Finding jobs in aged care

Indigenous job seekers are finding jobs in Katherine aged care homes.

RISE Ventures and Australian Regional and Remote Community Services are building relationships in Katherine with the aim of supporting Indigenous job seekers into meaningful, sustainable employment in aged care facilities.

Integrated Services Manager for ARRCS, Elizabeth O’Connor, said the partnership between the two organisations was seeing RISE participants working at the Rocky Ridge Aged Care facility in a number of roles.

“We are working with RISE to remove some of the barriers that their job seekers face, such as the need to improve skills and to gain licenses,” Ms O’Connor said.

“We have 26 people residing at Rocky Ridge, many who are indigenous country folk from around the north west and north eastern areas of the Northern Territory.

“ARRCS has a true commitment to indigenous employment within their services and it is most appropriate that indigenous people are employed to provide services to their mob.”

In support of building work readiness, job seekers have the opportunity to start working minimal hours and strengthen into additional hours as their work fitness enables them to do so. The focus is on sustainability of the two way engagement between the individual and ARRCS.

Manager of RISE in Katherine, Laura Little, said developing the skills within the community to support the growth in aged care employment highlighted the approach the organisation was taking to provide skilled workers to meet community needs.

“Our participants are enjoying the variety of work they are exposed to at Rocky Ridge and the support they are being given by ARRCS.

“They feel that the opportunity to support the elders of their community is a valuable contribution to keeping the elders connected to country.”