTO No: 5818/TaskForce Community Agency Inc./Trainer & Assessor Handbook/v1 04/13 Page 3 of 11

4 1. GENERAL INFORMATION 1.1 General Statement TaskForce Community Agency Inc. (hereafter known as TaskForce or the RTO) is a not for profit community organisation that works in partnership with jobseekers, employers and the community. TaskForce provides supportive programs that seek to maximise individual choice, provide training and job search assistance, encourage community participation, and foster personal and social wellbeing. TaskForce is a non-judgmental, innovative and accessible service-based organisation that acknowledges and honours the diverse backgrounds and inherent strengths of all students. TaskForce is registered with the VRQA to provide accredited training programs. Our programs also include non-accredited training. Courses are offered in the areas of: Preparation for Work Workplace Education General Education Alcohol and Drug Work Mental Health First Aid Drink Driver Education TaskForce welcomes the input of trainers to the planning, marketing and evaluation processes, and is always keen to hear trainers' ideas on potential courses. Courses may be part of the planned programs or in response to a client request for services. 1.2 Office Hours The administrative office hours generally are 9.00am 5.00pm weekdays. Training courses may be held outside these hours. Individual course information will specify class times and dates. 1.3 Location TaskForce is located at Level 2, 240 Chapel Street, close to public transport and parking. It is well serviced with banks, post office, shops, food outlets, entertainment and community centres. Centrelink is within walking distance on High Street. 1.4 Parking Kings Street: Cato Street Kings Parking All day $10.00 maximum Melway Ref: 58E6 Coles/Safeway Carpark Metered Parking $0.60 per hour up to 2 hours Melway Ref: 58 D5 RTO No: 5818/TaskForce Community Agency Inc./Trainer & Assessor Handbook/v1 04/13 Page 4 of 11

5 1.5 Access to Premises TaskForce staff will be present to open the office from 9.00am. There will be no after hours access to the building for sessional trainers unless a staff member is present 2. ACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOUR STATEMENT TaskForce is committed to creating an environment of respect and safety for both staff and clients. The code of conduct for both staff and clients is as follows: The needs of others will be understood and respected The rights of others will be respected regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, culture, sexuality, ability and age Staff & clients will not attend under the influence of drugs or alcohol Weapons are not permitted to be brought to the site Bullying, assault or harassment is not permitted (including sexual harassment) 3. CONFIDENTIALITY STATEMENT TaskForce conducts all business in accordance with the Information Privacy Act All incident management, reporting and documentation will be conducted confidentially as outlined in the TaskForce Confidentiality Policy. 4. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY STATEMENT TaskForce follows closely the Occupational Health and Safety Guidelines as outlined by Victorian WorkCover Authority. All incident management, reporting and documentation will be conducted according to the TaskForce Occupational Health and Safety Policy including, First Aid Response and Debriefing. 5. INCIDENT MANAGEMENT & DEBRIEFING STATEMENT TaskForce recognises that despite all precautions, incidents can occur. All incident management, debriefing, reporting and documentation will be conducted according to the TaskForce Client Incident & Debriefing Policy 6. ORGANISATION OF TRAINING Management personnel of TaskForce will approach you regarding your suitability and availability for training. Once terms have been negotiated they will be confirmed in writing. Briefing sessions will be held where a number of trainers are involved in delivery of a course to ensure each has an overview and to enable sharing of information and ideas for delivery. Similarly, a meeting will occur after delivery to evaluate the course and assess students. 6.1 Fees and Payments for Trainers An hourly or daily rate will be negotiated individually with each trainer. The hourly rate negotiated will include planning, materials approved to be provided by trainer, travel (if off site), delivery and assessment. Rates are calculated accordingly. RTO No: 5818/TaskForce Community Agency Inc./Trainer & Assessor Handbook/v1 04/13 Page 5 of 11

