Community Access

Level: 1

TCE credit points: 10

Course code: CAC110117

Course span: 2017 — 2021

Reading and writing standard: No

Mathematics standard: No

Computers and internet standard: No

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This course was delivered in 2020. Use A-Z Courses to find the current version (if available).

There are learners at all stages of education who do not know how to interact effectively in their communities, both their immediate local community and more broadly where a full range of facilities can be found

A significant group of such learners are recent arrivals from overseas. A second significant group of such learners are individuals who have moved to a city from the country. Community Access Level 1 is designed to give learners the required confidence, knowledge and experience to interact with their communities and access the resources they need to settle into their communities. This is done by introducing the learner to a range of community organisations and services, investigating transport options, developing independent living skills and exploring social skills.

Course Description

By studying Community Access Level 1 learners will develop practical skills to enable them to be confident and active members of their community. They will learn about and interact with community organisations and services, develop independent living skills and develop an understanding of community social norms and expectations.

Community Access Level 1 consists of six (6) Units, all of which are compulsory:

Unit 1 – Local community knowledge
Unit 2 – Getting around the community
Unit 3 – Living independently within a community
Unit 4 – Appropriate communication for community interactions
Unit 5 – Social skills
Unit 6 – Planning and organising activities.

The topics listed in the Course Content are not necessarily of equal length and course providers may organise the listed material in any order and in a way that helps their learners to achieve all the required outcomes. Each Unit may be delivered discretely or using an integrated approach whereby several Units are delivered concurrently.

The learning will have a practical emphasis.

Rationale

A significant group of such learners are recent arrivals from overseas. A second significant group of such learners are individuals who have moved to a city from the country.

Community Access Level 1 is designed to give learners the required confidence, knowledge and experience to interact with their communities and access the resources they need to settle into their communities.

This is done by introducing the learner to a range of community organisations and services, investigating transport options, developing independent living skills and exploring social skills.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this course, learners will be able to:

identify the location and functions of community facilities, services and organisations in their communities
plan their local travel using public transport services
perform many of the tasks required to live independently*
communicate effectively in community contexts
behave appropriately in community contexts
plan activities and manage their time appropriately.

* ‘live independently’ includes: making basic financial decisions, organising and planning daily routines, meeting basic social expectations in the community, engaging in a healthy lifestyle and developing skills for basic home care and maintenance.

Access

Effective coverage of the content of this course requires some practical engagement with the local community, for example visits to and/or engagement with community organisations and services.

Course Size And Complexity

This course has a complexity level of 1.

At Level 1, the learner is expected to carry out tasks and activities that draw on a limited range of knowledge and skills. The tasks and activities generally have a substantial repetitive aspect to them. Minimum judgement is needed as there are usually very clear rules, guidelines or procedures to be followed. VET competencies at this level are often those characteristic of an AQF Certificate I.

This course has a size value of 10.

Relationship To Other TASC Accredited And Recognised Senior Secondary Course

Community Access Level 1 complements other Level 1 courses such Financial Literacy; You, Your Family and the Community; and English as an Additional Language or Dialect. The holistic nature of the skills developed in the course enable it to support learning pathways to a broad range of Level 2 courses.

Course Content

UNIT 1 – LOCAL COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE

community organisations*, their locations and the services they provide
what are individual learners’ needs and which community services exist that can help meet those needs
when and how to access community organisations.

* The term ‘community organisations’ is used here and subsequently to include organisations, agencies, services and facilities. This is intended to be a broad range and includes, but is not limited to, organisations such as the Migrant Resource Centre and St Vincent de Paul; agencies such as Centrelink; local facilities such as LINC and sports clubs; services such as consumer advice, pro bono legal services and youth health advice. The range and types of organisations selected will be those relevant to learners’ participation as young adults in their communities.

UNIT 2 – GETTING AROUND THE COMMUNITY

public and private transport available in the community
public transport timetables
booking and payment arrangements
distances and directions within the community
location of various organisations and service providers
finding the way to an unfamiliar location.

UNIT 3 – LIVING INDEPENDENTLY WITHIN A COMMUNITY

the broader community’s expectations of home presentation, garden maintenance, noise levels
home care and maintenance – basic repairs, laundry practices, garden maintenance – and services available
healthy lifestyle and leisure
skills for basic time management and daily organisation
basic financial decision making – basic budgeting, shopping options, financial advice services.

