Competencies and attributes – user perspective Philip Patston Independent Board Member Home and Community Association Abstract This presentation is a personal reflection on support workforce training needs from my perspective as an Individualised Funding user and employer of my own support workers. Comparisons will be made with the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) recognised training competencies currently used to train support workers who provide personal care and household management services on behalf of agencies. I will present my opinion about the relevance and importance of current competencies; discuss the competencies and attributes I look for when hiring support workers; share the reasons I prioritise these competencies and attributes; and discuss the ease and challenges of hiring and retaining people with these competencies and attributes. Finally I will suggest a revised set of workforce competencies and attributes that incorporates my priorities. Time will then be allowed for discussion about the feasibility of applying these to agency workforces.

1. C O M P E T E N C I E S A N D AT T R I B U T E S
– U S E R P E R S P E C T I V E
P H I L I P PAT S T O N

2. Q U A L I F I C AT I O N S
C E RT I F I C AT E I N H E A LT H
A N D W E L L B E I N G ( L E V E L 2 )
N Z Q A - A P P R O V E D

3. W H AT T H E Y T H I N K
V S .
W H AT I WA N T
R E L E VA N C E

4. This programme aims to develop the entry-level skills
and knowledge required to provide person-centred
support in the health and wellbeing sectors, and to
provide a training pathway for entry into careers in the
health and wellbeing sectors.

5. Graduates of this qualification will be able to:
• Work within the responsibilities and boundaries of their
role.
• Perform entry-level, person-centred tasks and functions
in a health or wellbeing setting.
• Recognise and report risks and/or changes in a person
and/or family/whānau.
• Communicate to support a person’s health or wellbeing.
8 months

6. 1 . U N D E R S TA N D T H E R E S P O N S I B I L I T I E S
A N D B O U N D A R I E S O F T H E I R R O L E .
• Describe the role of a support worker in a health or
wellbeing setting
• Describe a person’s rights in a health or wellbeing
setting

7. 2 . P E R F O R M E N T RY- L E V E L P E R S O N -
C E N T R E D TA S K S A N D F U N C T I O N S I N A
H E A LT H O R W E L L B E I N G S E T T I N G .
• Maintain a safe and secure environment for people
and support workers in a health or wellbeing
setting
• Identify the impact of culture on support in a health
or wellbeing setting

8. • Support a person to meet personal care needs in a health or wellbeing setting
• Apply personal plan requirements to meet the needs of people in a health or
wellbeing setting
• Describe infection control requirements in a health or wellbeing setting
• Describe the principles for moving equipment and people in a health or
wellbeing setting
• Describe pre-packaged medication and the process for its use in a health or
wellbeing setting
• Describe the use of enablers, restraints, and safe restraint practice in an aged
care, health or disability context
• Support a person to eat and drink in a health or wellbeing setting
• Describe the immediate response to the death of a person in a health or
wellbeing setting
• Describe incontinence and interventions to assist a person in a health or
wellbeing setting
• Support a person’s wellbeing and quality of life in a health or wellbeing setting

9. 3 . R E C O G N I S E A N D R E P O R T R I S K S A N D /
O R C H A N G E S I N A P E R S O N A N D / O R
FA M I LY / W H Ā N A U .
• Recognise and report risks and changes for a
person in a health or wellbeing setting

10. 4 . C O M M U N I C AT E T O S U P P O R T A
P E R S O N ’ S H E A LT H O R W E L L B E I N G .
• Interact with people to provide support in a health
or wellbeing setting

11. W H AT T H E Y T H I N K
V S .
W H AT I WA N T
R E L E VA N C E

12. W H AT I L O O K
F O R
• Honesty, integrity and
reliability
• Good sense of humour
• Willing and generous spirit
• Responsible and down to
earth
• Understanding of and total
positive regard for lifestyle
diversity
• Initiative

13. W H AT I L O O K
F O R
ABILITY TO:
• Put my priorities first at all
times
• Keep the house and
environments wheelchair
accessible
• Maintain confidentiality
• Use appropriate conduct in
different situations
• Be sensitive to me and
others around me

14. W H AT I L O O K
F O R
ABILITY TO:
• Organise self and manage time
effectively
• Listen well and communicate
clearly
• Use initiative and take direction
(and choose appropriately at any
given time)
• Manage a stressful situation (or
even a crisis) calmly
• Forward plan
• Use a computer – email and
internet

15. W H AT I L O O K
F O R
ABILITY TO:
• Assist with personal
support
• Cook
• Clean
• Do household chores such
as washing
• Run errands

