Elements and Performance Criteria

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.
Stakeholders may include:
Aboriginal Land Councils
Indigenous Ranger groups
Traditional Owners and Cultural managers
Aboriginal communities and Clans
museums
Culture and Heritage government departments and representatives
National Parks personnel
sites workers
archaeologists
anthropologists
Cultural authorities may include:
Cultural authority refers to the most appropriate senior person/s that is able to speak for particular Country, cultural objects, ceremony and/or materials in a specific place. A cultural authority could be a Traditional Owner, a Native Title Claimant, Aboriginal Culture and Heritage Body, Elder, Aboriginal Land Council, etc.
A ceremonial/cultural manager in terms of Aboriginal customary law means someone who does the work either under the direct supervision of the Aboriginal Owner or does the work that is authorised by the Owner. In a ceremony for example, the ceremonial manager(s) may provide the food and do the performance (work). Traditional roles and responsibilities swap over depending on a person’s status in any given situation - ie - whose land / estate one is on for business.
Burning plan may include:
appropriate frequency of fire
sequence, locations and pattern of recent and historical fire burns
schedules and maps of burn areas
seasonal cycle of weather patterns
timing of ignition of burns and cessation of fire practices
defining the location and extent of fire application
selection of existing and construction of additional fire breaks
familiarity with local landscape
evaluating the cultural and economic benefits of fire management
assessing the quality of fire burns
safety procedures for conducting fire operations
risk management of fire operations
reasons for burning:
cleaning out Country
cultural and economic benefits
ceremonial requirements
species diversity
species regeneration
hunting methods
facilitation of travelling through Country
creation of fire breaks
communication
land ownership
Total land mass may include:
an entire National Park/Reserve
part of an entire National Park/Reserve
several burn sites mapped together
an Aboriginal Land Council boundary
Ignition techniques and patterns may include:
ignition method
lighting pattern
ignition spacing
Aboriginal Sites may include:
shelters with deposits
open camp site
midden
shelter with midden
shelter with art
isolated find
undefined sites
axe grinding grooves
bora/ceremonial ring
burial site
rock engraving
scarred tree
carved tree
natural mythological site
restricted site
quarry
ochre quarry
fish trap
stone arrangement
mound (oven)
mia mia
waterhole (well)
contact/mission
abraded grooves
Aboriginal Place (declared under NPW Act)
Aboriginal Area (declared under NPW Act)
protected archaeological site
Conservation agreement
massacre
reserve
Aboriginal cultural protocols may include:
gender roles in relation to knowledge and cultural practices
information sensitivity and access
appropriate information transfer
negotiations with local Aboriginal Community about information transfer
cultural diversity
natural resources and their importance for economy, religion, spirituality, art, environment, values, beliefs and lore/law.
rights and responsibilities associated with cultural knowledge, story, song, Site, and ceremony
interpersonal ways of relating
the talking of Community politics
repatriation of artefacts
issues of ownership (clans/nations)
ownership of intellectual property
acknowledging participation and ownership
communicating about cultural material
displaying cultural material
handling cultural material
identifying appropriate people to be consulted
occasions when consultation is required
ways in which consultations should be conducted
Fire breaksmay include:
existing gaps in vegetation or fuel areas
barriers to slow or stop progress of fire
natural features of creeks, rivers, lakes, rock walls
constructed features of access tracks, roads, highways and landscaping
defensible spaces
Burn intensity may include:
low intensity burns
high intensity burns
Weather conditions to be monitored:
temperature
relative humidity
wind
atmospheric stability
rainfall
seasonal cycle of weather patterns
Burn specification or limiting factors may include:
size
area
location
name
physical landmarks
ownership boundaries
natural geographic locations
Monitoring of burningmay include:
observations
predictions
recording
fuel moisture content
wind speed and direction
flame height
rate of spread
smoke development

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.
Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
The delivery and assessment of this unit must comply with Community protocols and be carried out in consultation with and participation with Traditional Owners and/or Elders and custodians of that specific Country and follow any relevant Parks/Reserves policies and plan of management guidelines and culture and heritage legislation.
In accordance with Aboriginal cultural protocols, cultural knowledge copyright considerations and Aboriginal lore/law restrictions, it is essential that this requirement be respected and implemented in the delivery and assessment of Cultural Units to guarantee cultural authenticity and quality control around the delivery of training and assessment for Aboriginal-sites workers.
Candidates must demonstrate evidence of the ability to:
identify appropriate cultural authorities for a Community, place or for a Site
develop working relationships with Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal stakeholders
apply traditional Aboriginal cultural burning techniques
control burning operations
protect life, property and conserve fauna and flora species during burning
achieve the correct intensity of burn
adhere to organisational safety and environmental protection policies and procedures
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment events must be contextualised to meet the needs of the particular group, including:
on Country, a Community, educational or workplace setting including Aboriginal cultural keeping places
involvement of people approved by cultural authorities and/or Traditional Owners of the relevant local Community
candidates who have gained relevant knowledge and skills through their life experience
organisational safety and environmental policies and procedures
Method of assessment
A range of assessment methods should be used to assess competency in protecting Aboriginal places of cultural significance. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:
observation of the candidate on Country participating in all aspects of a cultural burning operation
direct questioning combined with third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance
verbal or written questioning
Assessment methods should closely reflect workplace demands and the needs of particular client groups (consider the requirements of different age groups, clients with English as a second language, clients with disabilities, remote library users, etc.).
Guidance information for assessment
Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:
AHCILM306A Follow Aboriginal cultural protocols
AHCASW308A Apply cultural significance to Aboriginal sites and landscapes
Assessment for this unit should comprise a combination of theory and practical application. Both aspects of assessment are best conducted on Country for this unit.