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title: Staff Policy Self-Assessment
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**COMPREHENSIVE POLICY KNOWLEDGE ASSESSMENT FOR STAFF**

## Introduction

This self-assessment tool is designed to help you evaluate your understanding and comprehension of our organization's policies, procedures, and community standards. It covers all major policy areas that staff members are expected to know and apply in their roles.

**How to Use This Assessment:**
- Answer each question honestly and thoroughly
- Review relevant policy documents for questions you're unsure about
- Use this as a learning tool, not just a test
- Discuss any areas of uncertainty with your supervisor or colleagues
- Retake sections as needed after reviewing policy materials

**Assessment Areas Covered:**
1. Community Values and Code of Conduct
2. Staff Handbook and Professional Conduct
3. Crisis and Mental Health Management
4. Community Support and Growth
5. Moderation and Enforcement
6. Appeals and Review Processes
7. Privacy and Data Protection
8. Content Moderation and Safety
9. Accessibility and Inclusion
10. Training-Specific Knowledge
11. Legal and Policy Framework

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## Section 1: Community Values and Code of Conduct

### 1.1 Foundational Principles

**Question 1:** Our community explicitly rejects neutrality in the face of oppression. Explain what this means and how it should guide your actions as a staff member.

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 2:** List and explain the five core values that guide our community:

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 3:** A community member posts about experiencing discrimination but doesn't provide "proof." How should you respond and why?

*Your Answer:*

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### 1.2 Prohibited Conduct

**Question 4:** What is the difference between impact and intent when assessing harmful behavior? Provide an example.

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 5:** A user claims they're just "playing devil's advocate" when making arguments that harm marginalized community members. How do you respond?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 6:** Define microaggressions and provide three examples that might occur in online technical communities.

*Your Answer:*

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### 1.3 Reporting and Enforcement

**Question 7:** List the different ways community members can report Code of Conduct violations:

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 8:** Explain the progressive disciplinary system and when each level is typically applied:

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 9:** Where is our public transparency system located, and what information is documented there?

*Your Answer:*

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## Section 2: Staff Handbook and Professional Conduct

### 2.1 Role Definition and Expectations

**Question 10:** Explain the "servant leadership" principle and how it applies to all staff roles:

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 11:** What should you do if you anticipate being absent from staff duties for more than one week?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 12:** How do you balance being a staff member while also participating as a regular community member?

*Your Answer:*

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### 2.2 Professional Standards

**Question 13:** List five mandatory behaviors expected of all staff members:

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 14:** What are the key principles for working collaboratively with fellow staff members?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 15:** If you disagree with a fellow staff member's decision, what should you do?

*Your Answer:*

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### 2.3 Documentation and Accountability

**Question 16:** What types of actions must be documented, and why is this important?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 17:** Explain how our performance review and accountability systems work:

*Your Answer:*

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## Section 3: Crisis and Mental Health Management

### 3.1 Crisis Recognition

**Question 18:** List at least 5 warning signs that might indicate someone is experiencing a mental health crisis:

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 19:** Explain the three risk assessment levels (High, Medium, Low) and appropriate response timeframes:

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 20:** What should you NEVER do when someone is expressing mental health concerns?

*Your Answer:*

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### 3.2 Response Protocols

**Question 21:** When are we legally obligated to report mental health concerns to authorities?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 22:** Provide examples of appropriate and inappropriate responses to someone expressing suicidal thoughts:

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 23:** List at least 5 crisis resources that should be readily available:

*Your Answer:*

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### 3.3 Professional Boundaries

**Question 24:** What are the limitations of peer support vs. professional mental health services?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 25:** How do you maintain appropriate boundaries while still being supportive?

*Your Answer:*

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## Section 4: Community Support and Growth

### 4.1 Community Support Framework

**Question 26:** What are the four main categories of support available in our community?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 27:** When providing technical support, what information should you include in your response?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 28:** How do you handle a support request that exceeds your knowledge or capacity?

*Your Answer:*

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### 4.2 Community Growth Principles

**Question 29:** Explain our "quality over quantity" approach to community growth:

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 30:** What does "values-driven growth" mean, and how does it guide outreach efforts?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 31:** List practices we should avoid when promoting community growth:

*Your Answer:*

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### 4.3 New Member Integration

**Question 32:** Describe the key elements of effective new member onboarding:

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 33:** How do you ensure new members feel welcome while maintaining community standards?

*Your Answer:*

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## Section 5: Moderation and Enforcement

### 5.1 Inclusive Moderation Principles

**Question 34:** What does "inclusive moderation" mean beyond just enforcing written rules?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 35:** How should you prioritize safety for marginalized community members in your moderation decisions?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 36:** A user says something that technically doesn't violate written rules but creates an unwelcoming environment. How do you respond?

