Unit rationale, description and aim
In this capstone core curriculum unit, students investigate the experiences and perspectives of diverse groups in society, such as Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other First Peoples, refugee and diaspora communities, and those experiencing disadvantage and marginalisation, to enable the effective use of subsidiarity in decision-making. Students reflect on how key ideas from the western intellectual tradition, in dialogue with other traditions, can help address contemporary challenges in ways that recognise the autonomy and distinctiveness of communities while emphasising our common humanity. Through a community engagement placement, students learn to apply critical thinking, analytical and research skills to work with community groups, the public service, not-for-profits, social enterprise or otherwise ethically-focused organisations. Community-engaged learning provides students with the opportunity to build connections, act with humility, develop understanding, affirm dignity, and pursue justice. The Mission of the University confirms ACU's commitment to producing graduates who are skilled in their chosen field and committed to having an impact through empathy.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
Demonstrate an appreciation of different cultures ...
Learning Outcome 01
Critically evaluate ideas and principles drawn fro...
Learning Outcome 02
Analyse problems and challenges in partnership wit...
Learning Outcome 03
Content
Content is selected to ensure that students achieve the learning outcomes for the unit.
Students undertaking a placement in Australia or overseas will study topics that help prepare them to participate in 25 hours of practical volunteer experience with a community-based program.
Content may include:
- Building safe and supportive environments for working with children, young people and vulnerable adults
- Subsidiarity:
- The right of people to participate in decisions that affect their lives.
- Decisions are made by the people closest and most affected by the issues and concerns of the community
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and other First Peoples’ approaches to community development and experiences of addressing disadvantage.
- First Peoples’ cultural traditions; engagement with western ideals, and responses to marginalisation
- Community development in local and international contexts
- Ideas and debates considered in the western intellectual tradition such as human rights, freedom, democracy, liberty and justice.
- A theoretical framework of community service or development: subsidiarity and the evolving needs of the community and the role of not-for-profit organisations in community service and development
- Contestable issues and current debates related to community development work or volunteering
- Reciprocity
- Diverse roles students might play while engaging the community (e.g. learner, listener, project collaborator)
- Interpersonal communication is necessary for effective liaison in volunteer organisations and workplaces, and the University code of conduct and the guidelines around the appropriate use of social media
- Identifying skills that translate from volunteer experience to other ethical work, portfolio careers and pathways
Assessment strategy and rationale
The unit includes two hurdle assessments, each with its own purpose.
The first hurdle task, the placement agreement, clarifies the roles and expectations of the student and partner organisation. This assessment also prompts students to provide necessary documentation, such as a police check or a working with children check. Each student submits a signed statement acknowledging the expectations arising from ACU’s student code of conduct and the social media policy. This is connected to learning outcomes 1, 2, 3 and 4.
The second hurdle task requires students to complete 25 hours of community placement. Students will undertake and report on a community-based project, gain insight into workplace issues, and develop employability skills in communication, planning and organisation, self-management and problem-solving. This is connected to learning outcome 4.
There are two graded assessment tasks in the unit:
The first task analyses the strategic plan and mission of the host organisation and its relationship to community development goals. This assesses learning outcomes 2 and 3.
The second asks students to critically reflect on their placement experience and observations and to consider active citizenship and community leadership issues within a specific organisational or community context. This assesses learning outcome 4.
Overview of assessments
Hurdle Task: Placement Agreement Students m...
Hurdle Task: Placement Agreement
Students must complete the Placement Agreement and provide evidence of completion of other relevant requirements.
Pass/Fail
Hurdle Task: Placement, which may include tr...
Hurdle Task: Placement, which may include training sessions
This hurdle requires students to complete 25 hours of placement and submit a report from the relevant organisation confirming satisfactory completion of the placement, as per the terms of the Placement Agreement.
Pass/Fail
Assessment Task 1: Research Essay Research...
Assessment Task 1: Research Essay
Research Essay that analyses a contemporary social challenge faced by a local, national or international community and the mechanism by which institutions have sought to meet this challenge.
50%
Assessment Task 2: Learning in the communit...
Assessment Task 2: Learning in the community assignment
Placement/Project Portfolio.
Students will demonstrate critical self-appraisal and reflection and will be required to:
- Identify the gaps in policy or service provision that lead to ongoing disadvantage or unmet needs.
- Describe the kinds of disadvantages observed or identified, and/or the particular client needs to be addressed by the placement or project organisation.
- Explain the ways in which their host organisation currently serves or develops the community.
- Critically reflect on the strengths, opportunities served or identified, and or/ particular client benefits addressed by the placement or project.
- Evaluate the impact of the placement on the student’s own values, assumptions and attitudes with regard to ethical workplace practice, subsidiarity and social responsibility.
- Translate skills from volunteer experience to other ethical work, portfolio career and pathway documents
50%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
The activities listed below serve to expose students to the bodies of knowledge related to the peoples and cultures students may encounter in the course of their community engagement experience. Students build knowledge through readings, lectures, workshops and discussions prior to planning and participating in a community engagement experience. A formal debrief and opportunity to reflect on the learning gained from the experience occur after the placement.
Mode/ Attendance Pattern:
- Semester One: In-person seminars and workshops on campus; direct-service community engagement placement or project work with a community group, government, not-for-profit, or otherwise ethically-focused organisation.
Duration:
- Three contact hours per week for six weeks or equivalent over twelve weeks; 25-hour period of voluntary placement time, which may be in Australia or overseas through an ACU-approved project. The 25-hour period may be conducted part-time as needed.
- 150 hours in total, with a normal expectation of 25 hours of direct-service community engagement placement and the balance of the hours composed of directed (in-class) learning and private study.