A South Western Sydney PHN (SWSPHN)-joint project with Gandangara Local Aboriginal Land Council is making a “tangible difference” to the lives of our local community.
SWSPHN provided funding to Gandangara to support capacity building through their First Peoples Traineeship Program.
Four trainees were recruited to undertake the NSW TAFE Certificate IV courses, one in a dual Certificate IV in Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drugs, and three in Certificate IV in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Primary Health Care.
Initiatives like the Gandangara Workforce Capacity Building Project are part of SWSPHN’s work in closing the gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australian’s life expectancy by improving access to culturally sensitive primary care services for Indigenous people.
The 12-month project aimed to build the skills and knowledge of participants, and also fostered “a love and passion for working in healthcare” for trainees Khloe Bolton, Sarah Robinson, Jestyn Nand and Latia Anu.
Khloe said the course provided her with a better understanding of the concerns and needs of people in her community, and how she could help make a difference to their health outcomes.
The trainees gained practical experience during their traineeship, learning skills in clinical areas like wound care and pitching in to help with Gandangara Health Service’s response to COVID-19 through vaccination clinics.
The traineeship also provided trainees with the skills to act as ambassadors to the community, and role models for their families and the broader community.
Responsibilities included giving Rapid Antigen Tests and taking weight, height, blood pressure and oxygen saturation levels before patients saw a GP. They also completed parts of 715 Aboriginal Health Assessments, supported patients to complete paperwork and ensured follow up appointments were booked.
“It was all-hands-on-deck,” Khloe said. “We were doing our course, but we were also learning on the go.
“Being part of Gandangara Local Aboriginal Land Council gives me opportunities to help facilitate connections for our clients – whether it be membership, transport or to have a yarn.”
Sarah said learning how to provide healthcare in a culturally-safe way was the most important thing she took from her traineeship. “Culturally safe healthcare provides an access point for those who might not seek care through mainstream channels.”
“It’s just about getting in there and having a yarn with the patients, be real with them. Don’t be fake. Don’t tell them what you think they want to hear. It is great to be able to give back to Aunties and Uncles and have real conversations,” she said.
Khloe and Sarah are both now undertaking a part-time Bachelor of Nursing at Western Sydney University while working full-time at Gandangara Health Services.
“The more we learn, the more we can do for the community,” Sarah said.
Khloe said Gandangara had been a supportive and “incredible working environment”.
Mentors supported trainees throughout their training, from preparation through induction and on-boarding activities, to daily task scheduling and performance reporting.
Sarah also praised Gandangara, and added her thanks to SWSPHN for its support during the pandemic.
“The support we received from the PHN through the COVID outbreak – like supplying the safety gear like gowns, masks, face shields, all of that – it really made a big difference to how well we could do our jobs,” she said.
Gandangara Chief Executive Officer Melissa Williams said investing in our next generation was critical to developing leaders of the future and equipping them with socially responsible skills and behaviors.
“You can’t put a price on kindness and having a moral compass,” she said.
Gandangara Health Services Manager Angela Spithill, who managed the project alongside Project Manager Kelly Nichols, said projects like the Workforce Capacity Building Project were making a tangible difference to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s lives.
“Our trainees are role models for those close to them, showing what it is possible to achieve when you are given an opportunity, support and mentoring,” she said.
SWSPHN Chief Executive Officer, Dr Keith McDonald PhD, said it was wonderful to see the project had not only been life-changing for the trainees, but had also supported Gandangara Health Services to provide its clients with even greater service and care.
“Congratulations to the staff and trainees at Gandangara on such a successful outcome from the project,” he said. “It’s great to see people like these trainees who are so willing and eager to help, and who engage so well with clients they are able to make a difference in peoples’ lives.”
Captions:
Top picture: Front L-R Khloe Bolton, Sarah Robinson, Jestyn Nand and Latia Anu. Back L-R Angela Spithill and staff member Emma Smith.
Bottom picture: Latia (left) and Jestyn Nand (right) with Uncle Charlie Booth.