*Your Answer:*

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### 5.2 Conflict Resolution

**Question 37:** List the four stages of conflict escalation and appropriate interventions for each:

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 38:** When should you use restorative justice approaches vs. enforcement measures?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 39:** Describe the process for facilitating a discussion between conflicting parties:

*Your Answer:*

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### 5.3 Cultural Competency

**Question 40:** How do cultural differences in communication styles affect moderation decisions?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 41:** What is "tone policing" and why is it problematic?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 42:** How do you accommodate different cultural approaches to conflict while maintaining consistent community standards?

*Your Answer:*

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## Section 6: Appeals and Review Processes

### 6.1 Appeals Framework

**Question 43:** What are the acceptable grounds for appealing a disciplinary decision?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 44:** What must an appellant complete before submitting an appeal?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 45:** Within what timeframe must appeals be submitted, and where do they go?

*Your Answer:*

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### 6.2 Appeals Process

**Question 46:** Describe the review process and typical timeline for appeals:

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 47:** What are the possible outcomes when an appeal is reviewed?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 48:** Can someone appeal the same decision multiple times? What are the consequences of abuse of process?

*Your Answer:*

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### 6.3 Review and Accountability

**Question 49:** How do you handle a situation where a community member wants to appeal a decision you made?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 50:** What documentation should be maintained to support potential appeals processes?

*Your Answer:*

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## Section 7: Privacy and Data Protection

### 7.1 Data Collection and Use

**Question 51:** What types of personal information do we collect from community members?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 52:** Under what circumstances can staff members access or share community member personal information?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 53:** How do privacy protections interact with transparency requirements for sanctions and documentation?

*Your Answer:*

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### 7.2 Data Protection Principles

**Question 54:** If a community member requests their personal data be deleted, what should you do?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 55:** When handling crisis situations, how do you balance privacy with safety obligations?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 56:** What are the key principles for protecting community member privacy in staff communications?

*Your Answer:*

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## Section 8: Content Moderation and Safety

### 8.1 Content Standards

**Question 57:** Beyond explicit rule violations, what other factors should guide content moderation decisions?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 58:** How do you handle content that might be harmful to marginalized community members but doesn't explicitly violate written rules?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 59:** What is your approach to moderating content that involves complex cultural or contextual issues?

*Your Answer:*

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### 8.2 Safety and Protection

**Question 60:** Describe the process for handling reports of harassment that span multiple platforms:

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 61:** How do you protect vulnerable community members while maintaining fair processes for all parties?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 62:** What steps should you take when content moderation decisions might impact community member safety?

*Your Answer:*

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## Section 9: Accessibility and Inclusion

### 9.1 Accessibility Principles

**Question 63:** What are the key accessibility considerations for community platforms and activities?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 64:** How do you accommodate different communication styles and needs in your staff interactions?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 65:** If someone requests accommodations for participation, what is the process for evaluation and implementation?

*Your Answer:*

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### 9.2 Inclusive Practices

**Question 66:** Describe how you ensure that community events and discussions are inclusive of different time zones, languages, and cultural backgrounds:

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 67:** What proactive steps can staff take to create more accessible and inclusive community environments?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 68:** How do you address barriers that might prevent marginalized community members from fully participating?

*Your Answer:*

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## Section 10: Training-Specific Knowledge

### 10.1 Role-Specific Competencies

**Question 69:** If you're in a moderation role, list the core competencies required for effective conflict resolution:

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 70:** For technical roles, what are the key areas of expertise needed to support community projects?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 71:** What ongoing training requirements apply to all staff positions?

*Your Answer:*

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### 10.2 Specialized Knowledge Areas

**Question 72:** If working with accessibility coordination, what are the key principles you need to understand?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 73:** For community growth roles, what are the ethical guidelines for outreach and recruitment?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 74:** In crisis response situations, what specialized training is required?

*Your Answer:*

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## Section 11: Legal and Policy Framework

### 11.1 Policy Integration

**Question 75:** List the major policy documents that all staff members must understand and comply with:

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 76:** When policies overlap or conflict, how should you determine which takes precedence?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 77:** How often are policies reviewed and updated, and how are changes communicated?

*Your Answer:*

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### 11.2 Legal Obligations

**Question 78:** What are our mandatory reporting obligations, and when do they apply?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 79:** How do privacy protections balance with transparency requirements?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 80:** What should you do if you're unsure about legal obligations in a specific situation?

*Your Answer:*

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## Section 12: Practical Application Scenarios

### 12.1 Complex Situations

**Question 81:** A long-time community member makes transphobic comments. They claim they're "just asking questions" and "trying to understand." How do you handle this situation from first contact through resolution?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 82:** Two community members from different cultural backgrounds are having a conflict that seems to stem from communication style differences. Both feel misunderstood. Walk through your approach to resolving this.

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 83:** A community member reports that they're feeling suicidal and asks you not to tell anyone. How do you balance their request for confidentiality with safety concerns?

