Work Placement Report P1 - Open Colleges, Community Services Diploma

This work placement report, completed as part of a Diploma of Community Services, details a student's experiences and reflections within a multicultural sports club setting. The report addresses various aspects of workplace health and safety, including identifying hazards such as poor posture, sun exposure, and potential for workplace violence/bullying, along with corresponding risks and control measures. It includes a reflective journal entry on monitoring staff compliance with health and safety policies. Furthermore, the report explores legal and ethical breaches, such as sharing personal information and handling illicit substances. It analyzes the benefits and drawbacks of organizational health and safety policies, offering recommendations for improvement. The report also examines strategies to foster diversity in work practices, opportunities for coaching and mentoring staff, and discusses cultural safety considerations for working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. The student reflects on discussions with colleagues regarding diversity and its implications in the workplace. The assignment concludes with a reflection on adapting service delivery for young people from Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander backgrounds to ensure cultural safety, highlighting the importance of cultural awareness, understanding historical impacts, and employing effective communication techniques.

Running head: WORK PLACEMENT REPORT P1
Work Placement Report P1
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Contents
Task 1A:.....................................................................................................................................2
Three Potential Hazards:........................................................................................................2
Risks for Each Hazard:...........................................................................................................2
Compliance against Legislation and Industry Guidelines:.....................................................2
Risk Controls and Measures:.................................................................................................2
Monitoring and Review of the identified risks:.....................................................................2
Task 1B:.....................................................................................................................................3
Task 2- Part 3:............................................................................................................................4
Task 3A:.....................................................................................................................................4
Task 3B- Part 2:.........................................................................................................................5
a: Strategy used to foster and promote diversity in work practices (strategy implementation
and outcome):.........................................................................................................................5
b: Opportunities identified in the workplace for coaching and mentoring staff and a
strategy to implement this support:........................................................................................6
Task 4:........................................................................................................................................7
Task 5:........................................................................................................................................7

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Task 1A:
Environment: Multicultural Sports Club
Three Potential Hazards:
Poor Posture
Sun Exposure
Work Violence/Bullying
Risks for Each Hazard:
High Risk for Poor Posture
Low Risk for Sun Exposure
Medium Risk for work violence and bullying
Compliance against Legislation and Industry Guidelines:
Legislations and Industry Guidelines on Work Health and Safety imply the
maintenance of a safe and healthy work environment. In the given scenario, the participants
and trainer have high risk injuries related to bad posture, medium risk of violence and
bullying and low risk of sun exposure, which are against the Work Health and Safety
Legislations and guidelines.
Risk Controls and Measures:
Protection against sun exposure, training on effective posture and cultural awareness
can be used to control the identified risks.
Monitoring and Review of the identified risks:

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Risk Assessment Matrix, Hazard Consequences Rating Table, Probability Rating
table and Risk Priority Table can be used to monitor and review the risks.
Task 1B:
Manage work health and safety
Reflection
(approximately 100 words)
Complete a reflective journal entry that describes:
 The strategies you used to monitor staff compliance against the risk
 How often you monitored the staff compliance of the risk
 Your evaluation of compliance with organisation policies and procedures
Journal Entry:
Monitoring of staff compliance to work health and safety policy guidelines was done
through meetings and feedback sessions, inspections and observations, audits and risk
assessments.
The staff was monitored on a daily basis and for all sports activities. Meeting and
feedbacks were taken on a weekly basis with the trainers as well as with the
students/participants. Audits and risk assessments were performed monthly to identify
health or safety incidents in the club premises.
By monitoring the compliance to health and safety policies by the staff of the club, it
was identified that most of the staff were able to follow the guidelines, however few
staff exhibited poor postures of working, and one staff was identified to have bullied
the students/participants.

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Task 2- Part 3:
Three potential legal and ethical breaches:
Sharing personal details of a young person: Personal information of clients would be kept
confidential and cannot be shared without prior and written permission from the client or
their parents.
An assault: Any incidents of violence against the staff or clients should be promptly
apprehended and stopped as well as notified to the governing body. For staff, disciplinary
actions would be taken and for clients training and punishment will be given.
A client in possession of illicit substances on the property: Strict policies would be
implemented against carrying of any illicit substances in the work premises, not following
which can result in the expulsion of the client.
Task 3A:
Drawbacks and benefits of the health and safety policies and procedures in the organization:
Name of Organisation YYZ Multicultural Sports Club
Name of Policy or Procedure Health and safety policy
Website address (if applicable) www.
Drawbacks for the organisation (50 words
each)
Benefits for the organisation (50 words each)
1 Policies regarding ergonomic injuries are not
well defined, which can increase the hazards
of injuries caused by poor posture,
workplace setup, lifting, pushing, bending
and repetitive movements.
1 Strict policies against workplace violence and
bullying. The policy implements strict actions for
violent behaviour shown by the staff.
2 Policies regarding reduction of exposure to 2 Strong policies against illicit substance use and

