Purpose and structure of this unit's assessment

As an educator or health professional, you will become a valuable member of the community within which you live and work. You need to be able to identify and research issues that impact the individuals, families and communities in your local area. You will also need the skills to engage and collaborate with local families, community members and organisations. The three assessment items for this unit are interrelated and are a little different from "usual” university assignments. The assessment tasks have been designed to facilitate and encourage learning using a deep and authentic approach to assessment and pedagogy. The learning goal for these assessments is to immerse you in a health and wellbeing issue relevant to your local area, support you as you "reach out" into your community to organise a community engagement activity, and then guide a personal and professional reflection on your experiences. The combination of assessment tasks will assist you to develop communication skills, critical thinking, disciplinary knowledge, cultural sensitivity, leadership skills and reflective practice.

Ensure you read all three assessment tasks together, so that you understand their relationship and progression:

• Item 1: Report
• Item 2: Community-based activity (applied project)
• Item 3: Reflection

Item 1: Exploration of a health and wellbeing issue (written report 1500 words)

This written report will provide you with the necessary background information to engage in your community-based activity (Item 2) and inform your reflection (Item 3). You may choose to show your report to your selected community organisation and receive feedback or guidance, so make sure that your report is professionally presented.

Your written report needs to address all of the following:

1. Identify various community services available in your local area (within approximately 5-10 kilometres from your geographic location) that support individuals, families or communities. You may use a table to present this information in your report (organisation, purpose/services offered, location, contact details). Locate a minimum of 10 suitable organisations. You can include face-to-face services, telehealth services or internet-based services. Must be government services or registered organisations (not blogs or unofficial websites).
2. Select one focus health and wellbeing issue and locate an appropriate organisation in your local community that addresses that issue.
3. Research and analyse information about the health and wellbeing issue you selected and include in your report:

• Relevant statistics about the issue - use Australian Bureau of Statistics and/or World Health Organisation statistics;
• Background information about your selected organisation (philosophy, mission statement, clients or target audience, services provided, key personnel, structure, funding, general information, history)
• Different approaches that have been used to address the health and wellbeing issue - what works, what hasn't worked (benefits and barriers);
• Academic research journal articles (minimum of 3) that support the approaches taken to the issue;
• Identify recommendations for “best practice” or how to tackle the issue, how to engage or communicate with clients (individuals, families, communities, the environment); and
• What else needs to be considered about the issue (complexity) - for example, cultural sensitivity, geographic location, funding, education, and so forth.

Guidelines for completing your report

• Use CQUniversity Library databases to locate academic journal articles. Ensure that you critically analyse all information for credibility, accuracy, and reliability. Do not use inappropriate internet sources.
• Use a report structure (sample provided). Use appropriate headings and sub-headings to "signpost" your report and to indicate that you have addressed each section. To guide you, your report should have a title page, an introduction (approximately 250 words) that states the issue you are researching, body (approximately 1000 words), conclusion (approximately 250 words), and reference list.
• The word count is considered from the first word of the introduction to the last word of the conclusion. It excludes the cover page, abstract, contents page, reference page and appendices. It includes in-text references and direct quotations.
• You may include pictures and diagrams but only if they enhance your report.
• Use a table when listing local services; however, the bulk of the report is to be written in full sentences and use appropriate paragraph structures, spelling and grammar.
• Edit your work before submission. Use "Studiosity" to edit/proof your work. Remember that you are becoming a professional and your own levels of literacy need to be of a high standard.
• Use APA 7th Edition Style of referencing (in-text) and reference list.

More information is available in the Assessment Section in Moodle.

1. Identify service organisations that support individuals, families and communities in challenging circumstances
2. Select and analyse sources of information, academic literature and social trends relating to health and wellbeing issues
3. Evaluate complex factors that impact health and wellbeing for individuals, families and communities
4. Demonstrate professional levels of personal literacy and knowledge of academic writing conventions

Item 2: Community-based activity rationale

An important skill for educators and health professionals is learning how to identify, communicate and "reach-out" to a partner organisation. This assessment and learning experience has two important purposes:

1. interacting with humans in challenging circumstances; and
2. provide you with strategies to confidently approach and communicate with a potential community partner.

This authentic community-service experience will give you an invaluable insight into the challenges of engaging with community and strategies to overcome these challenges.

Selecting a Community Project

There are two potential types of projects: direct service and indirect service. If you choose a direct service project, you will spend most of your time actively working with a local organisation in its day-to-day functions. An example of a direct service project could be volunteering at a soup kitchen or a youth centre. You must consider the organisation's health and safety precautions and in-place government advice. Alternatively, you may select an indirect service project, you will spend most of your time doing some “behind the scenes” research and communicating your findings to an organisation in your local community. An example of an indirect service project would be gathering data that assesses the impact of a social service provider on their clients, doing some office work as directed by the organisation or developing an awareness campaign for them.

What types of organisations are you allowed to choose?

The two most important criteria are that:

• you already have a relationship or solid connection to the organisation; and
• that the organisation is oriented toward the provision of “public service”, broadly defined.

Organisations should be non-partisan which means that the organisation is not biased or partisan, towards any particular political or religious group. If they are faith or religious-based organisation (for example, the Salvation Army), they should offer a social or community service in addition to spiritual guidance.

Not-for-Profit or Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) are most likely to meet these criteria. If you are interested in working with an organisation that does not have this status (such as a social business venture, a specific religious institution, or an organisation that is working to achieve NGO status), please contact your lecturer.

How many hours are required?

Because each project will be unique, there is no specific hour requirement. However, for planning purposes, a good range is 15-25 hours outside of allocated university study time, with a minimum of 2 contact days with the organisation and its people, completed during the suggested schedule timing (weeks 6-10). You must clearly communicate and negotiate your availability and limitations with the community organisation. The ratio of time spent between direct contact and indirect service will vary depending on your project and the structure of the organisation. This time also includes things like transportation, emails, background research, talking with people, and “hanging out” in the organisation.

How is work structured?

The ideal of community-based engagement is that your project builds knowledge in ways that simultaneously benefit your academic learning and benefits the community partner. This focus on the collaborative process of knowledge building is cultivated through a series of briefs. Specific instructions and guidelines for each brief are found in the Assessment Section on our Moodle.

You will determine the actual activities, timelines and products in dialogue with the organisation.

To achieve this dialogue, it will be important for you to quickly identify a contact person within the organisation who is both willing and able to discuss your project. Part of the planning process will include a discussion with the contact person about their schedule and expectations.

What to submit?

Single Word document or .pdf (template provided) that outlines organisation/s contacted, dates of contact including visits, activities undertaken, challenges you face.

Why are you submitting a templated document?

Record keeping is an essential professional skill. The depth of response and accuracy of record-keeping will be taken into consideration when marking.

1. Experience complex factors that impact health and wellbeing for individuals, families and communities.
2. Communicate with service organisations that support individuals, families and communities.
3. Interact with individuals and service organisations in professional, ethical and culturally appropriate ways.

Item 3: Reflection on learning experiences

Complete a suite of reflective practice questions including:

• Unit topics
• Health and wellbeing issues
• Human-centred / client focus
• Self-focus / personal development
• Future professional practice

Template and further information about Reflective Practice Questions are available in Assessment Section in Moodle.

1. Reflect on a range of complex issues relating to how organistions provide services to individuals, families and communities through community-based health and wellbeing initiatives. 
2. Deconstruct biases, perceptions and attitudes that impact the health and wellbeing of individuals, families and communities.
3. Demonstrate professional levels of personal literacy and knowledge of academic writing conventions