Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community Services Workforce Planning and Development Strategy 2012
CASE STUDY: CAPACITY AND CAPABILITY OF
NORTHERN TERRITORY BASED REGISTERED
TRAINING ORGANISATIONS AND HIGHER EDUCATION
PROVIDERS
Scope and context
This case study will cover Registered Training Organisation (RTO) issues associated with
the delivery of education and training services to the workforce sectors in the Northern
Territory Aboriginal Health and Community Services Workforce Planning and Development
Strategy.1 . Some Northern Territory based RTOs who deliver training and education in
health and community services will not have been consulted and/or interviewed for this case
study, or other more specific case studies relating to training and education delivery issues.
This in no way suggests that the efforts of those RTOs are not acknowledged and valued.
Associated case studies are:2

Developing community-based training for the Aboriginal Community Workers emerging
workforce

Families as First Teachers-Indigenous Parenting Support Services

Health promotion education and training pathway—a difficult journey

Trainee and registered Aboriginal Health Workers at Wurli-Wurlinjang Aboriginal Medical
Services

Sunrise Health Service—developing better community-based training

Capacity and capability to deliver the Diploma of Enrolled Nursing

Workforce development for the Aboriginal Health Worker workforce

Flinders School of Medicine postgraduate program

School-to-work transition.
1
Referred to in this case study as the project.
2
These case studies can be viewed on the Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community
Services Workforce Planning and Development Strategy 2012 website.
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Identifying supply and demand
Major stakeholders involved in the project identified a list of priority Vocational Education and
Training (VET) and higher education qualifications needed to properly skill their existing Aboriginal
workforce segments and to increase the number of Aboriginal employees in their departments and
agencies in the short medium and long term. This list appears as Appendix 1 and in more detail as
Appendix 4. Appendix 2 shows the current capacity for public and private providers to deliver these
qualifications—determined initially by their having scope to deliver, and in the case of CDU, having
accreditation for the higher education qualifications.
RTO capacity and capability to respond to demand for VET
service delivery
For this case study, capability is defined as having the ability and inclination to respond,
while capacity is defined as having the resources, intelligence and systems to respond,
relative to the demand. In simple terms, response to demand is driven by two things—
wanting to deliver the service and having what is required to deliver the service.
The data clearly shows the discrepancy between the scope of demand and the scope of
supply. What is more worrying is that there is little indication that the RTO capacity to meet
demand will significantly increase in the short term. On the other hand, when the
stakeholders involved in the project start to implement their strategy the demand for training
and education services is likely to increase.
Some RTOs are in the early stages of negotiating partnership agreements with interstate
RTOs who have scope to deliver health and community services qualifications that could
meet the needs of Northern Territory stakeholders. This could substantially shorten the time
it takes to access teaching and learning resources and get a course up and running.
RTOs spoke about their inability to meet client demand, sometimes because a client
preferred a delivery mode outside of the RTO’s capacity. This is consistent with reports from
stakeholders who claim that RTOs cannot offer them what they need for their employees
training and education. This is more pronounced with the public RTOs who are expected to
be all things to all people. There are reports that some RTOs promising face-to-face,
community-based, on-the-job VET delivery and assessment, have changed to block delivery
after signing a contract. This suggests that both private and public RTOs are having
difficulty meeting stakeholders’ needs, and sometimes honouring contracts.
In the operating environment for the delivery of VET services to the health and community
services industries we have a Mexican standoff.
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Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community Services Workforce Planning and Development Strategy 2012
When discussing regional and remote delivery for Aboriginal clients, stakeholders generally
fall into two camps. There is the ‘block release camp’, and there is the ‘face-to-face delivery
on-the-job in the community’ camp. There has been little discussion during the project about
other delivery modes such as online or other distance learning methodologies, although the
option of virtual classrooms was raised in the Developing community-based training for the
Aboriginal Community Workers emerging workforce case study.3
Stakeholders are polarised, a situation brought about by lack of options and flexibility, and
sometimes further fuelled by stakeholders’ limited understanding of how the (VET) system
works, and is funded. Closer links with Training Advisory Councils will give stakeholders
access to up-to-date information about the VET system.
Broadening the discussion and examining the middle
ground
Clearly the discussion needs to be broadened to include (for a start) other modes of
delivery, shortage of content specialist trainers and the use of industry specialists in
collaborative delivery of VET training and assessment. Block delivery and community-based
delivery should not be mutually exclusive. Since we already know that participants have
mixed views about the two options, some thought needs to be given to a mixed mode
solution. The Wurli-Wurlinjang case study4 illustrates how block delivery off-site plus
consistent and substantial on-the-job training supported by a full time educator/trainer works
well and achieves solid outcomes.
The use of industry specialists in collaborative VET delivery is one way of minimising the
shortage of content specialists, providing it is carefully negotiated. Also of value and
reportedly underutilised is using the skills and knowledge of the more experienced
Aboriginal employees in a training cohort. This strategy is affirming for the experienced
workers and allows for sharing of information across a range of employment and work sites.
This is one of the positive aspects for off-the-job block delivery. The case studies
Developing community-based training for the Aboriginal Community Workers emerging
workforce and Families as First Teachers—Indigenous Parenting Support Services5
3
The Sunrise case study can be viewed on the Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community Services Workforce
Planning and Development Strategy 2012 website.
4
The Wurli-Wurlinjang case study can be viewed on the Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community Services
Workforce Planning and Development Strategy 2012 website.
5
The Aboriginal Community Workers and Families as First teachers case studies can be viewed on the Northern Territory
Aboriginal Health and Community Services Workforce Planning and Development Strategy 2012 website.
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Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community Services Workforce Planning and Development Strategy 2012
highlight the difficulties that can arise when a strategy is not effectively implemented, with
