NZQA Assessment Support Material
Unit standard
9680
Title
Communicate within a specified organisational context
Level
2
Vocational pathways
Credits
Version
3
4
Social and Community Services
Student guidelines
Introduction
This assessment activity requires you to show that you can:

Demonstrate knowledge of how organisational and legislative requirements impact on
communication within a specified organisational context.

Communicate orally within a specified organisational context.

Communicate in writing within a specified organisational context.
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Student guidelines
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Conditions of assessment
Assessor note: It is expected that the assessor will read the learner instructions and modify them
if necessary to suit their learners.
This is an open book assessment. You may use any information to help you complete the
assessment. All responses must be in your own words.
Where you will be assessed
Each of the three tasks in this assessment must be completed for the same organisation.The
organisation must be related to the Social and Community Services sector.
For the purpose of this assessment, organisation means any work, community, religious,
educational or cultural context. You must state the organisation in which assessment is
occurring.
Organisational requirements mean those policies and procedures specific to your organisation.
How you will be assessed
There are three (3) tasks in this assessment.

Task 1 is about your knowledge of how legislative and organisational requirements impact on
communication within your organisation. There is a worksheet to fill in.

Task 2 requires evidence of different types of oral communication completed by you in your
organisation.

Task 3 requires evidence of three different types of written communication completed by you
in your organisation.
Workplace Verification

Your workplace supervisor must verify Tasks 1 -3 to confirm that your descriptions are
accurate and reflect organisational requirements.
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Task 1
Organisational and legislative requirements for communication
within my organisation
Instructions
This task requires you to demonstrate knowledge of how legislative and organisational
requirements impact on communication within your organisation. The organisation must be part of
the Social and Community Services sector.
A. Briefly describe the organisation in which assessment is occurring below.
B. Answer the questions B 1-4 that follow on the next pages.
C. Ask your workplace assessor / verifier to confirm that your answers are correct for that
organisation.
A. Description of my organisation:
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B. 1. Official Information Act 1982. Give one example of what this law requires of your
organisation in relation to communication, for each of the following:
a. Providing information
b. Recording information
c. Storing information
d. Distributing information
2. Privacy Act 1993. Give one example of what this law requires of your organisation in
relation to communication for each of the following:
a. Providing information
b. Recording information
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c. Storing information
d. Distributing information
3. Other legislation. For your organisation, name any other law relevant to communication:
Give one example (each) of what this law requires of your organisation in relation to
communication, for each of the following:
a. Providing information
b. Recording information
c. Storing information
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d. Distributing information
4. Other requirements (not legislative). Give one example of a requirement your
organisation has in relation to communication for each of the following:
a. Providing information
b. Recording information
c. Storing information
d. Distributing information
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Task 1
Organisation verification
To the verifier:
The purpose of verification is to record observation of the learner’s performance in the organisation where
evidence is being collected. This observation provides feedback to the assessor who will examine this
evidence against the requirements of the unit standard and must be completed by someone in that
organisation with appropriate level of responsibility to confirm performance meets organisational
requirements.
As a supervisor I confirm that _________________________________ (name of learner) has,
without assistance, accurately described our organisational requirements for providing information,
and recording, storing and distributing information.
Supporting comments
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Signed:
__________________________
Name:
__________________________
Position:
__________________________
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Dated:
_________________________
Organisation:
_________________________
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Task 2

Communicate orally within your organisation
Instructions
1. For this task you must provide evidence of communicating orally within your organisation.
2. Talk to your assessor about the sorts of oral communications you make within your
organisation to see if these are suitable for assessment. If not, situations within your
organisation may be simulated by the assessor.
3. Evidence must be collected from at least three situations:

one must be by phone

one must be face-to-face in an individual situation (ie you and one other person)

one must be face-to-face in a group situation (ie you and at least two other people).
4. You also have to provide evidence that you can communicate orally:

in at least one confidential situation

in at least one situation where the nature of the conversation is unexpected (for example, not
routine, or where the other person uses inappropriate verbal or non-verbal communication).

This means that you may have to have evidence from more than three situations.
5. Examples of communicating orally in situations that could be used as evidence for a person
working, for example, in a library are :

A telephone call from a customer to see if the return date for a particular book can be
extended, or if a particular book is in stock.

A face-to-face complaint from a customer about the poor condition of a book they borrowed
that has several pages torn out.

A presentation to a group of recent immigrants explaining some of the facilities the library has
to offer.

A telephone call from a customer who is angry about a library fine.

