Central TAFE is providing staff in remote Aged Care facilities with vital communication skills enhancing career prospects and easing critical skills shortages.
“Central TAFE has been running the WELL (Workplace English Language and Literacy) program successfully since 1991, but this is the first time we’ve delivered the program in regional areas,” said Sue Brennan, Principal Lecturer in Community Learning and Languages and co-ordinator of the College’s WELL program.
The federally funded program assists organisations to train workers in English language, literacy and numeracy skills in order to remain or progress in employment, and address employers’ needs.
“The two regional organisations we are currently working with face some unique challenges, including a lack of access to a variety of local training facilities and staff who have had limited exposure to new communications technologies within the industry groups,” Sue said.
“With the importance of accountability in the Aged Care industry, it is paramount that staff are confident in these communication skills, which are needed to complete accurate documentation.”
The highly customised program involves a Central TAFE lecturer discussing and developing training solutions with the employer and working with employees in the workplace for up to five days a week.
Diane Sansom has been involved in the delivery of a Central TAFE WELL project at Guwardi Ngadu Frail Aged Hostel in Fitzroy Crossing. Diane believes the success of the project has been in part due to the opportunity to become immersed in the community and the workplace.
“Many of the issues that need to be addressed can only be understood by observing the problems that the staff face on a day to day basis and through becoming a part of the workplace,” Diane said.
“In this particular workplace it was important to ensure the documentation system included culturally appropriate assessments with suitable language and vocabulary to enable Care staff to record and report accurately the care needs of the residents in their facility.
“In addition to providing training to develop language, vocabulary and documentation skills through WELL, staff are being introduced to computers - modern communication technology.
Karriyili Adult Education Centre in Fitzroy has arranged for staff from Guwardi Ngadu to learn computing skills at their centre to ensure local people and employers are not disadvantaged by the advances in new communication technology.”
The need for documentation skills was vital as was the need to promote indigenous employment according to Facility Manager Jeffery Shelly.
“Government organisations have put increased demand on age care facilities to document and, as we are 100 per cent staffed by Indigenous people with English often their sixth language, documentation was a major issue,” he said.
“We also had a lot of English documentation processes and systems which Central TAFE is redeveloping to make them more understandable and culturally appropriate. This has supported Indigenous involvement in the documentation and reporting requirements to our facility.
“Central TAFE has had a great deal of experience with the WELL Program and the lecturers have a flexible approach, which meets the needs of my staff. They have always presented themselves as culturally sensitive and have built up a strong relationship with the people they have supported.
“This training has brought many benefits to the facility, we have seen our funding claims met as a result of staff documenting; Indigenous employment has been supported and encouraged; and staff have become more knowledgeable and more confident in their work practices.”
The WELL Program is suitable for people at all levels and can add value to other mainstream training. Central TAFE also works with local regional TAFE’s to ensure that ongoing WELL and mainstream training can be maintained at the cessation of the program.
At the Bran Nue Dae Aged and Community Care facility in Broome, lecturer Maxine Tomlin is helping staff cope with the critical skills shortage in registered nurses.
“Isolated areas have difficulties attracting skilled nurses meaning that a lot of the documentation falls to other staff who need to develop the skills to document, comprehend, and work with charts and graphs often containing a lot of technical information,” Maxine said.
“Many of the staff are looking to further their training and by developing vocabulary, reporting and recording skills the WELL program adds value to all care-related training courses such as continence management, palliative care, medications and occupational health and safety.”
The WELL program is relevant to all industries and Central TAFE can provide a service in both metropolitan and regional areas, including in partnership with other providers, according to client needs.