Training develops local skills

Cheryl discusses a training course outline with Disability Support worker Elsie Bon

Our commitment to developing the skills of local workforces has leapt forward with the addition of a new training approach and investment for the already 40-strong Disability Supports team in the Torres Strait.

The established My Pathway Disability Supports team supports participants on Thursday, Badu, Saibai, Masig, Moa and Poruma (Coconut) islands. This growing team will benefit from the addition of a specialist trainer to the program, helping to contextualise courses and mentor the team through their learning. This additional investment in training capability will assist to develop local skills in the region and the Disability Supports program together.

My Pathway acting Disability Supports operations manager Shariel Cassar said that Cheryl Archer, the new trainer who had joined the team, brought a wealth of experience to the role.

“Cheryl brings more than a decade of nursing and aged care experience to our program and added to this, her previous experience as a TAFE nursing trainer makes her the perfect addition to our team. 

“We are so excited to have her join us, delivering contextualised training face-to-face and alongside our TSI support worker’s daily roles.”

Cheryl will travel to Thursday Island regularly over the next twelve months to deliver the accredited Certificate 3 in Individual Support course to a significant number of our people in the region, growing their skills and mentoring them to achieve the nationally recognised certification. Not only will this assist in their current roles but will also open new doors in the future too.

My Pathway NDIS Mentor and Trainer Cheryl Archer said her passion for remote communities, and especially for the role she had helping empower people in them to care for others grew from her formative years nursing in Lockhart River.

“As a young immigrant nurse, I took my first job in a place I had never heard of before, Lockhart River. In the two-and-a-half years I was there I became part of the community and saw the opportunity to help bridge the gap between the community and healthcare.

“This formative role developed my passion for helping people in remote communities to upskill and I want to use my experience now to empower people to look after those around them.

“I learnt so much about the benefits of care being provided by local people to members of their own community. So when this role came up with My Pathway I jumped at the opportunity, I really like our model of employing local teams to care for members of their own communities.”

Ms Cassar concluded that all the program staff were excited about the addition to their team and the impact it will have for their workforce, and more broadly.

“We can’t wait to see how this new training approach helps to develop the skills and proficiency in our awesome TSI workforce, creating sustainable careers that will have a lasting impact in the region”

To find out more about My Pathway Disability Supports, including ways to get involved, please speak to Torres Strait Team Leader Laura Shone or Senior Support Worker Mawath Seriat at the Douglas St office.

This story first appeared in the Torres News.