NZQA registered unit standard
26958 version 1
Page 1 of 4
Title
Explain cultural competence and apply cultural competencies as a
health and disability advocate
Level
5
Credits
6
Purpose
People credited with this unit standard are able to: explain
cultural competence in health and disability advocacy practice;
demonstrate cultural competence when working as a health
and disability advocate with people of different cultures; and
evaluate own cultural competence in advocacy practice when
working with people of different cultures.
Classification
Health, Disability, and Aged Support > Health and Disability
Principles in Practice
Available grade
Achieved
Explanatory notes
1
Legislation relevant to this unit standard includes:
Accident Compensation Act 2001;
Children, Young Persons, and Their Families Act 1989;
Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994;
Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003;
Human Rights Act 1993;
Intellectual Disability (Compulsory Care and Rehabilitation) Act 2003;
Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992;
New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990;
Privacy Act 1993;
Protection of Personal and Property Rights Act 1988.
2
Codes and guidelines relevant to this unit standard include:
Advocacy Code of Practice; available at http://advocacy.hdc.org.nz/resources/codeof-practice;
Advocacy Guidelines for the Nationwide Advocacy Service Pursuant to section 28 (1)
of the Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994. The New Zealand Gazette, 24
March 2005. Available at http://advocacy.hdc.org.nz/resources/advocacy-guidelines;
Health and Disability Commissioner (Code of Health and Disability Services
Consumers’ Rights) Regulations 1996, available at http://www.hdc.org.nz;
Health Information Privacy Code 1994, available at http://www.privacy.org.nz.
3
New Zealand Standards relevant to this unit standard include:
NZS 8134.0:2008 Health and disability services Standards – Health and disability
services (general) Standard;
NZS 8134.1:2008 Health and disability services Standards – Health and disability
services (core) Standards;
Community Support Services ITO Limited
SSB Code 101814
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
26958 version 1
Page 2 of 4
NZS 8134.2:2008 Health and disability services Standards – Health and disability
services (restraint minimisation and safe practice) Standards;
NZS 8134.3:2008 Health and disability services Standards – Health and disability
services (infection prevention and control) Standards.
4
References
Ministry of Health. (2001). The New Zealand Disability Strategy. Wellington: Author.
Ministry of Health. (2002). He Korowai Oranga – Māori Health Strategy. Wellington:
Author.
Ministry of Health. (2002). The Pacific Health and Disability Action Plan. Wellington:
Author.
Ministry of Health. (2005). National Mental Health Information Strategy 2005–2010.
Wellington: Author.
The above Ministry of Health publications are available at http://www.moh.govt.nz/.
Nationwide Health and Disability Advocacy Service. (2006). Māori cultural
competencies for health and disability advocates. Wellington: Author; available at
http://advocacy.hdc.org.nz/about-us/competencies.
Nationwide Health and Disability Advocacy Service. (2010). Cultural competencies
for health and disability advocates. Auckland: Author; available at
http://advocacy.hdc.org.nz/about-us/competencies.
5
This unit standard cannot be assessed against in a simulated environment. It is
required that people seeking credit for this unit standard demonstrate competence
and are assessed in the workplace: through paid or unpaid employment, or in
placements in a service provider workplace negotiated by an education provider.
6
Candidates’ practice must show appropriate values, processes, and protocols in
relation to working with different cultures in a range of settings and environments, in
accordance with the provisions outlined in the two Nationwide Health and Disability
Advocacy Service publications referenced in explanatory note 4 above.
7
Definitions
Consumer is defined in the Code of Rights and the Health and Disability
Commissioner Act 1994 in the following ways:
'Consumer means a health consumer or a disability services consumer; and, for the
purposes of rights 5, 6, 7(1), 7(7) to 7(10), and 10, includes a person entitled to give
consent on behalf of that consumer.' – Code of Rights, Regulation 4.
'Disability services consumer means any person with a disability that –
'(a) Reduces that person's ability to function independently; and
'(b) Means that the person is likely to need support for an indefinite period.' – Health
and Disability Commissioner Act 1994, s. 2.
'Health consumer includes any person on or in respect of whom any health care
procedure is carried out.' – Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994, s. 2.
Culture refers to the totality of socially transmitted beliefs, values, customs, behaviour
patterns and/or practices, together with all other products of human work and thought
that are common to – or characteristic of – a particular group or community. The
concept of culture may reflect factors and indicators such as: age, ethnicity, disability,
gender, occupation, organisational background, immigrant or refugee status,
institutional care, religion or spiritual beliefs, sexual orientation, and socio-economic
status.
Community Support Services ITO Limited
SSB Code 101814
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
26958 version 1
Page 3 of 4
Cultural competence refers to the knowledge, skills, and values that are required to
achieve a better understanding of, and enhance relationships with, members of
different cultures. (‘Different cultures’ refers to cultures other than Māori, who are
specifically covered in Unit 26953, Apply Māori cultural competencies as a health and
disability advocate.).
Health and disability advocates assist consumers to have their rights recognised and
upheld by health and disability service providers; and encourage them to take action
– including making a complaint – if they have an unresolved concern. Advocates
operate independently of government agencies, the Health and Disability
Commissioner, and the funders of health and disability services.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Explain cultural competence in terms of health and disability advocacy practice.
Range
explanation is supported by three examples from own practice as a health and
disability advocate.
Evidence requirements
1.1
Cultural competence for health and disability advocates is explained in terms of
its intended benefits for consumers.
1.2
Cultural competence in advocacy practice is explained in terms of its
underpinning knowledge, skills, and values.
Outcome 2
Demonstrate cultural competence when working as a health and disability advocate with
people of different cultures.
Range
evidence is required of three examples from own practice as a health and
disability advocate.
Evidence requirements
2.1
The social, cultural, and linguistic needs of consumers of different cultures are
explained in relation to the health and disability advocate’s cultural competence.
2.2
Interactions with consumers of different cultures are in accordance with their
social, cultural, and linguistic needs, and cultural competencies.
Outcome 3
Evaluate own cultural competence in advocacy practice when working with people of
different cultures.
Range
evidence is required of evaluation of three examples from own practice as a
health and disability advocate.
Community Support Services ITO Limited
SSB Code 101814
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
26958 version 1
Page 4 of 4
Evidence requirements
3.1
Effectiveness of own advocacy practice with people of different cultures is
evaluated in relation to the knowledge, skills, and values required for cultural
competence.
Planned review date
31 December 2016
Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process
Version Date
Last Date for Assessment
Registration
1
19 November 2010
N/A
Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP) reference
0024
This AMAP can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.
Please note
Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA, or
an inter-institutional body with delegated authority for quality assurance, before they can
report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses of study leading
to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by
NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.
Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and
which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that
applies to those standards.
Consent requirements and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this
standard are outlined in the Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP). The
AMAP also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations
wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for
tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements.
Comments on this unit standard
Please contact the Community Support Services ITO Limited
enquiries@careerforce.org.nz if you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit
standard.
Community Support Services ITO Limited
SSB Code 101814
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016