Print - Best Practice Educational Model for accredited primary prevention and family violence training delivery

Published by:: Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions
Date:: 14 Jan 2025

Introduction

The Victorian Department of Education and Training (DET), in collaboration with Family Safety Victoria (FSV), developed a Best Practice Education Model to guide vocational education and training (VET) in primary prevention and family violence response. This model was created through consultations with experts in prevention, family violence, Aboriginal culture, and TAFE leadership.

Purpose

The model ensures VET trainers are equipped to deliver accredited courses safely, effectively, inclusively, and in culturally appropriate ways. The focus includes:

Supporting Aboriginal learners and trainers.

Preparing students for roles in family violence prevention and response across various sectors like justice, health and education.

Addressing risks such as vicarious trauma, client disclosures, and burnout.

Key features

Trainer Competencies: Guidance on the skills, knowledge, and attributes trainers need to deliver impactful and culturally safe training.

Professional Development: Emphasises ongoing learning for trainers and RTOs, ensuring alignment with industry needs and the Family Violence Multi-Agency Risk Assessment and Management (MARAM) Framework.

Implementation Flexibility: While not mandatory, the model provides structured guidance for RTOs delivering accredited courses.

Significance

This initiative is part of a broader effort under Strengthening the Foundations: First Rolling Action Plan 2019–22 to build a skilled workforce capable of addressing family violence. It aligns with recommendations from Victoria’s Royal Commission into Family Violence, aiming to ensure training content is specialized, up-to-date, and culturally sensitive.

Audience and applications

The model serves:

RTOs: To guide course delivery and trainer development.

Trainers: For self-assessment and identifying professional growth areas.

Industry Organisations: To inform workforce planning and collaborate on training delivery.

Government Agencies: For monitoring and shaping policy on family violence prevention training.

In summary, the model provides a robust framework for safe, effective, and inclusive training, supporting a long-term effort to combat family violence in Victoria.

What Is the Best Practice Educational Model?

The Best Practice Education Model ensures the effective delivery of accredited primary prevention and family violence training.

It focuses on supporting vocational education and training (VET) trainers by enhancing their expertise, teaching practices, and professional growth. The model emphasises three key areas:

Vocational competencies;
Robust assessment methods; and
Continuous professional development.

It promotes inclusivity, cultural sensitivity, and high-quality outcomes for learners.

- Trainers must possess comprehensive subject matter expertise in primary prevention and family violence, including understanding drivers, dynamics, impacts, and relevant theoretical, policy, and practice frameworks.
- They should demonstrate capabilities in delivering training effectively and safely, ensuring inclusivity and cultural appropriateness.
- Trainers are expected to have personal attributes such as empathy, resilience, and a commitment to continuous learning.
- Implement robust methods to evaluate trainers' vocational competencies, ensuring they can deliver content safely and effectively.
- Assessments should be ongoing, incorporating feedback mechanisms to identify areas for improvement and professional growth.
- Provide continuous learning opportunities for trainers to maintain and enhance their competencies.
- Professional development should focus on current best practices, emerging trends in family violence prevention, and strategies for self-care and wellbeing.
- Encourage participation in communities of practice to facilitate knowledge sharing and support among trainers.
These components aim to equip vocational education and training (VET) trainers to deliver accredited courses in ways that are safe, effective, inclusive, and culturally appropriate for learners involved in primary prevention and family violence response.

Bases for definition of the model’s elements

The Best Practice Education Model supports trainers and RTOs in delivering safe, inclusive primary prevention and family violence response training. Developed with industry and TAFE experts, it aligns with ASQA standards and provides guidance on skills, assessments, and professional development in this critical field.

Development of the Model

The model draws on ASQA’s core requirements and insights from experts in prevention, family violence, health, Aboriginal culture, and education. These elements help RTOs deliver impactful, culturally safe learning experiences.