*Your Answer:*

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### 12.2 Edge Cases

**Question 84:** A staff member is involved in a conflict with a community member. You need to address the situation but the usual procedures involve that staff member. What do you do?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 85:** Someone is promoting their commercial product in community spaces. They argue it's relevant to ongoing discussions and they're contributing value. How do you evaluate and respond?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 86:** A community member claims that our anti-oppression stance is "political" and they just want a "neutral" technical community. How do you respond?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 87:** A community member requests deletion of their personal data, but some of that data is part of documented policy violations that affect ongoing community safety. How do you handle this?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 88:** You notice that accessibility accommodations for an event are inadequate, but implementing proper accommodations would require significant resource changes. How do you approach this?

*Your Answer:*

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## Section 13: Self-Reflection and Continuous Improvement

### 13.1 Personal Assessment

**Question 89:** Reflect on your own potential biases. What areas do you need to be most mindful about in your staff role?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 90:** What aspects of our policies do you find most challenging to implement, and why?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 91:** How do you plan to continue learning and improving in your staff role?

*Your Answer:*

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### 13.2 Community Impact

**Question 92:** How would you evaluate whether your actions as a staff member are effectively supporting our community values?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 93:** What feedback mechanisms are available for community members to assess staff performance?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 94:** If you received feedback that your approach was causing harm, how would you respond?

*Your Answer:*

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## Section 14: Resource Knowledge

### 14.1 Support Resources

**Question 95:** List key mental health crisis resources for different regions:

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 96:** Where can community members find technical documentation and support for our projects?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 97:** What resources are available for staff members who need support or consultation?

*Your Answer:*

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### 14.2 External Resources

**Question 98:** If someone needs legal advice, professional counselling, or other services outside our scope, how do you connect them with appropriate resources?

*Your Answer:*

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## Section 15: Advanced Integration and Leadership

### 15.1 Cross-Platform Coordination

**Question 99:** How do you ensure consistent policy application across Discord, forums, Reddit, GitHub, and other community platforms?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 100:** When a conflict or issue spans multiple platforms, how do you coordinate response and documentation?

*Your Answer:*

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### 15.2 Community Leadership and Governance

**Question 101:** Describe how community feedback is integrated into policy development and modification:

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 102:** What role do staff members play in our democratic governance and community decision-making processes?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 103:** How do you balance individual staff judgment with consistent policy application across the team?

*Your Answer:*

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### 15.3 Training and Development

**Question 104:** If you were to mentor a new staff member, what would be your approach to helping them understand our policies?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 105:** How do you stay current with policy updates and integrate new knowledge into your practice?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 106:** What would you do if you identified a gap in our current policies or training materials?

*Your Answer:*

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### 15.4 Crisis and Emergency Situations

**Question 107:** Describe your approach to handling a community-wide crisis that requires immediate response across multiple platforms:

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 108:** How do you prioritize competing demands during high-stress situations while maintaining policy compliance?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 109:** What steps would you take if you suspected that another staff member was not following policies appropriately?

*Your Answer:*

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**Question 110:** If you received conflicting guidance from different levels of leadership, how would you handle the situation?

*Your Answer:*

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## Assessment Completion

### Scoring Guide

This is a learning tool rather than a pass/fail test. Use the following guide to evaluate your responses:

**Excellent Understanding (4 points):** Complete, accurate answer that demonstrates deep comprehension and ability to apply knowledge

**Good Understanding (3 points):** Mostly correct answer with minor gaps or areas for improvement

**Basic Understanding (2 points):** Partially correct answer showing some knowledge but requiring further study

**Needs Development (1 point):** Incomplete or incorrect answer indicating need for significant additional learning

**No Understanding (0 points):** No answer provided or completely incorrect response

### Next Steps Based on Your Results

**440-385 points (Excellent Overall):** You demonstrate strong policy knowledge. Focus on continuous learning and practical application.

**384-330 points (Good Overall):** You have solid understanding with some areas for improvement. Review specific sections where you scored lower.

**329-275 points (Basic Overall):** You understand fundamentals but need additional study. Schedule focused review sessions with your supervisor.

**274-220 points (Developing):** Significant gaps in knowledge require structured learning plan and additional training.

**Below 220 points:** Comprehensive policy review needed before independent staff duties.

### Action Planning

Based on your assessment results:

1. **Identify Weak Areas:** Which sections had the lowest scores?
2. **Create Study Plan:** Schedule time to review relevant policy documents
3. **Seek Support:** Discuss challenging areas with colleagues or supervisors
4. **Practice Application:** Look for opportunities to apply knowledge in safe contexts
5. **Schedule Reassessment:** Plan to retake weak sections after additional study

### Documentation

**Assessment Completion Date:** _______________

**Overall Score:** _______ / 440 points

**Areas for Improvement:**

**Learning Plan:**

**Next Review Date:** _______________

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**Supervisor Review**

**Reviewed by:** _______________

**Review Date:** _______________

**Comments:**

**Recommended Actions:**

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*This Policy Self-Assessment is designed to support continuous learning and professional development. It should be completed regularly and used as part of ongoing training and performance development discussions. For questions about specific policy areas or assessment results, contact leadership through designated staff channels.*

**Document Version:** 1.0
**Last Updated:** 25 September 2025
**Next Review Date:** 25 March 2026