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First Nations health professionals earning and learning to assist their mob
TAFE Queensland creates bespoke Diploma content for employees at community-owned not-for-profit health service.
Overview
- Since 2023, TAFE Queensland has partnered with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service (ATSICHS) to deliver the Diploma of Child, Youth and Family Intervention (CHC50321) qualification. ATSICHS provides entry-level community-based roles that allow their employees to ‘earn and learn’ whilst on a pathway to a rewarding community services career.
- The partnership sees TAFE Queensland provide bespoke training in a culturally safe way to ATSICHS entry-level staff, so that employees can become qualified to ultimately assist with raising the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the wider Brisbane and Logan community.
- At the time of publication, the first two students (i.e ATSICHS employees) had completed the Diploma, and 16 will complete this term with the essential skills to make a difference in their community.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service (ATSICHS)
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service (ATSICHS) Brisbane is a not-for-profit community owned health care and human services organisation, delivering on the unique health and wellbeing needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in greater Brisbane and Logan.
ATSICHS services include medical and dental clinics, child and family health services, youth services, social and emotional wellbeing programs and services, a midwifery hub, an aged care facility, and a variety of family and child support services including child protection, family wellbeing services, kindergarten programs and a child and family centre.
Opportunity
TAFE Queensland was approached by ATSICHS to assist in developing their workforce as part of the ‘*Poodmare-ba’ program.
TAFE Queensland’s client relationship manager worked with ATSICHS to develop an accelerated learning model for ATSICHS employees to participate in and complete a Diploma of Child, Youth and Family Intervention (CHC50321 ) one day per week, whilst on the job, and in a culturally-appropriate way.
*Poodmare-ba translates as “to lift up” place; place where one goes to new levels of learning, growth and work experiences, and skills are enhanced professionally, economically, personally and social-culturally.
Solution
Delivered in ATSICHS training rooms at Coopers Plains and at the Bullang Bujerum site in Logan, a highly experienced TAFE Queensland teacher brings industry knowledge and cultural sensitivity to each Diploma training session, developing students’ professional development whilst enhancing their job-ready skills, knowledge, self-confidence and pride.
Being mindful of the lived experience of the cohort of First Nations student/workers in the program, the teacher spends considerable time building a trauma-informed approach into the ways that the course information is delivered.
Further, ATSICHS documents are utilised where possible to apply the Diploma learning to the student’s workplace, and key speakers are included in teaching sessions to add specific content knowledge.
Program participants are engaged in the online Learning Management System for assessments, encouraged to participate in role plays, group work, research tasks and write formal written assessments.
This initiative is all about supporting mob who would like to make a career shift to community services but don't have the qualifications, experience and/or confidence to make the move.
Partnering with TAFE Queensland means we can ensure program participants receive high quality education and training while getting on the job experience with ATSICHS Brisbane, taking the knowledge gained and applying it directly to the communities we work with.
Results
At the time of publishing two ATSICHS employees / students have graduated with their Diploma of Child Youth and Family qualification, and sixteen are set to graduate shortly.
Future plans
Apprentices will complete the new electives commencing at TAFE Queensland Eagle Farm campus in 2024/2025, which will continue and be a permanent inclusion as part of Certificate III in Electrotechnology (Electrician).
Selina combines her culture and qualifications to help her community