The Best Practice Education Model guides trainers and registered training organisations (RTOs) on the skills, assessment methods, and professional development needed to deliver primary prevention and family violence response training safely and inclusively. Created with industry and TAFE experts, it aligns with the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) standards and ensures a safe learning environment in this high-risk field.
1. Vocational Competencies: Trainers need core vocational skills specific to primary prevention and family violence work. These skills ensure they can handle complex topics safely, such as managing client disclosures and understanding cultural sensitivities, particularly for Aboriginal learners.
1. Assessment and Professional Development: RTOs should offer ongoing assessment and development to trainers, supporting effective and safe course delivery. This guidance complements standard ASQA requirements, ensuring a continuous learning environment that meets the needs of the community and supports trainers with specialised skills.
- Recognises the First Nations of Australia, Aboriginal cultures and histories, and draws on Aboriginal expertise to aid the safe and effective engagement of Aboriginal communities in Australia.
- Responds to the Gendered Nature of Family Violence
- Develops trainers from a variety of professional backgrounds
- Delivers training in a way that upholds safety and recognises the seriousness of family violence.
- Recognises the diversity of trainers and learners and the systems that can marginalize and oppress.
- Facilitates ongoing collaboration and reform across sectors and communities
- Fosters commitment to learning and development.

Key goals

The Best Practice Education Model strengthens the delivery of accredited training in primary prevention and family violence response. It supports Victorian TAFEs, dual-sector universities, and RTOs by promoting inclusive, culturally sensitive, and best-practice approaches to training.

The model aims to improve the delivery of accredited training courses in primary prevention and family violence response across TAFEs, dual-sector universities, and other Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) in Victoria.

It provides guidance to RTOs on the competencies trainers need to deliver training effectively and safely, according to industry standards.

The key goals are to:

Create a valued, skilled, and diverse workforce that collaborates across various sectors (family violence services, health, justice, education) to effectively address and prevent family violence.

Address workforce capability and capacity gaps through a coordinated approach over ten years. This includes clearly defining required skills, increasing training participation, and enhancing support for Aboriginal workers.

Audience

The Best Practice Education Model is intended for use by:

RTOs (Registered Training Organisations)

Trainers

Industry organisations

Government agencies

These stakeholders will guide the delivery of accredited training in primary prevention and family violence.

Course development

Training courses equip participants with knowledge and skills in prevention advocacy and proactive family violence risk management, aligned with the Multi-Agency Risk Assessment and Management (MARAM) Framework.

The training courses are specifically designed to equip participants with essential knowledge and skills in prevention advocacy and proactive family violence risk management.

Aligned with the Multi-Agency Risk Assessment and Management (MARAM) Framework, these courses ensure participants are prepared to effectively address and manage family violence risks across various sectors.

By integrating best practices and evidence-based approaches, the training empowers individuals and organizations to play an active role in fostering safer communities.

Support for training delivery

Initiatives to support VET include defining best practices for family violence training, professional development for trainers, mentoring programs, grants for prevention practitioners, and the 'Respect and Equality in TAFE' framework to prevent violence.

To support the VET sector’s delivery of training, several initiatives are underway:

Defining best practices for teaching and assessing accredited family violence training.

Establishing professional development opportunities, including a Community of Practice for trainers.

Implementing mentoring programs for additional trainer support.

Offering grants for primary prevention practitioners to obtain qualifications.

Developing a holistic approach, 'Respect and Equality in TAFE', to prevent violence across various domains within TAFEs.

Implementation of accredited training

The Victorian Government is committed to building a skilled workforce in the VET sector to address family violence through the development of accredited training courses.

These courses will focus on primary prevention and family violence response, ensuring that both government and non-government workers have the necessary skills to effectively engage with and manage family violence issues.

The Victorian Government plans to use the VET sector to build a large, skilled workforce by:

Developing five accredited training courses focused on primary prevention and family violence response, available to both government and non-government workers.
Ensuring consistent and high-quality training that is accessible and minimises barriers like cost.
Embedding family violence-related skills in pre-service qualifications.

Appendices

The Best Practice Education Model guides trainers and registered training organisations (RTOs) on the skills, assessment methods, and professional development needed to deliver primary prevention and family violence prevention.

Appendix A: Glossary

This glossary defines terms and acronyms used in the report.

