Australia needs a new system of VET qualifications.

Demonstration projects are being used by Jobs and Skills Councils to road-test proposed new approaches to the design of qualifications.

A series of quality principles have been agreed on to underpin qualification design.

HumanAbility is examining the volunteering qualifications within the CHC Community Services Training Package, investigating the potential to enable broader vocational learning that will effectively support individuals to volunteer across a range of sectors, such as health, welfare, emergency services, environment, animal welfare, sport and recreation, and community services.

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July 2024

This project is commencing with the establishment of a Project Reference Group (PRG) comprising representatives of volunteer involving organisations and peak bodies for the volunteering ecosystem and representatives from RTOs with innovative learning design experience.

Complementing subject matter expert advice on what is important for effective volunteering roles, we will apply critical and creative thinking to how learning might be imparted and evaluated through action learning in a vocational learning environment.

The project will deliver:

  • Advice on qualification frame model; what a new qualification might look like and mapping of current training products against proposed new products.
  • Examples of two units of competency developed for a new qualification frame model and how the products and frame would work in practice.
  • Reflections and learnings gained from the project in context of application of the purpose-driven model and Qualification Development Quality Principles. This may reflect amendments to templates or guidance documents that will support future work related to qualification reform and recommendations to facilitate the broader work of Training Product Development for the Active Volunteering qualifications.

Project fact sheet

The details of this project’s Terms of Reference including Project Reference Group Members are here.

July - August 24

Workshops will be held in Perth, Sydney, Brisbane and online throughout August. Details and registration links can be found below.

These workshops will help us to explore:

  • What are the foundational/fundamental skills and knowledge needed for effective (front line) volunteering across all sectors?
  • What are the foundational/fundamental skills and knowledge that are unique for sectors and situations?
  • Beyond the front-line activities, what skills are needed?
  • What practices/activities are currently used for skilling volunteers?
  • Has the VET sector been of any assistance for skilling of volunteers? If not, why not? What might make it easier to use/access?
September 24
September 24

How to be involved

Targeted engagement through virtual and in-person workshops will provide valuable perspectives towards achievement of the project purpose.

Participation may be through workshop attendance (in-person or online) responding to the discussion paper or directly sharing advice and ideas with the HumanAbility project team.

Details of consultation activities will be provided here as they are finalised.

  • Perth – Monday 12th August 9.30 – 11.30 am
    Volunteering WA - Level 1, 3 Loftus Street, West Leederville WA

Perth workshop

  • Sydney – Wednesday 14th August 9.30 – 11.30 am
    Centre for Volunteering - Level 3, 40 Gloucester Street, The Rocks NSW

Sydney workshop

  • Brisbane – Monday 19th August 9.30 – 11.30 am
    Sports House - 150 Caxton Street, Milton QLD

    Brisbane workshop
  • Online Workshops

    Workshop 1 - Friday 23rd August 9.30 - 11.00 am AEST
    Microsoft Teams

    Workshop 2 - Friday 23rd August 1.00 - 2.30 pm AEST
    Microsoft Teams

Online workshops

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Project updates

Timeline

 
  • Project Set Up

    A Project Referent Group (PRG) will be established comprising representatives of Volunteer Involving Organisations and Peak Bodies for the volunteering ecosystem and representatives from RTOs with innovative learning design experience. 

     
  • Research & Consultation

    Complementing desktop research and quantitative data analysis, interviews and focus groups will be used to establish the foundational and fundamental skills that are common or unique across volunteering roles.

    In-person workshops will be hosted in Perth, Sydney and Brisbane to gather the advice of Volunteer Involving Organisations. 
    A discussion paper will be created to facilitate public input and inform workshops and interviews, allowing respondents to provide meaningful feedback to support the project purpose.

    We will then evaluate how the proposed quality principles influence the design of qualifications and units of competency. 

     
  • Findings & Recommendations

    The extent to which new vocational products might improve learner outcomes through quality design thinking will be explored, informed by stakeholder consultation and PRG advice.

    Specific evaluations and findings linked to product design will inform both interim and final reports.

     
     
  • Reporting & Submission

    A comprehensive report compiling all findings, analyses and stakeholder feedback, including specific providing advice on the proposed new design of vocational training products will be shared across the Jobs and Skills Councils and the Qualification Reform Design Group who are embedded within DEWR. 

    The advice will be aggregated with other Demonstration Projects for final advice to Skills Ministers.