6 Any unexpected extra requirements such as additional photocopying and class materials must be negotiated and approved in writing well in advance of delivery so that costs can be anticipated and organisation can occur in advance. Payment of fees will be made as per the agreement and on presentation of invoice. Payment will be made within 14 days. Payment will not occur for classes missed due to non-attendance of the trainer or cancellation of the course. Should classes need to be cancelled due to lack of numbers, classes will be either rescheduled by negotiation or lapsed. Trainers must alert TaskForce to possible non-attendance at least the day before training, or by 8am on the day of training at the latest, so that other arrangements can be made. 6.2 Classrooms Trainers are responsible for setting up classrooms with the assistance of staff prior to commencement of class, preferably the day before. Trainers are responsible for leaving the classroom in a clean and tidy condition with the assistance of students. Any equipment or materials required for course sessions will need to be notified to staff well in advance to allow staff to assist you and have requirements ready for your session. 6.3 Student Attendance You will receive attendance lists to record student attendance at training sessions. You are required to return these to training administration staff at the end of the session. If you are training at premises other than TaskForce, you must keep attendance records secure, and return them to TaskForce staff as soon as possible. 6.4 Student Evaluations You will receive evaluation sheets for students to complete at the end of your training session or module. Please disseminate these, allow time for students to complete them and collect them and pass them on to training administration staff at the end of the session. If you are training at premises other than TaskForce, you must keep evaluation documents secure, and return them to TaskForce staff as soon as possible. Students evaluations will be made available to you for your own self evaluations purposes. Should there be any issues arising we prefer to deal with them objectively, promptly and as much as possible, to everyone satisfaction. 6.5 Classroom and Learning Resources Classroom resources include: whiteboards, TV/DVD/VCR audio equipment and tapes, Powerpoint Data Show. Other needs should be conveyed to the Training Co-ordinator who may be able to arrange access if notified in advance. A range of training frameworks and learning materials are available from the training office. Trainers may use their own materials in some cases. We encourage and facilitate the sharing of training resources between trainers and training providers. 6.6 Student Assessment Students are assessed according to the competencies and assessment requirements for a specific course. This will be made available to trainers during the planning process along with the course curriculum. Trainers will be required to provide individual assessments for each student, sometime in conjunction with other trainers RTO No: 5818/TaskForce Community Agency Inc./Trainer & Assessor Handbook/v1 04/13 Page 6 of 11

7 6.7 Professional Development for Trainers Trainers are required to undertake professional development to retain their training competencies. TaskForce is keen to provide professional development opportunities for trainers. This may be in the form of an invitation to attend a meeting, a networking event of interest, information sharing on new initiatives, training manuals and course curricula. Trainers attending professional development are required to complete a Professional Development Activity Evaluation for each activity, and submit it to TaskForce administration for inclusion in their personal trainer records. 7. CODE OF PRACTICE FOR TRAINING DELIVERY 7.1 Education Standards, Resources and Environment TaskForce will: Adopt policies and management practices which maintain high professional standards in the delivery of vocational education and training services, and which safeguard the interests and welfare of students. Ensure the availability and maintenance of a learning environment that is conducive to the success of students. Have the capacity to deliver training services (including all courses on its scope of registration), and provide adequate facilities and use appropriate methods and materials. Provide support to students throughout their training program. Monitor and report on the progress and performance of its students. Ensure training staff are suitably qualified to deliver the appropriate course/s and are informed of the learning needs of the students and any other relevant information. 7.2 Marketing TaskForce will: Market its training with integrity, accuracy and professionalism, avoiding vague and ambiguous statements. Ensure that marketing information about its training products is truthful, accurate, up-to-date and does not contain false or misleading comparisons which could be drawn with other providers or courses. Ensure that information relating to its training products and services is readily available. Ensure that all marketing will have correct logos eg. NRT. 7.3 Staff Competencies Taskforce is committed to the provision of total quality vocational education and training products and services. We aim to ensure that we satisfy our customers needs by the adoption of a consistent, high standard of delivery. As part of our commitment to quality service, a code of practice has been developed. The code provides an ethical framework that guides our service delivery. We endeavour to ensure that our policies and management practices are in accordance with the code and that, at all times, our actions safeguard the interests and welfare of our customers. The role of the trainer involves a broad range of activities, which directly and indirectly support learning through the delivery of educational programs. These activities may include: RTO No: 5818/TaskForce Community Agency Inc./Trainer & Assessor Handbook/v1 04/13 Page 7 of 11

