7917 version 4
28-Jun-16
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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF
SOCIAL SERVICE WORKERS
Demonstrate self awareness for social
service work
level:
6
credit:
12
planned review date:
June 2006
sub-field:
Social Services
purpose:
People credited with this unit standard are able to: describe
formative influences in the candidate’s history and life
experience; explain the impact of formative influences on the
candidate’s social service work; explain systems for
management and development of self awareness in the
social services; and demonstrate self awareness in
relationships with service users in social service work.
entry information:
Open.
accreditation option:
Evaluation of documentation and visit by NZQA, industry and
teaching professional in the same field from another
provider.
moderation option:
A centrally established and directed national moderation
system has been set up by Community Support Services ITO
Limited (Careerforce).
special notes:
1
People awarded credit in this unit standard are able to
implement Te Tiriti o Waitangi in the social services
according to the authority and resources available to
them, and are able to demonstrate application of this
competence to the context of assessment for this unit
standard (for further clarification, please refer to Unit
7928, Implement Te Tiriti o Waitangi in the social
services).
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
7917 version 4
28-Jun-16
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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF
SOCIAL SERVICE WORKERS
Demonstrate self awareness for social
service work
2
Glossary
Field of social service work includes but is not limited
to: community work, counselling, Iwi/Māori social
services, Pacific Island social services, social work,
youth work.
Self awareness is defined as awareness by the social
service worker of the impact of their personal beliefs,
feelings, spirituality, philosophy, values, world view, and
personal and professional boundaries on their work and
relationships with service users in the social services.
Service user is used as a generic term to denote people
from user groups of the social services. They may be
referred to by various descriptive terms in the range of
social service settings.
3
This unit standard requires particular depth of
disclosure of personal information. All communications
with and between people preparing for award of this
unit standard are treated confidentially by assessors
and others involved in preparation for assessment. The
scope and limits of confidentiality are defined through
negotiation, informed consent, and criteria established
by legislation, ethical practice, and service provider
guidelines.
Sources of criteria established by
legislation, ethical practice, and service provider
guidelines include but are not limited to: Official
Information Act 1982, Privacy Act 1993, service
provider codes of conduct, codes of practice issued by
the Privacy Commissioner, social service codes of
ethics, and service provider guidelines, protocols, staff
manuals, strategic plans, kawa, or tikanga.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
7917 version 4
28-Jun-16
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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF
SOCIAL SERVICE WORKERS
Demonstrate self awareness for social
service work
Elements and Performance Criteria
element 1
Describe formative influences in the candidate’s history and life experience.
performance criteria
1.1
The description outlines the history of the candidate’s family or whānau of
origin.
Range:
1.2
family or whānau of origin is defined by genealogy or whakapapa
and may include but is not limited to - birth, adoption, whāngai.
Evidence is required of an outline of the history of the candidate's
family or whānau back to grandparents.
The description outlines formative influences in the candidate’s personal history
and life experience.
Range:
formative influences may include but are not limited to – age;
culture, including significant cultural values; economic, political,
ideological, kinship, and religious structures; disabilities; gender;
sexual orientation; socio-economic status; spirituality; family
relationships; social relationships; loss; educational, recreational,
and work experiences; physical and mental development;
historical origins; migration and settlement patterns; reasons for
migration to and within Aotearoa New Zealand.
Evidence is required in relation to eight formative influences.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
7917 version 4
28-Jun-16
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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF
SOCIAL SERVICE WORKERS
Demonstrate self awareness for social
service work
element 2
Explain the impact of formative influences on the candidate’s social service work.
performance criteria
2.1
The explanation identifies the impact of formative influences on the candidate’s
philosophy of work within the social services.
Range:
2.2
The explanation identifies the impact of formative influences on the candidate.
Range:
2.3
impact on the candidate - beliefs, feelings, values, and world view;
personal boundaries; self confidence; self esteem; philosophy;
spirituality.
The explanation identifies the impact of formative influences on how the
candidate relates to service users.
Range:
2.4
philosophy of work within the social services includes but is not
limited to – vision; goals; reasons for chosen field of social service
work; choice of field of practice within a field of social services.
impact on how the candidate relates to service users transference and countertransference; parallel process; personal
boundaries; professional boundaries; client safety.
The explanation identifies actual or potential risks to service users arising from
formative influences on the candidate.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
7917 version 4
28-Jun-16
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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF
SOCIAL SERVICE WORKERS
Demonstrate self awareness for social
service work
element 3
Explain systems for management and development of self awareness in the social
services.
performance criteria
3.1
The explanation includes the role, function, and value of professional social
services supervision in management and development of personal awareness
in the social services.
3.2
The explanation includes the role, function, and value of personal counselling in
management and development of personal awareness in the social services.
3.3
The explanation includes the role, function, and value of membership of a
reference group in management and development of personal awareness in the
social services.
Range:
reference group may include but is not limited to – co-worker
group; professional association; peer group; cultural group;
spiritual group;
cultural group may include but is not limited to – whānau, hapū,
iwi; Pacific Islands group; other cultural authority.
Evidence is required in relation to three reference groups.
element 4
Demonstrate self awareness in relationships with service users in social service work.
Range:
the candidate must be observed in four situations with different service users.
performance criteria
4.1
The relationships with service users and the candidate’s subsequent reflection
demonstrate awareness of the impact of formative influences on the candidate.
Range:
impact on the candidate - beliefs, feelings, values, and world view;
personal boundaries; self confidence; self esteem; spirituality.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
7917 version 4
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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF
SOCIAL SERVICE WORKERS
Demonstrate self awareness for social
service work
4.2
The relationships with service users and the candidate’s subsequent reflection
demonstrate awareness of the impact of formative influences on how the
candidate relates to service users in the social services.
Range:
4.3
impacts on the candidate’s relationships with service users transference and countertransference; parallel process; personal
boundaries; professional boundaries.
The relationships with service users and the candidate’s subsequent reflection
demonstrate awareness and management of client safety.
Comments to:
Careerforce
PO Box 2637
Wellington 6140
Please Note:
Providers must be accredited by the Qualifications Authority
before they can offer programmes of education and training
assessed against unit standards.
Accredited providers assessing against unit standards must
engage with the moderation system that applies to those unit
standards. [Please refer to relevant Plan ref: 0222]
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016