Term	Definition
Aboriginal communities	Refers to Aboriginal communities of mainland Australia, acknowledging their status as the first peoples of Victoria. This term does not include Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Assessor	A person who evaluates a learner’s competence based on the training received.
Best Practice Education Model	A model to prepare trainers for delivering accredited family violence or primary prevention training to intersecting workforces, including specialist practitioners and universal services.
Burnout	Mental and physical exhaustion from chronic workplace stress, leading to reduced functioning.
Competency	The consistent application of knowledge, skills, and experience required to perform a role effectively.
Core support services	Services defined under the MARAM Framework that intersect with family violence response but do not primarily operate in it, such as courts, corrections, and child protection.
Cultural competence	The ability to interact effectively with people of diverse cultural backgrounds, built on respect and the ongoing development of cultural knowledge and self-awareness.
Cultural load	The expectation placed on Aboriginal peoples to bear community responsibilities or expertise on cultural practices and history.
Cultural safety	A safe environment for Aboriginal students those values and centers their cultural identities and learning needs.
Culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities	Communities and individuals with diverse cultural backgrounds, languages, nationalities, and societal structures.
Culturally responsive	A practice of continuous self-reflection to build cultural knowledge and meet the needs of diverse learners.
Dhelk Dja	An Aboriginal-led agreement focused on holistic, culturally safe approaches to addressing family violence in Aboriginal communities, underpinned by self-determination.
Diversity	The mix of social (e.g., cultural, gender, or age) and professional (e.g., education or experience) identities within a group.
Dual professionals	Trainers who combine industry expertise with educational skills.
Family violence	Any behaviour in family or intimate relationships that causes physical, sexual, emotional, or psychological harm. Includes exposure to such behaviour by children.
Intersectionality	The overlapping structural inequalities and discrimination individuals face due to aspects of their identity, such as gender, culture, disability, or socio-economic status.
Learner	A person being trained and/or assessed by a training provider.
Learn Locals	Independent, not-for-profit community education providers.
LGBTIQ	Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, and Queer individuals and communities.
MARAM Framework	The Family Violence Multi-Agency Risk Assessment and Management Framework, setting standards for family violence risk assessment and management.
Minimise collusion	Ensuring professionals do not inadvertently support or agree with the attitudes of individuals who use violence, while holding them accountable for their actions.
Perpetrator	A person who chooses to use violence within family or community contexts. Preferred term for Aboriginal peoples: 'a person who uses violence.'
Culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities	Communities and individuals with diverse cultural backgrounds, languages, nationalities, and societal structures.
Culturally responsive	A practice of continuous self-reflection to build cultural knowledge and meet the needs of diverse learners.
Dhelk Dja	An Aboriginal-led agreement focused on holistic, culturally safe approaches to addressing family violence in Aboriginal communities, underpinned by self-determination.
Diversity	The mix of social (e.g., cultural, gender, or age) and professional (e.g., education or experience) identities within a group.
Dual professionals	Trainers who combine industry expertise with educational skills.
Family violence	Any behaviour in family or intimate relationships that causes physical, sexual, emotional, or psychological harm. Includes exposure to such behaviour by children.
Intersectionality	The overlapping structural inequalities and discrimination individuals face due to aspects of their identity, such as gender, culture, disability, or socio-economic status.
Learner	A person being trained and/or assessed by a training provider.
Learn Locals	Independent, not-for-profit community education providers.
LGBTIQ	Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, and Queer individuals and communities.
MARAM Framework	The Family Violence Multi-Agency Risk Assessment and Management Framework, setting standards for family violence risk assessment and management.
Minimise collusion	Ensuring professionals do not inadvertently support or agree with the attitudes of individuals who use violence, while holding them accountable for their actions.
Perpetrator	A person who chooses to use violence within family or community contexts. Preferred term for Aboriginal peoples: 'a person who uses violence.'
Primary prevention	Activities targeting societal change to prevent violence before it occurs.
Registered Training Organisation (RTO)	A nationally registered organisation delivering accredited training, including TAFEs, dual-sector universities, and private providers.
Specialist services	Family violence services focusing on direct response to those affected by violence.
Trauma-informed practice	An approach that recognises trauma’s prevalence and impact, prioritising physical, emotional, and psychological safety.
Trainer	A qualified individual delivering or assessing vocational education and training.
Universal services	Public services like education and health that, while not specialising in family violence, play a role in identifying and addressing risks.
Vicarious trauma	Emotional or psychological harm caused by repeated exposure to others' traumatic experiences.
Vocational Education and Training (VET)	Education focused on developing skills for employment
Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA)	The authority ensuring training providers in Victoria meet quality standards.

