2 minute read
Collaboration creates workforce diversity
BREAKING DOWN THE BARRIERS IS A WIN-WIN
Aproject to provide opportunities for people living with a disability to work in aged care has successfully launched in South Australia. Nine young people, a number of whom live with intellectual disability, are now in traineeships at four residential aged care providers and one home care support service provider, marking the conclusion of nearly 12 months of planning led by Adelaide disability advocacy organisation, JFA Purple Orange.
Amanda Birkin, CEO of one of the participating providers and LASA Member, St Anna’s Residential Care, says the project has already had a tremendous impact on the participants and their families and the staff.
LASA Members Amber Aged Care and home support provider ECH are also taking part, as are Kalyra and Eldercare.
The trainees have been selected by Disability Employment Service providers Barkuma and Maxima and are being trained by EQUALS International.
“Our trainees have been embraced by our staff and are being supported in their learning too. This is an important career opportunity for them, they have been embraced by our residents and they are now part of the St Anna’s team,” Amanda says.
“We want to provide opportunities to people living with a disability and we also want our aged care home to reflect the many different people who make up our community.”
St Anna’s has taken on two people who are training for their Certificate III Individual Support and a third who is training in the maintenance department as an assistant handyman.
The two trainees at ECH work on their Social Day Programs. ECH General Manager People and Culture, Matt Mulvihill, says when looking at employing people living with disability it became clear that recruitment processes needed to be applied with more openness and flexibility in order to achieve a more diverse workforce.
“After meeting the trainees and seeing their enthusiasm and appreciation for the opportunity it became apparent that the Trainees with EQUALS International training staff.
most significant benefit of this program is the positive impact that these trainees are having on the culture of their teams,” Matt says.
Kellie Howe, Project Leader – Employment at JFA Purple Orange, says the project draws on funding from the Department of Social Services and the SA Department of Innovation and Skills, and aims to reduce the barriers for people living with disability from entering mainstream employment.
”It’s about increasing the talent pool that employers have to draw on to find the best staff for the role. What we have found in working with our employers on this program, is that so many of the perceived barriers to employing a person living with disability simply aren’t there,” Kellie says.
“With so many benefits here for the aged care sector such as securing loyal, long-term employees, we are hoping more aged care providers will come on board.”