roles and responsibilities clearly articulated and observed. Health promotion education and
training pathway—a difficult journey6 also canvasses this subject. There is enough evidence
to suggest that a solution to this could be negotiated for future delivery options and
partnerships.
The lack of discussion during the project around distance learning modes—including onlinelearning, Skype, virtual classrooms and telephone communication for mentoring and
support—suggests that RTOs are not presenting these options to stakeholders, or that
stakeholders are not open to these options. Admittedly distance learning has major up front
resource implications. RTOs need trainers who have skills in delivering, assessing and
developing teaching and learning resources to utilise these modes. The remote communitybased employee needs access to and user skills for the technology necessary for these
modes of delivery.
Some interstate RTOs are using distance learning modes to deliver diploma level education
and training under the Productivity Places Program (PPP), with encouraging results and
good outcomes. Remote technology in some places is good enough to support distance
delivery and there are some RTOs with capacity in this area. Stakeholders need to
investigate what is currently working well and develop partnerships with RTOs that have the
necessary capacity and capability.
The role of the employer in the training and education
partnership
Employers need to understand that with face-to-face, community-based and on-the-job
training comes the associated responsibilities and resource requirements. There is no doubt
that on-the-job training and assessment ticks a lot of the quality training boxes, but what is
pivotal to the success of this model is the role of the employer.
Often when an employer wants Aboriginal Health Worker training to take place in the
community, there is little support and infrastructure in the community and the health service
for this to happen effectively. If employers want the RTO to agree to community-based
training, they should enter into a negotiated partnership with the RTO, with both parties
being clear about expectations and deliverables. If the employer cannot guarantee on-the-
6
The health Promotion case study can be viewed on the Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community Services
Workforce Planning and Development Strategy 2012 website.
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Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community Services Workforce Planning and Development Strategy 2012
job support and resourcing for the AHWs undertaking training, it is highly unlikely that the
partnership or the training will be successful.
A case study that unpacks the role of the employer is the Wurli-Wurlinjang case study7. This
describes in some detail what an employer needs to do to be an active and effective player,
including employing Aboriginal Health Workers as trainees, employing a full time trainer
educator, providing proper spaces and facilities for the trainees and nurturing a learning
culture across the whole organisation.
Stakeholders have emphasised the importance of including significant community leaders in
negotiations about training that will take place in the community. Cooperation and
commitment at this level can make or break a local training program. Relationships with
significant community leaders provide an excellent cultural filter for the RTO, alerting people
to important events and happenings, and providing much-needed cultural brokers around
issues that may create tension. A case study that articulates some of these issues is the
Sunrise Health Service—developing better community-based training.8
Compliance, approval and accreditation associated with the
delivery of VET services
Compliance processes leading to approval to become an RTO are now nationally
regulated through the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA). This is the first of many
processes to be undertaken to become an active RTO, able to operate in the national
training arena. Achieving scope to deliver VET courses requires substantial evidence to
argue the case, including suitably qualified trainers and assessors, teaching and
learning resources, links with employers and professional associations, and the capacity
to access appropriate work and clinical placements. For some VET health courses there
is the additional process of meeting the requirements of the Australian Health
Professionals Regulatory Agency (AHPRA), the Australian Nursing and Accreditation
Council (ANMAC) and the Aboriginal Health Worker Registration Board (AHWRB).
These additional processes bring with them substantial costs. Issues related to these
processes are covered in the case study Capacity and capability to deliver the Diploma
7
The case study Trainee and registered Aboriginal Health Workers at Wurli-Wurlinjang Aboriginal Medical Services
can be viewed on the Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community Services Workforce Planning and Development
Strategy 2012 website.
8
The Sunrise case study can be viewed on the Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community Services Workforce
Planning and Development Strategy 2012 website.
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Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community Services Workforce Planning and Development Strategy 2012
of Enrolled Nursing9 and referred to in the case study Trainee and registered Aboriginal
Health Workers at Wurli-Wurlinjang Aboriginal Medical Services.10
A disconnect between federal, state and territory based governments’ roll-out of training
and workforce development initiatives sometimes leaves RTOs scrabbling to add to their
scope of delivery, so that they can respond to stakeholder demand and take advantage of
the initiatives and associated funding.
The workforce planning and development strategies that emerge from the project—including
the articulation of priority qualifications—should provide an opportunity for a more proactive
engagement between stakeholders and RTOs. This will enable the extended scope of
delivery and resource development to be negotiated in a more timely manner, and will better
inform future RTO internal workforce planning processes.
Accessing existing funding opportunities
One of the key drivers for delivery of services is access to funding. The two public providers
Charles Darwin University (CDU) and Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education
(BIITE) receive annual funding from the Northern Territory government for the delivery of
VET training. This allows CDU and BIITE to offer delivery of certain qualifications to the
public. This is often referred to as profile funding. Government departments who want to
provide funding for large numbers of employees as part of a departmental initiative
generally are not able to access this funding line (although the public RTOs have discretion
to allow access to profile funding under certain circumstances). Normally the department
has to negotiate with public RTOs and enter into a fee for service contract, which moves the
cost from the public purse to the employer. This type of contract is referred to in the case
study Developing community-based training for the Aboriginal Community Workers
emerging workforce.11
CDU and BIITE have entered into high level Partnership Agreements with the Northern
Territory government. These agreements have led to an expectation that government
departments will begin discussions with the public providers before they consult with any
9
The Enrolled Nurse case study can be viewed on the Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community Services
Workforce Planning and Development Strategy 2012 website.
10
