Picture above participants Melbourne Mentoring Workshop

The need for mentoring and peer support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers (AHWs) after formal training had become increasingly evident since the NACCHO Ear and Hearing Training for the AHW Workforce Project began in July 2010.

Three recommendations from the pilot evaluation related to this area, and how this can contribute to career pathways in ear and hearing health and increasing the number of ear health trainers.

Therefore, a National Trainers Workshop was held in March 2012.  AHW participants were involved in workshopping support and mentoring models and training pathways.

Feedback from this workshop, each professional development and accredited training program and further strategic planning in NACCHO has informed the “Towards an Ear and Hearing Health Peer Support and Mentoring Framework for the AHW Workforce” Report.

The report outlines an overall framework for a peer support model and a mentoring model that is built on five ‘pillars’, some of which have been progressed through the project to date and some that need to be strengthened with a variety of strategies.

NACCHO has commenced implementing two components from the Peer Support and Mentoring Framework, i.e. Trainer Bursary Scheme and trialling a peer and mentoring model.

The Trainer Bursary Scheme began with an Information Day in Brisbane on 14^th February where there were a total of 24 participants comprising of the 12 selected future trainers and their organisational representatives.

The Bursary will complement and extend the Certificate IV Training and Assessment by customising relevant aspects of it towards an ear health focus to prepare them for a training role.  The students will undertake training at AHCSA in March and April and also must complete 5 days co-facilitation at one of the RTO delivery of the National Aboriginal Ear and Hearing Health Skill Set up to September 2013.

The second component is a support and mentoring trial between May and October 2013.  The focus is on mentoring the new graduates of the National Aboriginal Ear and Hearing Health Skill Set with support by senior ear health workers.

The trial will include support mechanisms for a mentee and a mentor.  Mentoring will be tailored to prepare senior ear health workers for their mentoring role and new graduates for their mentee role.

A Mentoring Information Day was held on 22 March.  A total of 14 mentors and mentees will attend a two day workshop in Melbourne to on 23-24 April 2013.

Photo of participants at the Trainer Bursary Information Day

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