This section outlines the context and rationale for developing and implementing the Best Practice Education Model. The model is designed to support Victoria’s primary prevention and family violence reforms effectively, within a dynamic and evolving framework.
The Need for a Skilled Workforce to Address Family Violence
This initiative aligns with Building from Strength: 10-Year Industry Plan for Family Violence Prevention and Response, the Victorian Government’s response to Recommendation 207 of the Royal Commission into Family Violence.
Recommendation 207 called for a 10-year plan to address workforce requirements in preventing and responding to family violence, focusing on:
Workforce diversity, remuneration, professional development, and career pathways.
Capability and qualification standards.
Released in December 2017, Building from Strength envisions a workforce that is:
Valued, skilled, diverse, safe, empowered, and supported.
Equipped to address all forms of family violence.
Collaborative across sectors such as health, justice, education, and community services.
Shape
A 10-Year Commitment to Workforce Development
The plan acknowledges the need for coordinated efforts to build a workforce capable of supporting Victoria’s reform objectives.
Key elements include:
- Articulating clear skills and knowledge requirements for prevention and response.
- Increasing access to formal training and employment pathways.
- Providing time and funding for professional development.
- Addressing barriers faced by Aboriginal communities.
- Ensuring cultural competence and inclusivity across services.
- Offering competitive remuneration and career development to attract and retain skilled workers.
- Delivering training through specialists with expertise in family violence prevention and response.
Under the guidance of Strengthening the Foundations: First Rolling Action Plan (2019–22), the Victorian Government has undertaken initiatives to:
- Strengthen the family violence workforce by implementing minimum standards.
- Build capacity in primary prevention by embedding prevention services in key sectors.
- Enhance Aboriginal workforce participation, health, and well-being.
- Improve training quality and accessibility, while scaling up to meet reform goals.
The Role of Accredited Vocational Training
The VET sector is pivotal in supporting these reforms. Key efforts include:
- Delivering consistent, high-quality training.
- Making training accessible across the state.
- Reducing cost barriers to participation.
- Embedding prevention and response skills in pre-service qualifications.
Development of Training Courses
Five accredited courses are being developed to meet workforce needs, delivered as part of qualifications or stand-alone programs. These courses:
- Equip participants in prevention roles to advocate for reform and manage initiatives.
- Enable response workers to perform risk assessments, manage cases, and collaborate across agencies.
- Cover critical content such as understanding family violence, applying intersectional approaches, and challenging myths.
Support for Effective Training Delivery
Several initiatives are in place to ensure effective delivery of accredited training:
1. Best Practice Teaching and Assessment Approaches

- Guidance for TAFEs and RTOs on high-quality delivery.
2. Professional Development Suite
- Includes a Community of Practice to enhance trainer competencies.
3. Mentoring Arrangements
- Provides targeted support for trainers.
4. Grants for Certificate IV in Training and Assessment
- Supports primary prevention practitioners in becoming qualified trainers.
5. Respect and Equality in TAFE Initiative
- A whole-of-institution approach addressing violence prevention in five domains:
- Workplace.
- Students.
- Teaching and learning.
- Communications.
- Industry and community.
This comprehensive framework ensures that Victoria’s workforce is equipped to address family violence prevention and response effectively

Appendix C: VET Requirements

Trainer Competency, Assessment, and Professional Development

This appendix outlines the requirements set by the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) and the Victorian TAFE Teaching Agreement 2018 for trainers in Registered Training Organisations (RTOs).

Table: Detailed Requirements for Trainer Competency, Assessment, and Professional Development

Requirement or Guidance	Detail	Source
Competency	Trainers must be "dual professionals," possessing: 1. A teaching and assessment qualification (e.g., Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, or equivalent). 2. Vocational qualifications or equivalent experience in the industry they teach.	ASQA, Standards for Registered Training Organisations 2015 (Clause 1.13).
Assessment	RTOs must assess trainers' competency at recruitment or assignment to ensure compliance with mandatory qualifications. This assessment may involve: - Verifying certification. - Demonstrating equivalence through experience or skills. - Conducting ongoing reviews as training packages change to ensure currency.	ASQA, Standards for Registered Training Organisations 2015 (Clause 1.13-1.15).
Professional Development	TOs must provide professional development opportunities to keep trainers updated on: - Industry developments, policies, and practices. - Teaching methods. - Engagement with the industry through networking, volunteering, or part-time work. - Participation in applied research and innovation.	ASQA, Standards for Registered Training Organisations 2015 (Standard 1.16). Victorian TAFE Teaching Agreement 2018 (Clause 32).