8 providing appropriate variety and flexibility in educational practice. undertaking assessment and evaluation of learning outcomes. maintaining and developing professional relevance and expertise in educational and technical disciplines. contributing to decision-making that affects the learning environment. liaising with local industry, other educational providers and the community to ensure that education and training are relevant and responsive to needs. complying with appropriate legislative requirements, organisational policies and occupational health and safety, ethical practice and equal opportunity in a culturally diverse society. participating cooperatively in the development and implementation of agreed quality improvement processes by reflecting on experience, performance and an evaluation of processes and program outcomes.. Your role as a trainer is that of a professional educator. It is influenced by industrial, social, economic, technological and political developments affecting vocational education and training at local, state and national levels.. The role of the trainer as a professional educator is to support, construct, guide and enhance the educative process. The trainer delivers educational programs and facilitates learning, enabling students to achieve their desired outcomes. 8. MANAGING DIVERSITY Managing diversity is a policy which is intended to: " optimise the opportunity for individuals to fulfil their aspirations to participate in and contribute more productively to society, irrespective of gender, culture, age, location or whether they have a disability or disadvantage". It is about training providers being responsive to the needs of students. In order to assist students to access our training and succeed, TaskForce: Promotes our courses through relevant community groups and appropriate business networks in clear, easy to understand language. Provides support services, including one-to-one vocational guidance, literacy assistance and post course support. Refers students to specialist services and resources within or outside TaskForce when appropriate. Advises students of all services available prior to entry to courses. Provides staff and trainers trained in customer service and experienced in meeting the needs of the full range of students, including those with special needs. Encourages self-confidence and 'having a go'. Promotes group cohesion in training sessions and addresses any initial student anxieties about training. Has an Equal Opportunity policy which is expected to be observed by staff, trainers and students at all time.s Provides a non-confrontational, objective and fair complaints handling process. 9. STUDENT INFORMATION The TaskForce Student Handbook contains detailed information for students, and can be accessed via the TaskForce website It is also available in hard copy format at the TaskForce Training Office. RTO No: 5818/TaskForce Community Agency Inc./Trainer & Assessor Handbook/v1 04/13 Page 8 of 11

9 10. VET, ATQF AND TRAINING PACKAGES 10.1 VET Vocational education and training (VET) is an education and training for work training system. It exists to develop and recognise the competencies or skills of learners. It has traditionally been seen as post-secondary, non-university education and training, focusing on apprenticeships. But reforms in the past decade now see VET programs offered in secondary schools, stronger links with university study options and eight levels of qualifications offered in most industries, including high growth, new economy industries. Providers of learning and assessment services are registered to deliver training programs under the VET system, and are regularly audited for service quality. The system enables providers to operate anywhere in Australia, and to issue nationally-recognised qualifications. In Dec 2011, there were over 4000 registered training organisations (RTO s), including TAFE institutes, private training and assessment organisations, enterprises, universities, schools and adult education providers registered to deliver VET courses. VET system clients are the learners themselves (students, apprentices, trainees and retrainees) and their employers. Training packages are at the core of the VET system. Training packages specify the competencies that must be achieved through the provision of learning services, the requirements for assessment of competency standards, and the qualifications that verify competence. VET in Australia is an industry-led system, through the leadership of the Commonwealth Department of Employment, Education and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) and through the development of industry-recognised training packages by industry representative bodies. DEEWR brings together State and Territory governments to provide the policy and regulatory frameworks for the VET system, and to implement the National Training System (which includes, the Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF), the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) and Training Packages to enable consistency, quality and national recognition of provider services. Governments also provide approximately half the funds for the system the other half being provided by enterprises and learners themselves. More information is available on the DEEWR website at AQTF The Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF) is a set of nationally agreed arrangements designed to ensure the quality of vocational education and training. Ministers approved a revised Australian Quality Training Framework in The AQTF includes two sets of standards: - Essential Conditions and Standards for Registration - Standards for Registering Bodies. Essential Conditions and Standards for Registration RTO s must meet these standards in order to deliver and assess nationally recognised training and issue nationally recognised qualifications As part of the evidence requirements for the standards, RTOs will require: written policies and procedures that support the provision of quality training and assessment. documented delivery and assessment strategies for each qualification on the RTO's scope of registration. systems to validate assessment strategies. RTO No: 5818/TaskForce Community Agency Inc./Trainer & Assessor Handbook/v1 04/13 Page 9 of 11