UNIT 4 – APPROPRIATE COMMUNICATION FOR COMMUNITY INTERACTIONS

interpersonal communication skills, including body language
finding contact details such as name of person, address and telephone number
basic written communication – letters, emails, forms
communication technologies – telephone, email, text messaging.

UNIT 5 – SOCIAL SKILLS

the broader community expectations of social behaviour – appearance, behaviour in formal and informal situations, language in public
personal hygiene practices and community expectations
social conventions and relationships
safe practices when interacting in the community.

UNIT 6 – PLANNING AND ORGANISING ACTIVITIES

organisational skills to support successful study – getting to school on time, managing timetables, creating a study plan
managing a diary – making and keeping appointments
planning activities.

Work Requirements

Learners will undertake research on one (1) issue from each of the following Units:

Unit 1 - Local community knowledge
Unit 3 - Living independently within a community
Unit 6 – Planning and organising activities
and
Plan a party to celebrate something, including details of what is being celebrated, date, time and location, RSVP information and how to travel to and from the event by public transport.

Research findings/plans may be presented in any of the following formats:

A3 poster featuring text and pictures
a pamphlet/brochure
an item for the school daily news bulletin or newsletter
2 page negotiated study
2 minute PowerPoint presentation
2 minute oral presentation
short multimodal presentation.

Each of the four tasks will be completed in a different format.

Learners will undertake simple, oral reviews of their performance in completing assigned tasks. This may involve:

discussing work-in-progress and finished task with teacher
comparing features of own completed task with the task as directed.

Assessment

Criterion-based assessment is a form of outcomes assessment that identifies the extent of learner achievement at an appropriate end-point of study. Although assessment – as part of the learning program – is continuous, much of it is formative, and is done to help learners identify what they need to do to attain the maximum benefit from their study of the course. Therefore, assessment for summative reporting to TASC will focus on what both teacher and learner understand to reflect end-point achievement.

The standard of achievement each learner attains on each criterion is recorded as a rating of ‘C’ (satisfactory standard) according to the outcomes specified in the standards section of the course document.

A ‘t’ notation must be used where a learner demonstrates any achievement against a criterion less than the standard specified for the ‘C’ rating. The ‘t’ notation is not described in course standards.

A ‘z’ notation is to be used where a learner provides no evidence of achievement at all.

Providers offering this course must participate in quality assurance processes specified by TASC to ensure provider validity and comparability of standards across all awards. To learn more, see TASC's quality assurance processes and assessment information.

Internal assessment of all criteria will be made by the provider. Assessment processes must gather evidence that clearly shows the match between individual learner performance, the standards of the course and the learner’s award. Providers will report the learner’s rating for each criterion to TASC.

Quality Assurance Process

The following processes will be facilitated by TASC to ensure there is:

a match between the standards of achievement specified in the course and the skills and knowledge demonstrated by learners
community confidence in the integrity and meaning of the qualification.

Process – TASC will verify that the provider’s course delivery and assessment standards meet the course requirements and community expectations for fairness, integrity and validity of qualifications TASC issues. This will involve checking:

learner attendance records; and
course delivery plans (the sequence of course delivery/tasks and when assessments take place):
- assessment instruments and rubrics (the ‘rules’ or marking guide used to judge achievement)
- class records of assessment
- examples of learner work that demonstrate the use of the marking guide
- samples of current learner’s work, including that related to any work requirements articulated in the course document.

This process may also include interviews with past and present learners. It will be scheduled by TASC using a risk-based approach.

Criteria

The assessment for Community Access Level 1 will be based on whether the learner can:

1. identify and access a range of community organisations and services
2. use local transport services
3. identify and apply independent living skills
4. communicate effectively in a local community environment
5. use appropriate behaviour in a range of community and social situations+
6. plan, organise and complete simple activities

Standards

Criterion 1: identify and access a range of community organisations and services

The learner can:

Rating C
determine when a service or agency is needed
connect with (contact or gather information from) at least three (3) organisations, each of which offers a different type of service
use procedures necessary to access organisations and services e.g. use help facilities when necessary, fill in appropriate forms.

Criterion 2: use local transport services

The learner can:

Rating C
read a bus timetable
flag and catch a bus
alight at the appropriate stop
pay the appropriate fare
phone and book a taxi (real or simulated)
use telephone and online booking facilities to find transport information and/or book transport.

