Case Study - Bridging the Barriers

Using the National Reporting System to evaluate best practice in the development and delivery of literacy training to indigenous health workers in remote North QLD using Audiographic Conferencing.

The health status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders remains a critical issue for all levels of government in Australia today. In North QLD, the employment of Indigenous Health Workers is a key strategic initiative to assist with the management of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders health needs. In QLD the state government has funded the establishment of health centers, employing multi disciplinary teams, with indigenous health workers playing a critical role as the front line deliverers of health services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. The need to provide services and training for health workers located in remote and isolated centres has generated the development of exciting and innovative models for remote area delivery.

The difficulties in providing effective training to indigenous health workers in remote locations are immense. The majority of remote health centres in the north QLD region are inaccessible by conventional vehicles and access by road, if possible, is by long drives across inhospitable terrain. During the wet from December to April many health centres are totally inaccessible by road. The alternative of flying trainers to these centres on a regular basis is prohibitively expensive: the cost of an airfare from Cairns to Thursday Island often costs more than an airfare from Cairns to Sydney.

The use of the Internet to deliver training to remote locations in North QLD remains problematic: existing phone lines are not equipped to carry Internet data and the closest internet service providers and servers are located in Cairns requiring an STD call from regional and remote centers.

Funding indigenous students to attend training in regional city centres remains difficult and complex experience from the student’s perspective. Both work and home life are disrupted and the student in placed in an unfamiliar and institutional learning environment: a stark contrast to life in a familiar workplace and indigenous community. Training models are needed that integrate successfully into students work, home and community lives.

The alternative of flying trainers into communities to offer short programs has little to offer the community by way of development of long term skills and does little to contribute to student and community self management.

This case study will use the National Reporting System to map the assessment, curriculum development and assessment processes undertaken in a literacy program developed and delivered from 1995 – 1998 to indigenous health workers in remote north QLD.