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UV light of the sun are also not well
outlined, which can increase risks of skin
cancer.
carrying illicit substances in the premises by
either staff or clients, and invokes strict punitive
measures for anyone engaging in such.
Recommendations for improvement:
Recommendations for improving or monitoring compliance of the policy or procedure: (50 – 100
words each)
1. Proper monitoring of postures and training on good postures and avoiding injuries. Through
effective monitoring, any improper posture can be identified and rectified, especially for the clients.
Training can further help to maintain good posture during sports activities.
2 Implementing strategies that can limit exposure to sunlight in daytime outdoor activities. Using
protection against sunlight such as UV protective goggles, protective clothing and sunscreen and
limiting the time spent in outdoor sports activities can reduce UV exposure.
Task 3B- Part 2:
a: Strategy used to foster and promote diversity in work practices (strategy
implementation and outcome):
Strategy: Developing a multicultural working environment. This strategy would imply the
inclusion of individuals from culturally and ethnically diverse backgrounds to develop a
multicultural environment.
Implementation: Involving clients from multicultural and multiethnic backgrounds as well as
hiring staff from multicultural and multiethnic backgrounds. This can help to develop a
culturally diverse team in the organization that provides service to a multicultural clientele.
For the staff, training in cultural awareness and cultural sensitivities would be given to ensure

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they can efficiently work within a multicultural working environment. Certification programs
can be utilized from certification vendors, that the staff can complete to get certified on health
and safety policies in workplace and ensure they understand the best practices to maintain a
healthy and safe work environment.
Outcome: As a result of implementing the workplace diversity strategy, I was able to develop
a culturally and ethnically diverse workplace, consisting of a diverse workforce and client
group. This also helped to attract more clients from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds.
The strategies ensured that the staff was well aware of the cultural competencies required in
the workplace and have understanding of safe and ethical working practices.
b: Opportunities identified in the workplace for coaching and mentoring staff and a
strategy to implement this support:
Coaching and mentoring can be given to the staff on the following aspects:
i. Using and training good postures in sports activities to prevent injuries. The
training would help the staff to monitor the postures of the clients in sports
activities and rectify any bad postures that can increase the risks of injuries.
ii. Strategies to limit or minimize exposure to UV radiation from sun This would
help the staff to understand strategies that can be used to minimize the exposure to
UV radiations such as usage of protective eyewear and clothing and using
sunscreen.
Strategies that can be used to implement the coaching and mentoring program include:
i. Requirements for clearing certifications in workplace health and safety practices.
Certifications can ensure that the staff is well versed with the safe working
practices and is able to maintain healthy and safe working practices.

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ii. Using on-job training through certified trainers. This part of training can be given
by experienced staff to the new employees, helping them to understand the safe
working practice through mentorship.
Task 4:
One topic that was discussed with three work colleagues was regarding the benefits of
diversity in the workplace. Through the discussion, I was able to identify and compare the
point of view of my co workers with mine, and was able to identify the advantages and
disadvantages of a diverse workplace.
The advantages included an increase in productivity, creativity, reputation,
communication skills in the workforce. The disadvantages included increase risks of
workplace violence and conflicts due to differences in opinions and beliefs. Furthermore, I
was able to identify that through cultural awareness and conflict management training
programs, the risks of workplace conflicts can be significantly reduced.
Task 5:
Social and cultural needs
Reflection
(approximately 200 words)
After consultation with your workplace supervisor and colleagues, write a reflective journal
(approximately 200 words) on how your organisation may adapt its delivery for a young
person with Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander background, to ensure cultural safety. Your
entry should highlight your organisation’s efforts to promote staff awareness of:
 cultural differences
 indigenous past and present rights and the impact of European settlement
 communication techniques / differences

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 cultural safety
 referral options to appropriate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander networks,
interpreters and organisations.
Journal Entry:
Awareness of the cultural diversity in the Indigenous Australian population of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities would be taught to the staff in
order to develop an appreciation of the diverse cultural practices and backgrounds of
these communities and to prevent any biased views regarding them. This can help to
develop effective cross cultural communication and cross cultural collaboration in the
workplace.
The historical impact of the European settlements on the health and wellbeing of the
Indigenous Australian communities would help the staff to understand how the
historic inequalities (such as discrimination, forced relocation and loss of livelihood)
have affected generations of people in these communities, and thus help to appreciate
the policies that are aimed to ensure equality for them and prevent any discrimination
against them.
Knowledge on techniques of communication and differences in the communication
needs for indigenous Australian youth can be developed through the awareness
programs that can help the staff to understand and communicate with clients from
these communities.
Such awareness can also help to implement cultural safety within the workplace, and
ensure that no discriminatory or biased behaviour takes place, especially within the
workforce.
Information on referral services such as Allied Health Programs, Aboriginal health
Services and Support, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health services can also
help to ensure better support to these communities.

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Bibliography:
Chan, F. and Thomas, K.R. eds., 2015. Counseling theories and techniques for rehabilitation
and mental health professionals. Springer Publishing Company.
Vourlekis, B.S., 2017. The policy and professional context of case management practice. In
Social work case management (pp. 17-26). Routledge.