Criterion 3: identify and apply independent living skills

The learner can:

Rating C
explain how to obtain a learner’s and provisional driver’s licence
perform basic home duties (e.g. washing and cleaning, food storage, preparation of basic meals)
perform basic home maintenance (e.g. changing a light bulb, unblocking a sink)
make healthy choices (e.g. shopping for food, choosing leisure activities)
plan expenditure and shop for basic items (e.g. everyday groceries or clothing)
follow safety practices in a range of situations (e.g. home safety, personal safety, basic first aid, road safety).

Criterion 4: communicate effectively in a local community environment

The learner can:

Rating C
use appropriate interpersonal communication in a one-on-one situation
use basic written communication – write simple letters, fill in simple forms, write simple emails
use communication technologies efficiently, and with regard to personal safety and social conventions.

Criterion 5: use appropriate behaviour in a range of community and social situations+

The learner can:

Rating C
dress appropriately for specific activities in the community setting
use appropriate language in specified community settings
maintain appropriate standards of hygiene and personal presentation
apply appropriate social norms and behaviours.

+Such situations may be real and/or simulated situations.

Criterion 6: plan, organise and complete simple activities

The learner can:

Rating C
read and use own study timetable (or similar timetable)
prepare appropriately for selected activities
complete activities to which a commitment has been made within given/agreed timeframes
organise and use own diary
plan an activity as an individual or as part of a team
make and keep appointments
maintain task focus for agreed periods
complete most aspects of a given task/activity
orally review own performance.

Qualifications Available

Community Access Level 1 (with the award of):

SATISFACTORY ACHIEVEMENT

PRELIMINARY ACHIEVEMENT

Award Requirements

The final award will be determined by the Office of Tasmanian Assessment, Standards and Certification from 6 ratings.

The minimum requirements for an award in Community Access Level 1 are as follows:

SATISFACTORY ACHIEVEMENT (SA)
5 ‘C’ ratings

PRELIMINARY ACHIEVEMENT (PA)
3 ‘C’ ratings

Course Evaluation

The Department of Education’s Curriculum Services will develop and regularly revise the curriculum. This evaluation will be informed by the experience of the course’s implementation, delivery and assessment.

In addition, stakeholders may request Curriculum Services to review a particular aspect of an accredited course.

Requests for amendments to an accredited course will be forwarded by Curriculum Services to the Office of TASC for formal consideration.

Such requests for amendment will be considered in terms of the likely improvements to the outcomes for learners, possible consequences for delivery and assessment of the course, and alignment with Australian Curriculum materials.

A course is formally analysed prior to the expiry of its accreditation as part of the process to develop specifications to guide the development of any replacement course.

Course Developer

The Department of Education.

Expectations Defined By National Standards

There are no statements of national standards relevant to this course.

Accreditation

The accreditation period for this course has been renewed from 1 January 2019 until 31 December 2021.

During the accreditation period required amendments can be considered via established processes.

Should outcomes of the Years 9-12 Review process find this course unsuitable for inclusion in the Tasmanian senior secondary curriculum, its accreditation may be cancelled. Any such cancellation would not occur during an academic year.

Version History

Version 1 – Accredited on 25 November 2016 for use from 1 January 2017. This course replaces Community Access (CAC110112) that expired on 31 December 2016.

Version 1.1 – Renewal of accreditation on 13 August 2017 for use in 2018.

Accreditation renewed on 22 November 2018 for the period 1 January 2019 until 31 December 2021.

Appendix 1

LINE OF SIGHT – Community Access Level 1

Learning Outcomes	Criteria	Criteria and Elements	Content
identify the location and functions of community facilities, services and organisations in their communities	1. identify and access a range of community organisations and services	C1 E1–3	UNIT 1
plan their local travel using public transport services	2. use local transport services	C2 E1–6	UNIT 2
perform many of the tasks required to live independently	3. identify and apply independent living skills	C3 E1–6	UNIT 3
communicate effectively in community contexts	4. communicate effectively in a local community environment	C4 E1–3	UNIT 4
behave appropriately in community contexts	5. use appropriate behaviour in a range of community and social situations	C5 E1–4	UNIT 5
plan activities and manage their time appropriately.	6. plan, organise and complete activities	C6 E1–9	UNIT 6