This photo taken at the launch of Pacific Island Trusts National Certificate in Community Support Services Level 3 Core Competencies. They have enrolled 33 to continue on the Careerforce pathway of learning.

The National Certificate in Community Support (Core Competencies) Level 3

The National Certificate in Community Support (Core Competencies) Level 3 version 1 was registered on the National Qualifications Framework in November 2007. Careerforce made some minor changes to the qualification, and version 2 was registered in August 2008.

This qualification consists of a compulsory section of eleven unit standards totalling 44 credits and an elective section of 12 unit standards from which 13 credits much be chosen, to total 57 credits.

This qualification is designed to recognise the industry generic knowledge and skills required of support workers working in a health or disability setting. The compulsory section of the qualification includes skills and knowledge relating to recognising abuse, contributing within a team, behaving professionally, consumers’ rights and responsibilities, supporting a person’s quality of life, maintaining a safe environment, culturally safe operating principles, self-advocacy, risk management planning, ethical responsibility and the role of the support worker. The elective section of the qualification enables trainees to select specific unit standards that support the requirements of their work environment.

This qualification can lead on from the National Certificate in Community Support Services (Foundation Skills) (Level 2) and on to any of the strand qualifications at levels 3 or 4. The National Certificate in Community Support Services (Core Competencies) Level 3 is a prerequisite to other Level 3 Career Pathway Strand Qualifications.

The Core Competencies brochure has more information about the qualification. You can download this below.

The cost of this qualification is $200 (incl GST) per trainee, plus hook-on fee of $25 (if applicable).

Version 1 and version 2

These changes were necessary because of the expiry of several core health unit standards by NZQA. The unit standards that have been expired include 20100 (“Behave professionally with consumers and their support people in a specific health care context”) and 20700 (“Describe the stages of the normal human lifespan”). These two unit standards are longer be accessible from the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), even though they can still be assessed against and credits registered for them during the two-year “period of grace” provided.

Because this situation would clearly disadvantage trainees, Careerforce has applied to NZQA to have these two unit standards removed from the qualification, resulting in a revised qualification.

This revision has provided Careerforce with some further opportunities:

1. We have requested that the name of the qualification be changed to National Certificate in Community Support Services (Core Competencies) Level 3, Version 2, which is similar to the naming of our other Career Pathway Qualifications.
2. We have added unit standard 23388 (“Provide support to a person whose behaviour presents challenges in a health or disability setting”) to the compulsory section.
3. The range of unit standards in the elective section has been extended so that trainees are given more choices, including in the area of independence and interdependence.
4. Unit standard 23381 (“Describe and apply culturally safe operating principles and Pacific values in a health, disability, or community setting”) has been temporarily withdrawn pending further refinements which will ensure that this unit standard is assessable in the workplace.

If you wish to see more detailed content of any of the unit standards listed, please enter the unit standard number at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/index.html.

Please be aware that this revision does not in any way affect the total credit value of Version 1 of this qualification; it is simply a change in the unit standards contained within the qualification.

Which Version Will Each Trainee Complete?

Any trainee who has started on Version 1 can choose to complete that version, or to transfer to the new version.  Whilst Version 1 will no longer be available on the NQF, it will be valid for two more years; so trainees who wish to complete it will have two years to do so.

Please note that if a trainee chooses to complete Version 1, that trainee cannot select any of the additional standards which have been included in Version 2.

If a trainee chooses to transfer to Version 2, he/she will not need to complete the assessments for unit standard 20100 (“Behave professionally with consumers and their support people in a specific health care context”), and will be sent the new learning and assessment materials for 23388 (“Provide support to a person whose behaviour presents challenges in a health or disability setting”).

Download the Core Competencies Brochure (807KB)

The Core Competencies transition matrix shows current qualifications and how they fit with the new qualifications. If you have any questions about these, please contact our Qualification Team on 0800 277 486, option 4.

For more information on the Core Competencies Qualifications click here to access the NZQA website.

Trainee Assessments (Core Competencies)

Assessor Assessments

To obtain these you must complete a Request for Assessor Portfolio Form

Questions and Answers

What is the cost for the Core Competencies Qualification and is there a different price if you have completed the National Certificate in Community Support Services (Foundations skills)?

The cost is $200 and there is no price difference if you have already completed the National Certificate in Foundations Skills

Does the price change if we don’t require learning materials?

The cost is a nationally set price and doesn’t alter if you chose not to use the learning materials

Who as the Advisory board for the TA1 unit standard and who was consulted?

Download PDF for information on the Advisory Board (71KB)

How do we access Assessors and roving assessors,?

All workplaces will be required to have their own assessors.  If a workplace chooses not to, then the costs of a roving assessor sits with the workplace. We will support assessor training, and workplaces until their workplace assessor is trained

How long should it take to complete the National Certificate in Core Competencies?

It is envisaged that the qualifications should be completed in  12-18 months

Why is the National Certificate in Core Competencies  a pre requisite to other Level 3 qualifications?

The National Certificate in Core Competencies contains a pan sector set of skills and knowledge that a support worker needs in the workplace and provides a solid base upon which to build specialization knowledge. This is the first step (or 2^nd if you’ve done the National Certificate in Community Support Services Foundations Skills ) on the career pathway.

What happens when a unit standard has increased in credit value but a trainee has the old version?

NZQA ruling on this is that if the unit standard is in the Compulsory section of a qualification then a “straight swap” can occur meaning  that the new credit value of the unit standard will be allowed and the trainee won't need to do any extra credits.

If , however , the unit standard is in the Elective section  of a qualification then the “old” credit value will still  stand and the trainee will need to find additional credits to reach the credit value of the qualification

If a trainee has completed 17029 and 5019 as part of their studies in some of the previous qualifications are they able to access any new learnings in the updated 17029 and 5019?

Yes- Careerforce is happy to send 1 copy of the new resource booklets to the organization to allow their employees to receive the new learning.