Course Title: Work with people experiencing or at risk of homelessness

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term2 2022

Course Code: HWSS6073C

Course Title: Work with people experiencing or at risk of homelessness

Important Information:

Please note that this course may have compulsory in-person attendance requirements for some teaching activities.  

To participate in any RMIT course in-person activities or assessment, you will need to comply with RMIT vaccination requirements which are applicable during the duration of the course. This RMIT requirement includes being vaccinated against COVID-19 or holding a valid medical exemption.  

Please read this RMIT Enrolment Procedure as it has important information regarding COVID vaccination and your study at RMIT: https://policies.rmit.edu.au/document/view.php?id=209.  

Please read the Student website for additional requirements of in-person attendance: https://www.rmit.edu.au/covid/coming-to-campus  

  

Please check your Canvas course shell closer to when the course starts to see if this course requires mandatory in-person attendance. The delivery method of the course might have to change quickly in response to changes in the local state/national directive regarding in-person course attendance.  

School: 535T Social Care and Health

Campus: City Campus

Program: C4352 - Certificate IV in Youth Work

Course Contact: Sarah Davidson

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 8871

Course Contact Email: sarah.davidson@rmit.edu.au

Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Nominal Hours: 85

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

None

Course Description

In this course you will be developing the skills and knowledge required to work with people who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless, including women and children experiencing family violence.

You will be focusing on some of the structural issues that affect people in relation to homelessness so that in your role as a youth worker you will be able to support clients experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of becoming homeless.

National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:	CHCSOH001 Work with people experiencing or at risk of homelessness
Element:	1. Address issues associated with people who are experiencing homelessness or risk of becoming homeless
Performance Criteria:	1.1 Be aware of own personal values and attitudes regarding homelessness and take these into account when planning and implementing work activities 1.2 Identify barriers in accessing safe, secure housing for people in specific circumstances experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless 1.3 Where appropriate, ensure opportunities are provided for the person to participate in service planning and support activities 1.4 Assess the personal safety of those experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless, including young homeless to ensure they are not in an unsafe situation and report and refer appropriately 1.5 Assess issues impacting on the person’s homelessness risk or situation and modify the approach to service delivery 1.6 Work with the person to identify and discuss potential solutions to complex issues raised, including referral to appropriate services and personnel 1.7 Provide advice and assistance on housing options

Learning Outcomes

Details of Learning Activities

• class exercises to review discussions/lectures
• practical demonstrations
• Blog/Wiki or other online discussion and participation
• analysis/critique of relevant reading material
• workshops
• design activities or projects
• group projects
• peer learning
• guest lecture/presentation
• peer teaching
• group discussion
• research
• independent project based work
• group activities/projects
• ‘workshopping’ of student projects including peer/lecturer feedback
• visits to galleries and events
• practical placement
• simulated workplaces.

 

Teaching Schedule

Week	Topic
Week 1	Questions to frame the discussion: What does homelessness mean in Australia? How are people classified as homeless? Who are the homeless? Why are they homeless?  How to recognise and challenge social attitudes and personal values regarding homelessness  Structural causes that allow and maintain homelessness  Issues impacting groups and sub-groups, i.e. youth, women and children, refugee/asylum, disability, older persons - consider the complex social issues impacting on these groups
Week 2	Gender experience of homelessness – family violence  Risk and contributing factors of homelessness  Where do we find out information about housing services?  Research activity for housing services - Assessment work
Week 3	Assessing a client’s homelessness risk or situation  Types of assessment tools and understanding homelessness risk criteria  Gathering information and requesting information from other sources  Identifying barriers to accessing accommodation services  Reporting children at risk of homelessness
Week 4	Working with clients at risk of homelessness     Participating in assessment role plays
Week 5	Working with clients at risk of homelessness     Participating in assessment role plays
Week 6	Assessing a client’s homelessness risk or situation  Types of assessment tools and understanding homelessness risk criteria  Gathering information and requesting information from other sources  Identifying barriers to accessing accommodation services  Reporting children at risk of homelessness
Week 7	Case Study Analysis
Week 8	Advocacy – how advocacy works within housing context  Advocating for housing support/services with client – process for this, importance of collaboration  Collaborative practices – how to support client  Assessment work  Providing advice and assistance on housing options  Working with client to help identify solutions  Researching housing options  Providing appropriate and relevant information
Week 9 &  Week 10	Advocating for and with clients  Helping the client to advocate for themselves with government agencies and service providers  Advocating within the community to address homelessness and tenancy issues    Assessment finalisation, review and reflection  Finalising assessments  Review of topics  Reflection on learning and applied tasks

Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts

References

Other Resources

Refer to Canvas for resource information.

Overview of Assessment

Assessment Task 1: Role Play

Assessment Task 2: Role Play

Assessment Task 3: Role Play

Assessment Task 4: Knowledge Questions

Assessment Tasks

Assessment task 1: Role play demonstrating students skills working with 1st client who is at risk of homelessness

Assessment task 2: Role play demonstrating students skills working with 2nd client who is at risk of homelessness

Assessment task 3: Role play demonstrating students skills working with 3rd client who is at risk of homelessness

Assessment task 4: Quiz evidencing students knowledge of the homelessness service sector

 

Assessment Matrix

A marking rubric for each assessment t ask is located on Canvas. 

Other Information

Please refer to the RMIT student page for extensive information about study support, assessment, extensions, appeals and a range of other matters: rmit.edu.au/students

 

Course Overview: Access Course Overview