living in metropolitan areas [, ]. Recruiting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples into health and community services has been a longstanding goal of the human services sector. Points 6 and 8 of the Disability First People’s Network’s (FPDN) Plan identified the need to develop the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce to implement the NDIS in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities []. The Closing the Gap strategy commits the Australian government to ensure 90% of eligible Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples will receive funded support under the National Disability Strategy []. To achieve the a culturally government’s commitment, aware and safe rural and remote workforce including trained and supported Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers is required in disability and mainstream sectors. What is the research evidence for what works? A data base and website key word search of peer-reviewed and grey literature spanning 2008-2015/6 was conducted for references to: rural and remote; disability; Aboriginal/Indigenous; and workforce. Build the capability of the rural and remote and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce The evidence points to the need for a collaborative and cross-sectorial approach to invest in the capability and sustainability of rural and remote and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforces. Given the identified challenges to sustaining a workforce in rural and remote areas, a collaborative approach will create systems to provide improved access to support for persons with disability living in those areas []. As represented in figure 1 below, building a collaborative and cross-sectorial workforce involves a mix of local and outreach professionals with specific skills and knowledge to deliver locally-directed seamless services [, ], alongside local community-based quasi- or non-professional workers.
living in metropolitan areas [, ]. Recruiting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples into health and community services has been a longstanding goal of the human services sector. Points 6 and 8 of the First People’s Disability Network’s (FPDN) Plan identified the need to develop the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce to implement the NDIS in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities []. The Closing the Gap strategy commits the Australian government to ensure 90% of eligible Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples will receive funded support under the National Disability Strategy []. To achieve the government’s commitment, a culturally aware and safe rural and remote workforce including trained and supported Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers is required in disability and mainstream sectors. What is the research evidence for what works? A data base and website key word search of peer-reviewed and grey literature spanning 2008-2015/6 was conducted for references to: rural and remote; disability; Aboriginal/Indigenous; and workforce. Build the capability of the rural and remote and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce The evidence points to the need for a collaborative and cross-sectorial approach to invest in the capability and sustainability of rural and remote and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforces. Given the identified challenges to sustaining a workforce in rural and remote areas, a collaborative approach will create systems to provide improved access to support for persons with disability living in those areas []. As represented in figure 1 below, building a collaborative and cross-sectorial workforce involves a mix of local and outreach professionals with specific skills and knowledge to deliver locally-directed seamless services [, ], alongside local community-based quasi- or non-professional workers.
wf-whole-accessdocx.docx