16. T H E S E T H I N G S A R E I M P O RTA N T
W H Y

17. R E C R U I T & M A I N TA I N ?
H O W D I F F I C U LT I S I T T O

18. P O S S I B I L I T I E S ?
W H AT A R E T H E
• Research
• IF competency framework
• Bespoke training
• Others?

19. p h i l i p @ d i v e r s i t y n z . c o m
w w w. d i v e r s i t y n z . c o m
C O N TA C T

20. morning support crew
meet and greet
induction

21. welcome
1. about me
2. about the role
3. individualised funding
4. employment
5. health and safety
6. security
7. communication
8. conflict and complaints
9. key areas
10. co-ordination
11. timesheets
12. payroll
13. sickness
14. my quirks
15. questions

22. about me
• 46 qwcm
• “diagnosis” - cerebral palsy
• autonomous, not independent
• director - company, trust and employee
• usually thinking about ten things at once
• find small decisions difficult
• always changing

23. about the role
• not care; not looking after — support
• ‘surrogate body/co-ordination’
• home | workplace
personal | professional
• unusual; sometimes unclear
• important; valued
• collaborative
• fun

24. individualised funding
• i manage an annual budget from
ministry of health, co-ordinated by
provider - manawanui
• need for flexibility
• i control rates of pay
• paid to me fortnightly
• i pay you
• accountable | auditable

25. employment
• individual contracts
• trial period & casual, fixed term due
to personal nature (“rapport”)
• same rights as any other employee
• same responsibilities as any other
employer
• unique situation and context

26. health and safety Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992
• MY OBLIGATIONS - to take all practicable
steps to:
• provide and maintain a safe working
environment
• provide and maintain facilities for your
health and safety
• ensure you are not exposed to hazards
arising out of the use of things in or near
your workplace
• develop workplace emergency
procedures
• provide you with reasonable
opportunities to participate effectively in
ongoing processes for improving health
and safety in the workplace.
• YOUR OBLIGATIONS - to take all practicable
steps to ensure your own safety at work,
by:
• using suitable protective clothing and
equipment
• taking all practicable steps to ensure
that no action or inaction of your own,
while at work, causes harm to any other
person.

27. health and safety
• tell me if something seems hazardous
or unsafe
• protect yourself from harm (use step
ladder, don’t lift heavy items
unassisted)
• wash hands often especially when
preparing food
• keep things clean
• please stay away if you are sick and/
or dying

28. security
• if you leave when i’m not here:
• check windows, ranch slider, front
door closed and locked
• turn on alarm (‘ON’) if Meg not
here
• don’t disclose alarm code
• if you are unsure about visitors
contact me via mobile 021 764 837

29. communication
• err on the side of too much
• not sure? ask
• problem? breakage? tell me
• running late? text me
• still not sure? ask again

30. conflict and complaints
• if something feels wrong,
it probably is
• let me know as soon as possible
• be frank, be honest
• tell me how you want it to be
• be prepared to compromise
• if it still feels wrong, it probably
still is
• ...and i’ll do the same

31. key areas
• personal care
• food | meals
• cleaning | maintenance
• washing | clothes
• Meg - food | water | walk

32. co-ordination
• use Cozi for regular tasks
• leave notes/follow-ups
• check in with me before you start
• fill me in before you go

33. timesheets | payroll
• complete timesheet sunday each
fortnight; payday following friday
• who’s working? Cozi
• first payslip paper - payroll kiosk
payslip ID - then by email
• expenses
www.diversitynz.com/expense-claim
• pay queries - me or
janelle@diversitynz.com
diversitynz.tickspot.com
ipayroll.co.nz/kiosk/

34. sickness/unavailability
• sick or unavailable? find replacement
> text me asap
• can’t find replacement? text me asap

35. my quirks
• i can’t reach things on top shelf in
fridge - lunch/dinner on bottom
shelf
• bowls are best for food; lunch/
small, dinner/large; put sporks etc
on table, not in bowl; cut food into
bite-size pieces
• too much fluid (sauces) in bowls
make them difficult to carry
• shoes tight; bows not hanging
down too far
• things left in passage ways slow
me down and piss me off
• sometimes i may get pedantic
about how things are done; usually
i’ll leave it to you to do it your way

36. my quirks
• don’t forget i live here when you’re
not here – if you move something,
please tell me
• i don’t always know what i want –
especially food – feel free to
suggest
• i’m a visual person so how things
look are important to me
• balance, diversity, creativity and
change are important to me
• remember this is an office and a
home – tidy, clean, organised

37. questions
• organising work?
• days?
• times?
• future get-togethers?
• mobile/email?