RPL for Certificate III in Individual Support

Certificate III in Individual Support takes 15 units. Through Recognition of Prior Learning, each unit is assessed on evidence of work you have already done rather than on training you sit through.

What the assessment looks at

Every unit sets out what you must be able to do and what you must know. An assessor works through them one at a time, asking the same question each time: does this person's evidence show they can do this reliably, in a real workplace, recently enough to count?

You can read the full requirements for CHC33021 on the national training register. They are public, and worth a look before you spend anything — if the units describe work you have never done, RPL is not your route.

Evidence worth gathering before you start

• Photos of completed jobs, ideally showing a few stages of the same job, with their original dates intact.
• Job sheets, dockets, work orders or site diaries covering a spread of jobs.
• Supervisors, employers or clients who will confirm specifically what you did.
• Any licences or tickets you already hold.

How the guided process works

You work through the 15 units one at a time, talking about jobs you have actually done. You can speak rather than type. Add photos as you find them, and stop whenever you like — progress saves itself, and most people spread this over weeks while they dig out records. At the end you have an evidence portfolio your RTO's assessor can work through.

What this does not do

It does not assess you, and it cannot promise you CHC33021. An assessor at a registered training organisation makes that decision and may require further evidence or training. What a complete portfolio buys you is a fair assessment rather than a rejection over paperwork.

See what CHC33021 involves →

The 15 units you complete, chosen from these 35

You do not do all 35. Certificate III in Individual Support is 9 core units, which everyone does, plus 6 chosen from the 26 electives below. Read both lists before you spend anything — it is the fastest way to tell whether RPL is your route. If most of this describes work you have done, you have a case to make. If whole sections describe work you have never touched, an assessor will say so, and doing the course is the honest answer.

Core units — everyone does these

• CHCCCS031 — Provide individualised support
• CHCCCS038 — Facilitate the empowerment of people receiving support
• CHCCCS040 — Support independence and wellbeing
• CHCCCS041 — Recognise healthy body systems
• CHCCOM005 — Communicate and work in health or community services
• CHCDIV001 — Work with diverse people
• CHCLEG001 — Work legally and ethically
• HLTINF006 — Apply basic principles and practices of infection prevention and control
• HLTWHS002 — Follow safe work practices for direct client care

Electives — you choose from these

• CHCAGE007 — Recognise and report risk of falls
• CHCAGE011 — Provide support to people living with dementia
• CHCAGE012 — Provide food service
• CHCAGE013 — Work effectively in aged care
• CHCAOD001 — Work in an alcohol and other drugs context
• CHCCCS001 — Address the needs of people with chronic disease
• CHCCCS017 — Provide loss and grief support
• CHCCCS033 — Identify and report abuse
• CHCCCS034 — Facilitate independent travel
• CHCCCS035 — Support people with autism spectrum disorder
• CHCCCS036 — Support relationships with carer and family
• CHCCCS037 — Visit client residence
• CHCCCS042 — Prepare meals
• CHCCCS043 — Support positive mealtime experiences
• CHCCCS044 — Follow established person-centred behaviour supports
• CHCDIS011 — Contribute to ongoing skills development using a strengths-based approach
• CHCDIS012 — Support community participation and social inclusion
• CHCDIS013 — Assist with communication using augmentative and alternative communication methods
• CHCDIS020 — Work effectively in disability support
• CHCDIV002 — Promote Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultural safety
• CHCGRP001 — Support group activities
• CHCMHS001 — Work with people with mental health issues
• CHCPAL003 — Deliver care services using a palliative approach
• HLTAID011 — Provide First Aid
• HLTHPS006 — Assist clients with medication
• HLTOHC007 — Recognise and respond to oral health issues

Each unit breaks down further into elements and performance criteria — the specific things you have to be able to show. The guide works through them one unit at a time and asks about jobs you have actually done, rather than making you read the register yourself.

Related qualifications

Same training package, and a common second choice for people who find this one is not quite their trade:

• Certificate III in Active Volunteering (CHC34015, 10 units)
• Certificate III in Community Safety Services (CHC35021, 12 units)
• Certificate III in Community Services (CHC32015, 12 units)
• Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care (CHC30125, 17 units)
• Certificate III in School Based Education Support (CHC30221, 15 units)
• Graduate Certificate in Client Assessment and Case Management (CHC82015, 10 units)

More RPL in health and community services

Every qualification in this industry, which of them have a guide ready, and what assessors here accept as evidence: RPL in health and community services.

When you are ready, see what CHC33021 costs and what the guide asks you for, or read what counts as evidence and how RPL compares with doing the course.