Key Points

Dual Professional Competency
Trainers must hold both teaching and vocational qualifications or demonstrate equivalent expertise. Equivalence is assessed by RTOs and may involve external validation by industry experts.
Ongoing Assessment of Competency
RTOs must review trainers’ vocational competencies regularly to ensure alignment with updated training packages. Mixed methods such as interviews, portfolio reviews, or validation by experts can be employed.
Professional Development
- RTOs are responsible for organizing professional development activities to maintain teaching quality.
- Trainers may engage with the industry through volunteering, part-time work, or attending industry events to stay current.
4. Victorian TAFE Teaching Agreement 2018
Trainers’ duties include maintaining teaching and vocational currency, engaging with the industry, and participating in applied research. While no specific hours are allocated for professional development, it is considered a part of teaching-related duties.

Supporting Trainers

RTOs can enhance training quality by:

Encouraging participation in industry engagement activities.
Providing access to professional development programs in teaching methods and VET sector requirements.
Documenting professional development activities for accountability and improvement.

For further details, refer to the Standards for Registered Training Organisations 2015 and the Victorian TAFE Teaching Agreement 2018.

The following competencies are required of trainers delivering accredited primary prevention and family violence training in Victoria. These competencies enable trainers to design and deliver training that educates safely and effectively.
This appendix provides detailed guidance on each competency through a description of the ‘rationale,’ ‘key elements of understanding,’ and ‘demonstration’ for each competency. These components explain:
What each competency is
Why each competency is important
How each competency is demonstrated
Table 9 | Competency 1
Competency: Holds comprehensive, current subject matter expertise in primary prevention and/or family violence drivers, dynamics, impacts, and conceptual, theoretical, policy, and practice frameworks.
Rationale: Trainers must understand the course curriculums they teach and the context, history, and evidence underpinning primary prevention and family violence work. This ensures trainers can help learners accurately grasp subject matter and its values.
Elements of Understanding
Training delivery reflects the Victorian Government’s recognition of how gender inequality and sexism intersect with other systemic forms of discrimination, such as colonisation, racism, ableism, ageism, and heterosexism, influencing violence patterns.
Trainers should acknowledge findings like the National Community Attitudes towards Violence against Women Survey (2017), which highlights poor community attitudes about gender equity and violence against women.
Familiarity with policy frameworks like the MARAM Framework ensures trainers can guide learners effectively.
Trainers must manage the psychological and physical safety of learners and themselves while delivering sensitive curriculum content.
Expertise evolves rapidly; trainers must stay updated on language and practices in primary prevention and family violence response across contexts, including specialist services, corrections, and Aboriginal communities.
Demonstration of the Competency
Comprehensive knowledge of policy and practice frameworks:
Family violence response: MARAM Framework, Practice Guides, Dhelk Dja, Everybody Matters, DV Vic Code of Practice.
Primary prevention: Change the Story, Changing the Picture, Pride in Prevention.
Understanding conceptual frameworks like the Duluth model.
Awareness of intersectional family violence experiences and systemic oppression.
Familiarity with Aboriginal cultural values and teaching strategies for diverse learners.
Relevant work experience in primary prevention or family violence response roles, including industry placements.
Table 10 | Competency 2
Competency Holds comprehensive, current subject matter expertise in primary prevention and/or family violence response legislative and regulatory requirements and service systems.
Rationale Trainers need to educate learners on legislative and regulatory frameworks and their relevance to learners’ sectors, ensuring understanding and application in practice.
Elements of Understanding
Awareness of the Victorian Government’s commitment to improving primary prevention and family violence outcomes.
Understanding how intersecting forms of systemic discrimination influence violence patterns.
Familiarity with the political, legislative, and regulatory responses to these commitments.
Ability to contextualize curricula within learners’ work sectors.
Demonstration of the Competency
Comprehensive knowledge of historical and current reforms, including the Royal Commission into Family Violence and the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children.
Understanding of key legislation such as the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 and Gender Equality Act 2020.
Familiarity with specialist family violence services and broader service systems.
Table 11 | Competency 3
Competency Creates a culturally safe, responsive, and engaging learning experience for Aboriginal learners.
Rationale Culturally safe learning environments encourage Aboriginal people to train and work in family violence prevention and response, supporting better outcomes and workforce diversity.
Elements of Understanding
Respect and respond to cultural safety and self-determination principles.
Recognize that cultural safety involves acknowledging Aboriginal identities and creating supportive environments.
Address high cultural load experienced by Aboriginal learners.
Maintain responsibility for establishing cultural safety, aligning with the MARAM Framework.
Demonstration of the Competency
Educates learners on self-determination principles and their application.
Collaborates with Aboriginal community representatives and ACCOs to inform training.
Adapts teaching approaches to support Aboriginal learners.
Uses culturally responsive language, concepts, and resources.
Table 12 | Competency 4
Competency Creates a safe, inclusive, and engaging learning experience for learners across diverse social and professional identities.
Rationale Inclusive learning environments promote psychological safety and model respectful practices learners can apply in their professional roles.
Elements of Understanding
Awareness of systemic marginalization and oppression.
Continual updating of inclusive practices.
Reflective practice to ensure trainers support safe, inclusive learning environments.
Demonstration of the Competency
Models inclusive behavior, including:
Use of inclusive language.
Acknowledgment of personal limitations.
Avoidance of asserting expertise over others’ identities.
Employs inclusive training materials and teaching strategies.
Collaborates with community groups to inform training.
Table 13 | Competency 5
Competency Applies trauma-informed practice principles to address individual and group safety and learning requirements.
Rationale Primary prevention and family violence training involves sensitive topics that may affect learners or trainers. Trauma-informed practices ensure a safe and supportive learning environment.
