Course Title: Working with Human Service Consumers

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Working with Human Service Consumers

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

HWSS2247

City Campus

Undergraduate

365H Global, Urban and Social Studies

Face-to-Face

 Sem 2 2022,
Sem 2 2023

Course Coordinator: Rachel Goff

Course Coordinator Phone: Contact via email please

Course Coordinator Email: rachel.goff@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: Building 8, Level 10

Course Coordinator Availability: Contact via email please


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None


Course Description

This course provides you with foundational practice-skills for working with diverse consumers in human services, which includes mental health, child protection, family violence, and disability services. You will have the opportunity to develop confidence and skills in interviewing, active listening and establishing trust with human service consumers through being aware of and appreciating difference. You will learn how to be a critically reflective practitioner who is aware of your values, biases, practice style, strengths and challenges.  

You will learn to situate your interactions with human service consumers within contemporary practice frameworks that are based upon social justice values, including a strengths-based approach, cultural safety and trauma informed practice. The course provides foundational practice skills and knowledge which will equip you to undertake further skills and knowledge development courses in specialised areas of practice. 


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

Program Learning Outcomes 

In this course you will develop the following program learning outcomes:  

  • Apply professional, theoretical and practical knowledge of the psychological and social sciences to your professional practice and further study.  
  • Critically analyse, synthesise and apply theoretical and professional insights from the psychological and social sciences to reflect on the challenges facing professional practice in a rapidly changing world. 
  • Work professionally, ethically and effectively with others from diverse cultural, linguistic and organisational contexts. 
  • Reflect on the experience of personal and professional practice in international and cross-cultural settings and act in professionalized settings responsibly, ethically and with integrity. 




Course Learning Outcomes 

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:  

1. Critically reflect on your experiences of privilege and oppression, identifying your strengths and challenges in engaging people from diverse backgrounds, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

2. Appraise contemporary practice theories and communicate how they address issues of social disadvantage in their translation into practice models. 

3. Apply critically informed practice frameworks to engage and work with human service consumers. 

4. Select, use and promote respectful language that is culturally and socially aware. 

5. Act reflexively within your consumer engagement practices, to evaluate and improve your knowledge, ideas and practice skills. 


Overview of Learning Activities

You will be actively engaged in a range of learning activities such as lectures, tutorial/workshops, class discussion, individual and group activities and simulated learning such as role plays. There will be extensive use of simulations, role plays and experiential learning designed to encourage you to develop and demonstrate practice skills, clarify personal values and viewpoints and un-pack the issues presented. As a practice skills course, it is important that you watch the weekly lectures and attend workshops in order to develop your practice skills.  

Delivery may be face to face, online or a mix of both. 


Overview of Learning Resources

RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through our online systems. You will be provided with scholarly resources and video resources. 

There are services available to support your learning through the University Library. The Library provides guides on academic referencing and subject specialist help as well as a range of study support services. For further information, please visit the Library page on the RMIT University website and the myRMIT student portal. 


Overview of Assessment

You will be assessed on how well you meet the course’s learning outcomes and on your development against the program learning outcomes.

Assessment Task 1: Role play simulation (15%), CLOs 4, 3, 5

Assessment Task 2: Developed role play simulation (25%) and critical reflection (25%), CLOs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Assessment Task 3: Case notes (35%), CLOs 3, 4

Feedback will be given on all assessment tasks.

If you have a long term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program coordinator or Equitable Learning Services if you would like to find out more.

Your course assessment conforms to RMIT assessment principles, regulations, policies, procedures and instructions.