Australian Indigenous

Conference abstracts and papers

12th National Health Promotion Conference: Inequalities in health - reflecting back, stepping forward.
29 October - 1 November 2000, Hotel Sofitel, Melbourne, Victoria.

Karen Adams and Merilyn Spratling
VACCHO Aboriginal Health Worker Training Program.

Project objective: Provide appropriate training to support Victorian Aboriginal Health Workers in their professional role as health care providers.

Outline: The VACCHO Aboriginal Health Worker Training (AHW) Program began in August 1998. Prior to the commencement of the project, accredited training for Aboriginal Health Workers in Victoria had never existed. Aboriginal Health Workers had largely been exposed to non-accredited training that focused on body parts or disease processes, or accredited training not entirely supportive of the worker's job role. The ad hoc training offered no overall basic set of skills to support these workers in their professional role as health care providers. This is turn directly impacts on the quality and strength of health care provided to Victorian Aboriginal people.

The program is based on principles of self-determination and community control. Extensive community consultation with Victorian Aboriginal Health Workers and their employers occurred initially to inform the project development. This occurred in the form of surveys, telephone conversations and a state wide Aboriginal Health Worker Forum.

These consultations led to Aboriginal Health Worker Training being developed in the following manner:

• VACCHO became a Registered Training Organisation to deliver T AFE accredited training.
• An already accredited course was chosen which met the identified training needs.
• The course is delivered in a flexible block release style.
• Organisations are given support through funding to backfill the AHW positions.
• Ensuring Koori teaching staff are included in course delivery.
• Offering students Recognition of Prior Learning.

In 2000 students are currently enrolled in Certificate III and IV in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health. The course delivery will be complete in October this year. Strong features of the course include:

• Clinical teachers are provided to ensure students have support to implement theory into practice in the workplace
• Students are provided with an opportunity to be mentored by an Aboriginal Health Worker who has completed training. As this is the first time training has been offered in Victoria, students are travelling interstate. This has the added bonus of allowing students to be exposed to many forms of primary health care delivery and further develop their skills and knowledge in this area.
• Students will also participate in the 3rd Annual V ACCHO Aboriginal Health Worker Forum, gaining experience in facilitating small groups, public speaking and general organisational skills. The subject 'Ethical and Legal Studies' will be delivered as part of the forum and participants will have an opportunity to gain a statement of attainment for this module of the course.

It is hoped that graduates of the course will be involved in delivery of future accredited training for Aboriginal Health Workers. Ongoing evaluation of the course is continuing and an overall evaluation of the program will be conducted at the completion of the course to ensure appropriateness and effectiveness of the training.

Last updated: 5 October, 2001