1. Nationwide Health and Disability Advocacy Service 1996
The National Certificate in Health, Disability, and Aged Support
(Advocacy)
(Level 5) (NZQA 1636)

2. NZQA Qualification
Reflections on the Qualification

3. Policy Statement
“The National Advocacy Trust recognizes its responsibility to enhance its employee opportunities to develop skills and abilities for full performance within their roles and career advancement” to that end …… “The Trust is committed to promoting best practice and consistency of practice among Advocates in their employment”

4. Objectives of the Qualifications
The qualification recognizes the knowledge and skills required by Health and Disability Advocates pursuant to the Health and Disability Act 1994,
To be effective in advocating for all health and disability consumers,
To be effective in promoting consumers’ rights
Facilitating the early resolution of complaints
Establishing professional relationships with providers of H&D Services that will benefit consumers
To advocate with Maori and people of other cultures and consumers who have impairments
Kaitaia
West Auckland
North Shore
Thames
South Auckland
Gisborne
Turangi
Wanganui
Lower Hutt
Masterton
Nelson
Timaru
Dunedin

5. Competencies HDC Legislation 26952 Maori Competencies 26953
Interfacing Legislation 26954
Impairments 26955
Analyze The Code 26962
SB Practice 26956
Complaints Process 26957
Cultural Competencies 26958
Networking 26959
Peer Review 26960
Quality Improvement 26961
Culturally Inclusive Learning 7091
Interactive Learning 7097
Positive Learning 7115
Records Management 7214
Competencies

6. Relevant to our everyday work as Advocates
Based on prior knowledge
Reinforces what we do and consolidates what we already know

7. Code of Rights Training
Evidence Based
Use own casework (ADS#)
Can use same cases
Complaints
Networks
Education sessions
For different assessments
Code of Rights Training

8. Provides deeper knowledge and understanding of the Act and the Code

9. Clear linkage between theory and practice
You get to know your way around the
Contract Operating Manual
the HDC Act and the
Orientation Manual
Contract
Operating
Orientation

10. Competencies are not about
They recognize and acknowledge own practice – validates own practice as you need to use own case studies for assessments

11. Good opportunity to reflect on own practice Good opportunity to look at ways of incorporating new Knowledge into practice Opportunity to have a deeper understanding and quantify what it is we are doing and why we are doing it. e.g. Assessment of Relevant Legislation NZQA 26954

12. They will require a significant amount of time and
commitment. Some
assessments require more
time than others e.g. Maori
Competencies.
Some are more challenging than others. You need to work out what works for you. Taking a couple of days in a block worked for me. Average time to prepare for each assessment until its completed is about 8 hours (more for some, less for others) everyone is different

13. You have 15 months to complete the assessments
Can work at your pace.
You have 15 months to complete the assessments

14. Can cross credit the Education Assessments if you have completed Certificate of Adult Learning

15. Support Available Tony Daly: available to talk through the
assessments, clarify what’s required, and keeps you on track
Verifier Support:
Te Puna Matauranga & Louise Grant (Maori Assessments)
Gillian Adams & Kellie Dore (Disability Assessments)
Organization supports:advocates by
enabling time to undertake the assessments.
Application for study leave.
Other Advocates who have completed the standards

16. Other comments that Advocates have made about the qualification
“I’m nearly there….”
“A lot of gaps being filled in..”
“Very happy with the progress and yes it certainly makes us read our manuals more thoroughly…”
“Presentation/reflection was one of the main reasons that motivated me to join NZQA quals…”
“ A great opportunity for personal development has given me more depth and understanding of my role and it’s importance”

17. When you join the service you commence the learning through orientation and in-service education and training.
Assessment can commence after 15 months, but cannot be completed until after the 24 month annual review (the annual reviews are part of the evidence required for the standards).
Two advocates per team undertaking NZQA competencies at the moment (we still need to meet contractual outputs i.e. monthly targets).