A face-to-face request for information about pregnancy and contraception.
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6. Use the recording sheets to describe each oral communication that occurred. You must provide
at least three recording sheets.
An example of a recording sheet completed by someone working in a library is provided in the
Resource section of this assessment, to give you an indication about the level of detail you
should record on this sheet before you give it to the verifier.
7. Ask your workplace supervisor to verify each interaction you describe.
The purpose of verification is to record and attest to observation of your performance in the
organisation where evidence is being collected.
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Oral communication recording sheet
Communication situation was (tick one):
By telephone
Face-to-face with one other person
Face-to-face with a group
(Use a separate recording sheet for each situation)
Was this communication confidential?
Yes / No
Was this communication unexpected?
Yes / No
Note: Examples of unexpected communications include any that are non-routine or where the other person
or parties use inappropriate verbal or non-verbal communication
Describe the situation here
1. For each of the following categories, give an example that shows your communication fitted the
situation, occasion, medium and relationship between yourself and the other participant(s),
and met organisational requirements.
Form of address and identification_____________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Vocabulary, content and language structure_____________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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2. Give an example of feedback you sought from the listeners/responders to ensure
understanding.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
3. Give an example of clarification sought from listeners/responders to ensure understanding.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
4. Give an example that shows the interaction was concluded to fit the situation, occasion,
medium and relationship between yourself and the other participant(s), and met organisational
requirements.
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
5. If the communication was unexpected, give an example to show that your responses met
organisational requirements.
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
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Oral communication verification statement
To the verifier:
The purpose of verification is to record observation of the learner’s performance in the organisation where
evidence is being collected. This observation provides feedback to the assessor who will examine this
evidence against the requirements of the unit standard and must be completed by someone in that
organisation with appropriate level of responsibility to confirm performance meets organisational
requirements.
Note: A separate recording sheet is required for each situation.
I confirm that …………………………………………………..(name of learner) has accurately
described on the Oral Communication Recording Sheet what occurred for one of the following
situations (tick one):
telephone
face-to-face with one other person
face-to-face with a group
I also confirm that our organisational requirements for oral communications were met regarding
appropriate:
–
forms of address and identification
–
vocabulary, content and language structure
–
responses to unexpected communications
–
completion of an interaction.
Supporting comment/s:
Signed:
_________________________
Name:
_________________________
Position:
_________________________
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Dated:
__________________________
Organisation:
__________________________
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Oral communication recording sheet – example
Communication situation was (tick one):
√ By telephone
Face-to-face with one other person
Face-to-face with a group
Was this communication confidential?
No
Was this communication unexpected?
No
Note: Examples of unexpected communications include any that are non-routine or where the
other person or parties use inappropriate verbal or non-verbal communication
Describe the situation here:
A customer called to say they heard Kim Hill talking about a book on her radio programme a few
Saturday’s ago, that sounded like a really good read. The customer didn’t write down the name of
the book or the author and wants some help from the library to see if they can help work out which
book it was and then reserve a copy or ask the library to order it in.
1. For each of the following categories, give an example that shows your communication fit the
situation, occasion, medium and relationship between yourself and the other participant(s), and
met organisational requirements.
Form of address and identification
I used our usual form of address and way of identifying myself: “Hello this is Jenny, Librarian –
how can I help you?”
Vocabulary, content and language structure
The customer was vague about the book title and author. I structured the conversation by first
asking if they could remember the date of the radio programme and what programme it was. I
then asked for more information about the type of book – was it a historical novel, a crime
story, science fiction etc. I then asked if they could remember anything about the main
character. Then I explained I would look up the Radio NZ website while we were talking to see
if there was any more information about the book on the website for the programme they
thought they heard about the book on.
2. Give an example of feedback you sought from the listeners/responders to ensure
understanding.
I found the book on the Radio NZ website and read the blurb from the website to the customer
and asked them if it sounded like the right book – they said it did and asked for the book to be
reserved.
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3. Give an example of clarification sought from listeners/responders to ensure understanding.
The customer said they thought it sounded like quite an old book – I asked if they meant was it
a story written a long time ago, or a story set in the past.
4. How was the interaction completed?
We worked out which book it was and I have reserved the book for the customer. I said that I
was pleased we had tracked down the book they wanted and asked if they wanted another one
by the same author or a similar story.
5. If the communication was unexpected, give an example to show that your responses met
organisational requirements.
N/A
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Task 3

Communicate in writing within your organisation
Instructions
1. For this task you must provide evidence of communicating in writing within your organisation.
2. At least one piece of evidence must be collected for each of the following types of
communication:

email

memo

letter.
3. Talk to your assessor about the sorts of written communications you make within your
organisation to see if these are suitable for assessment. If not, a scenario may be simulated by
the assessor.
4. Examples of communicating in writing in situations that could be used as evidence for a person
working, for example, in a library are :

A request to a community group for donations to purchase particular books for the
reference section.

A thank you to a community group that has donated books to the reference section.

A response to an email requesting that a return date be extended.

A communication to all library staff requesting ideas for public events linked to the NZ
Children’s Book awards being announced.

A communication to all staff confirming dates when the library will be closed during the
Christmas period.
5. Make sure that:

the type of communication (email, memo, letter) fits the organisational context, subject
matter and intended audience of that communication.

you use forms of address and identification, and choose vocabulary, content and language
structure that fit the situation, occasion, medium, relationship between participants, and
organisational requirements.

your spelling, punctuation, grammar, and format meet organisational requirements.
6. Ask your workplace supervisor or assessor to verify that you have produced the
communications and that they meet organisational requirements using the (written
communication verification) form provided.
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Student guidelines
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Written communication verification
I confirm that………………………………………………… (name of learner) has produced the
following written communications without assistance and in accordance with organisational
requirements:
email
memo
letter
I also confirm that our organisational requirements for written communications were met
regarding appropriate:
–
mode of communication
–
forms of address and identification
–
vocabulary, content and language structure
–
spelling, punctuation, grammar and format
Supporting comment/s:
Signed:
_________________________
Name:
_________________________
Position:
_________________________
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Dated:
__________________________
Organisation: __________________________
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Checklist
Check you have the following evidence that you have communicated within a specified
Task 1
Task 1 – worksheet on The impact of organisational and legislative requirements on
communication within my organisation
Organisation verification statement
Task 2
Evidence of oral communication in your nominated organisation for each of the following
situations. Remember that some oral communications may cover more than one requirement.
One Oral Communication recording sheet for a telephone communication
One Oral Communication recording sheet for a face-to-face communication in an
individual situation
One Oral Communication recording sheet for a face-to-face communication in a group
situation
One confidential situation (on a separate recording sheet or part of the above)
One unexpected communication (on a separate recording sheet or part of the above)
Three (at least) Oral communication verification statements
Task 3
Evidence of written communication in your nominated organisation for each of the
following situations
One email
One memo
One letter
One Written communication verification statement
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Student guidelines
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