10 staff who meet competency requirements for providing training and assessment. quality systems and processes to manage training delivery. Standards for Registering Bodies These standards provide a common framework for the authorities in Victoria and Western Australia that register and audit RTO s and accredit courses when: Registering organisations to deliver training, assess competency, and issue Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) qualifications. Auditing registered training organisations (RTOs) to ensure they meet (and continue to meet) the requirements of the AQTF. Applying mutual recognition, and Accrediting courses. The AQTF ensures that all RTOs and the qualifications they issue are recognised throughout Australia. The revised AQTF of 2010 raises and more clearly specifies the RTO requirements for: The provision of quality training and assessment across all RTO operations. The adherence to principles of access and equity, and to maximise outcomes for clients. The implementation of management systems that are responsive to the needs of clients, staff, other stakeholders, and the environment in which it operates. It also makes auditing of the training and assessment activities clearer, more transparent and more consistent. This will ensure quality and confidence in vocational education and training, greater national consistency and better outcomes for learners and other VET system clients. More information is available at Australian Qualifications Framework The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) is a single, coherent framework for qualifications from Senior Secondary Certificates through to Doctoral Degrees. The Framework links together all these qualifications and is a highly visible, quality-assured national system of educational recognition which promotes lifelong learning and a seamless and diverse education and training system. It covers qualifications issued by secondary schools, vocational education and training (VET) providers and higher education institutions. All qualifications are nationally-recognised. Within the framework, there are 10 qualifications available from Certificate I to Doctoral or Higher Doctoral Degree Training Packages specify the combination of competency standards required to achieve a particular qualification. Learners who complete some, but not all, standards for a qualification are awarded a statement of attainment. When they are assessed as competent in the remaining standards, they attain the qualification. Further information is available at Training Packages Training packages are sets of nationally endorsed standards and qualifications for recognising and assessing people s skills. RTO No: 5818/TaskForce Community Agency Inc./Trainer & Assessor Handbook/v1 04/13 Page 10 of 11

11 A Training Package describes the skills and knowledge needed to perform effectively in the workplace. They do not prescribe how an individual should be trained. Teachers and trainers develop learning strategies the how depending on learners needs, abilities and circumstances. Training Packages are developed by industry through national industry skills councils (ISCs) or by individual enterprises, to meet the identified training needs of specific industries or industry sectors. To gain national endorsement, developers must provide evidence of extensive consultation and support within the industry area or enterprise. Training Packages complete a quality assurance process and then are endorsed by the National Skills Standard Council (NSSC) and placed on the National Register, available at In June 2012, there were 70 endorsed Training Packages. Eight of these were Enterprise Training Packages, developed by individual enterprises for their own unique needs. Training Packages have a set date for review usually around three years after they are endorsed. Reviews ensure Training Packages remain current to meet industry needs and allow issues that arise during their implementation to be addressed. More information is available on Higher Education Skills Group Funding The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) has granted TaskForce to deliver government subsidised nationally recognised training to Eligible Individuals through the 2013 Victorian Training Guarantee Program. Amongst others, TaskForce must: Comply with the requirements to the current Service Agreement, including in relation to determining eligibility, completing enrolments, levying and collecting fees, application of tuition fee concessions and waivers, Evidence of Participation, etc; Ensure that appropriate compliance, reporting and auditing frameworks, controls and systems are in place; Ensure that all persons employed or engaged by it to provide the Training Services to Each Eligible Individual are aware of all obligations under the current Service Agreement as appropriate; and Demonstrate the highest ethical standards in its dealings and conduct in the provision of the Training Services. RTO No: 5818/TaskForce Community Agency Inc./Trainer & Assessor Handbook/v1 04/13 Page 11 of 11