Elements of Understanding
Recognize the potential for distress in learners and trainers.
Embed trauma-informed practices to minimize harm.
Demonstration of the Competency
Designs training that anticipates and mitigates potential trauma triggers.
Uses strategies to support learners affected by course content.
Creates an environment prioritizing safety and support in line with trauma-informed principles.
Competency: Uses strategies to encourage active and respectful engagement, challenge common myths and stereotypes, and influence a shift in learner mindset.
Rationale: Resistance is a typical response to social change, where individuals may deny or disagree with claims being made. Trainers may encounter backlash and resistance in the learning environment, particularly from learners with strongly held opinions. It’s important for trainers to address and shift attitudes that condone violence and gender inequity. Some learners may react negatively to values in primary prevention and family violence training, such as the teaching that family violence is gendered.
Elements of understanding behind this competency:
Trainers must address backlash and resistance to encourage a shift in mindset, reducing the risk of learners holding harmful attitudes toward working with individuals affected by violence.
Trainers should be aware of their own values, attitudes, and behaviours, ensuring alignment with the training curriculum, so they can better influence shifts in learner mindsets needed for effective involvement in primary prevention and/or family violence response activities.
Prejudicial attitudes and myths (e.g., "women could leave a violent relationship if they wanted to") shape how individuals think about family violence and affect their responses to people who use or experience violence.
Trainers must educate learners on how to respond to violence-supportive narratives and smokescreens. They should model strategies for addressing the minimization, justification, or denial of violence during training.
Demonstration of the competency:
Uses evidence-based knowledge and frameworks to:
Address backlash and resistant attitudes and behaviours
Debunk myths and stereotypes about family violence
Influence a shift in learner mindsets or behaviours
Responds to violence-supportive narratives in a way that minimizes collusion.
Facilitates respectful, participatory discussions that support both reactive learners and those who are more open-minded ("moveable middle").
Actively encourages multiple perspectives and fosters a continuous learning environment.
Competency: Proactively accesses available resources and support to manage the impact of delivery on their own wellbeing.
Rationale: Burnout and vicarious (secondary) trauma are common in professions that deal with trauma, and they can lead to professionals leaving the workforce. Trainers and RTOs must be proactive in utilizing wellbeing supports to manage the impacts of primary prevention and family violence training, ensuring sustainable trainer delivery.
Elements of understanding behind this competency:
RTOs must actively support trainer wellbeing through policies, protocols, and procedures. Support can include resources, peer support, supervisor check-ins, resilience training, mental health leave days, and employee assistance programs.
Research shows that social workers who use self-care strategies in stressful environments manage better, finding balance in their lives and coping with challenging situations.
Practicing self-care in groups can strengthen professional support.
Demonstration of the competency:
Is mindful of the sustained risk of burnout and vicarious trauma due to family violence training and actively engages with the organisation’s support systems to manage mental health.
Draws on peer support and collaborates with colleagues.
Participates in individual and group reflective practices.
Recognizes the importance of self-care and implements strategies outside the RTO setting to complement workplace wellbeing supports.
This provides an overview of methods recommended for the ongoing assessment of primary prevention and family violence trainers’ competencies.
Overview of Methods for Assessment
Method: Interviews with Trainers
Description:
Interviews serve as supplementary tools to evaluate training effectiveness. Their design and structure may include:
Scenario-based questions
Discussions of instructional activities and intentions
Actions trainers have taken to monitor and improve student learning
Some interviews may use structured scoring rubrics for consistency. It is crucial for interviewers to have the necessary skills to conduct scenario-based interviews. If the RTO lacks someone with relevant industry knowledge or experience, it is recommended to engage an industry professional for support.
Method: Observation
Description:
Observation is a long-established method for assessing and developing trainers. Key aspects include:
Conducted by peers, supervisors, or industry professionals.
May occur once or multiple times, spanning one or more training units.
Typically includes pre- or post-observation conferences between the observer and trainer.
Challenges include maintaining consistent ratings across observations. Engaging an external industry professional can improve validity and rating consistency if the same professional conducts multiple assessments.
Peer observation is widely supported when approached with collegiality and trust, as it helps trainers recognize strengths and identify areas for improvement. However, peer observation is generally not supported for use in performance reviews or disciplinary actions, as some trainers may find it threatening.
Method: Assessment of Trainer Performance Portfolios
Description:
Portfolios provide a comprehensive way to evaluate competency-based learning. They may include:
Lesson plans for training units
Contextualization plans and accommodations for various scenarios
Assignments and assessments
Examples of student work
Supervisors can evaluate the effectiveness of training materials in the portfolio against organizational standards.
Method: Trainer Ratings by Peers and Students
Description:
Peers and students can provide qualitative and quantitative ratings of trainer effectiveness, based on their experiences. While students’ feedback can highlight the lived experiences brought into the classroom, research shows mixed results regarding the effectiveness of student evaluations.
Key considerations:
Trainers may perceive student evaluations as biased.
Expert consultations recommend using trainer ratings with caution, particularly in situations where respondents are easily identifiable or fear repercussions.
Sources Cited
Goe, L., Bell, C., & Little, O. (2008). Approaches to evaluating teacher effectiveness: A research synthesis. National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality.
Oostrom, J., et al. (2016). Why do situation interviews predict performance? Journal of Business and Psychology, 31: 279-291.
Misko, J. (2020). Building capability and quality in VET teaching: Opportunities and challenges. National Centre for Vocational Education Research.
Emery, C., Kramer, T., & Tian, R. (2003). Return to academic standards: A critique of student evaluations of teaching effectiveness. Quality Assurance in Education, 11: 38.

