The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander AOD Worker Survey is being supported and distributed by NACCHO
To Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander AOD workers
FROM A/Prof Ted Wilkes Chair National Indigenous Drug and Alcohol Committee
Currently, there are no professional bodies specifically for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander alcohol and other drug workers. A number of professional bodies exist for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers, but these may not be relevant for AOD workers in particular, and AOD workers may not be eligible to join these bodies.
At both the inaugural and second National Indigenous Drug and Alcohol Conferences, a large proportion of delegates expressed the view that there should be a dedicated professional body.
At the second conference, a resolution was made “that NIDAC explores the establishment of a national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce and organisational representative body”.
To begin exploring this, we would like to hear your views on national representation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander alcohol and other drug workers and organisations.
Your responses in this survey will help NIDAC to gain a better understanding of how the lack of a representative bodies affects AOD workers, and inform our ongoing work in this area. Once NIDAC has analysed responses to the survey we will review the options for establishment of a professional body, keeping the sector apprised of developments. The survey focuses on AOD workforce representation, but includes some questions on representation for organisations.
Your responses will remain anonymous and no identifying information is required. If you wish to disclose your email address, it will only be used to contact you with information on the results of the survey.
This survey seeks the views of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander alcohol and other drug workers. If this does not apply to you, there is no need to continue to the survey.
WHAT IS NIDAC?
NIDAC was established in 2004 by the Australian National Council on Drugs (ANCD) and aims to reduce alcohol and other drug problems and associated harms in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities nationally. NIDAC’s role is to provide advice to the ANCD and the government on a range of issues that impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and ways of addressing the serious drug and alcohol issues that exist for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
The survey will ask for:
1. Some background information about you and your work
2. Your views about, or experiences of, existing professional bodies
3. Your views about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander AOD workforce representation
4. Your views about representational bodies for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander AOD organisations.
The survey has 27 questions and will take about 15-20 minutes to complete.
For further information about NIDAC or the ANCD, please visit these websites:
http://www.nidac.org.au NIDAC is therefore running a survey on the establishment of a professional body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander AOD workers.
Please tell us your views by accessing the survey here
The survey will take about 15-20 minutes to complete and will be open until April 1, 2013.
Further information about NIDAC is available here