The Training and Development Centre (T&D) is a vital division of the Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia (AHCWA). It was initially established in April 2008 as away that we could ensure that affiliate Aboriginal Medical Services (AMS's) have the capacity to deliver appropriate services to met the needs of their communities.
The AHCWA Board of Directors has endorsed four strategic training and development objectives for the Aboriginal Health Centre offered by T&D. They are as follows:
- To increase the number of Aboriginal health professionals who possess qualifications relevant to the needs of clients serviced by Aboriginal Medical Services (AMS's)
- To promote and protect the role of the Aboriginal Health Worker
- Provide professional development opportunities to non-Aboriginal health Professionals working with Aboriginal clients, families and communities.
- Develop the professional skills of Managers, Supervisors, and Finance Administrators working within AMS's.
The AHCWA Training and Development Centre is committed to improving Aboriginal health through capacity building within the Aboriginal community.
It's overarching philosophy is:
To enhance workforce capacity to enable service delivery to better meet the needs of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community by providing culturally appropriate training and development.
Principles that form the basis of our centre are:
Capacity Building - we acknowledge the importance of building on existing capacity developed through skills and knowledge obtained through training, on the job learning and life experience.
Community Development and Participation - we encourage the participation in and ownership of health service delivery by the community.
Cultural Security - we will ensure that all training is delivered in a manner which encompasses Aboriginal values and visions. We will also advocate with other services to ensure that their service delivery upholds the cultural rights of the Aboriginal community.