Appendix F: Detail on Professional Development

This table outlines strategies to enhance trainer competencies at various levels of experience.

Strategy	Purpose	Application for Primary Prevention and Family Violence Vocational Competencies	Applicable for
Undertake Formal Training	Trainers attend accredited or unaccredited training, workshops, or conferences to gain targeted professional development.	For example, trainers may complete cultural awareness training to improve their ability to create safe environments for Aboriginal learners.	✓Foundational ✓ Developing ✓ Experienced
Practice Continuous Reflection	Trainers reflect on their actions, purpose, and methods to identify strengths and challenges.	Trainers reflect individually or collaboratively with colleagues, documenting insights and areas for improvement.	✓Foundational ✓ Developing ✓ Experienced
Industrial Placement	Trainers gain current industry knowledge by re-engaging with their vocation through paid or volunteer work.	Trainers return to industry or shadow professionals in primary prevention or family violence sectors, gaining hands-on experience with emerging skills and legislation.	✓Foundational ✓ Developing ✓ Experienced
Engage in Communities of Practice (CoP)	Trainers participate in collaborative networks to reflect on and improve their training practices.	Trainers join CoPs hosted by industry, RTOs, or other organizations. Experienced trainers can establish internal CoPs for peer engagement.	✓Foundational ✓ Developing ✓ Experienced
Subscribe to Industry Publications	Trainers stay informed about evidence-based practices through journals, newsletters, and publications.	Trainers subscribe to resources from reputable family violence or prevention organizations, such as the Journal of Family Violence.	✓Foundational ✓ Developing ✓ Experienced
Peer-to-Peer Learning	Enables trainers with strong industry knowledge to develop teaching and assessment skills through collaboration.	A developing trainer is paired with an experienced trainer to enhance practical teaching skills.	✓Foundational ✓ Developing ✓ Experienced
Mentoring	Mentorship supports skill application, feedback exchange, and professional growth.	Trainers are paired with mentors who offer guidance tailored to their experience level, fostering competency development.	✓Foundational ✓ Developing ✓ Experienced

Best Practice Educational Model for accredited primary prevention and family violence training delivery

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