The Aboriginal Health Worker case study can be viewed on the Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community
Services Workforce Planning and Development Strategy 2012 website.
11
The Aboriginal Community Worker case study can be viewed on the Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community
Services Workforce Planning and Development Strategy 2012 website.
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Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community Services Workforce Planning and Development Strategy 2012
other RTOs. These funding allocations and agreements give the public RTOs more flexibility
than the private RTOs, but sometimes create unrealistic client expectations.
Another funding program is the User Choice Program that is connected to Australian
Apprenticeships. Public and private RTOs can apply to the Northern Territory government
for funding under the User Choice Program to deliver qualifications that are registered as
apprenticeships and traineeships. Historically the health and community services industries
have not favoured the apprenticeship model, which further limits their options to access
funding for delivery of training and wrap-around services like mentoring and support. Under
this program there is also the added benefit of employer incentives payable to nongovernment employers. It is crucial that stakeholders investigate more thoroughly how they
might use the apprenticeship model and Australian Apprenticeships to assist with the
implementation of their workforce development strategies.
Government funded workforce development and training programs provide opportunities for
stakeholders and RTOs to collaborate in providing training delivery services to employees.
Most recently the Productivity Places Program (PPP) has channelled much needed funding
into workforce development initiatives, creating opportunities for employers to negotiate with
RTOs about how this training is to be delivered. Because some of the funding is directed
towards the existing workforce, there has been a need for these services to include
innovative, fair and equitable skills recognition processes.
PPP funding to provide services to Northern Territory health and community services
workforces has been accessed by Northern Territory based and interstate RTOs. Some
interstate RTOs have introduced new ways of working in consultation with employers, some
of which is emerging as good practice. PPP contractual relationships with interstate RTOs
have led to some ongoing partnerships that are increasing stakeholder’s options.
Stakeholders should continue to develop relationships with interstate RTOs to optimise
training delivery services to their workforce. The Workforce Development Fund that is
funded by the Department of Education Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR)
has now replaced the PPP.
Funding models for the delivery of VET services
Each funding program has a different funding model and this largely determines the scope
of services stakeholders might expect to receive. Some program funding only covers the
cost of training delivery and assessment in an off-the-job model. Others are designed to
support on-the-job training delivery and assessment, such as User Choice. Government
initiated programs have funding models specifically designed for an individual program. PPP
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Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community Services Workforce Planning and Development Strategy 2012
for example requires an employer contribution depending on the level of the qualification,
while the remainder of the funding goes to the RTO. There are also discrete funding models
available to some participants that include funding for mentoring and language, literacy and
numeracy (LLN) workplace support.
It is rare, however, for a funding model to include wrap-around services. The wrap-around
service model is one where all aspects of the participants’ training delivery and assessment
is considered and accommodated in a holistic funding model. Wrap-around services are not
required for all programs and training participants, but there are some instances where that
model could improve access to and completion of training programs. Specific programs
delivered to Aboriginal people in very remote situations require intensive support, especially
at high risk times during their engagement with the VET sector, for example during initial
engagement and at key milestones of training.
One example where there is a significant gap is funding to cover pre-enrolment assessment
of LLN levels. At present, funding for LLN assessments is only available on
commencement. Aboriginal students are enrolled into a qualification and only then can their
LLN skills and suitability for the training be assessed. This creates the potential to have to
turn students away after enrolment or discontinue their enrolment until LLN skill
development intervention is achieved.
Other examples of wrap-around services include resourcing to formally mentor and support
Aboriginal students both on and off-the-job. This includes supporting them to achieve a work
and life balance; and navigate and manage the complex cross-cultural issues of being an
Aboriginal person working with non-Aboriginal staff—often in a non-Aboriginal organisation.
Wrap-around services can also apply to resourcing, to ensure the capacity to coordinate
travel and accommodation, and facilitate effective contact between RTOs and Aboriginal
people undertaking training.
Academic support for VET students
Charles Darwin University
In 2010, Charles Darwin University (CDU) established its Learner Support Service for VET students.
The Learner Support Service has three members, one of them based in Alice Springs. The role of the
service is to provide academic support to VET students to increase their capacity to achieve learning
outcomes and to provide support to lecturers about utilising the Learner Support Program.
Indigenous learners are a priority.
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Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community Services Workforce Planning and Development Strategy 2012
Learner Support is available within existing General Recurrent and User Choice funding profile
or on application with Flexible Response and Community Response funding programs, however
applications must not exceed 50% of the total Annual Hours Curriculum (AHC) related to the
VET qualification/s to which Learner Support is to be applied. Learner Support is not available
for use by school students undertaking VET, VET in Schools programs or the Joint Indigenous
Funding Pool (JIFP).
The program is very flexible and has the capacity for students to undertake precommencement assessments prior to enrolment so that they do not enrol in courses where
positive learning outcomes would be unlikely. These assessments are easily managed
when students are in Darwin, Alice Springs or regional centres, but more difficult to manage
in remote settings.
The Learner Support Course modules that the students enrol in are non-accredited and
simply provide a framework for lecturers to develop individual learner programs designed to
address individual needs.
An important part of the learner support program is the delivery of learner support by VET
course lecturers, in addition to lecturers from the Learner Support Service. Learner Support
is intended to address deficiencies in underpinning skills and knowledge. The learner
support modules can be used to extend training delivery time as well as to provide
additional, in-class support or team teaching situations.
Activities to provide Learner Support to students may incorporate any of the following:

group discussion

theory and practice

demonstration of methods

use of audio and video recordings

group problem solving

promotion of co-operative learning with other students

ongoing monitoring of students’ progress

practical, hands-on activities

promotion of interactive learning

individualised learning tasks

use of workplace and/or training examples of charts, maps, sketches, plans, worksheets etc.

computer assisted or other e-learning activities
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Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community Services Workforce Planning and Development Strategy 2012

simulation activities or games

use of a translator

mentoring.
Learner support services can be accessed by a request from the student, employer or lecturer. There
are no additional costs associated with the use of this service.
A particular issue for students studying health and community services is that much of the delivery is
contracted fee-for-service which makes these programs ineligible for Student Support Services
unless this has been specifically costed into the contract price.
Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education
Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education (BIITE) has a range of academic support options
available to students. BIITE receives Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Support (ITAS) program funding
to employ tutors and also employs Academic Advisors to support both Higher Education and VET
students. But BIITE is restricted in the service that can be provided to students undertaking VET in
remote centres. There are also a range of government funded programs, including Language Literacy
and Numeracy Programs(LLNP) and Workplace English Language and Literacy (WELL). In more
recent times Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP)and Job Skills Australia (JSA)
has received funding for literacy and numeracy initiatives, mentors, and training coordinators.
With the national productivity push for delivery at higher Australian Quality Framework (AQF) levels
and completion of full qualifications, one of the biggest challenges has been getting recognition that
the lack of foundation, literacy and numeracy and employability skills is a significant impediment to
successful participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in VET in remote Australia.
The other challenge has been to coordinate the bringing together of all the available resources—
including RTOs’ separately funded government programs and those available to service providers—
to maximise the benefits for training participants.
Along with TAFE South Australia, BIITE was one of two RTOs funded by the Federal Department of
Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) to implement pilot CDEP
Resource Units. The CDEP Resource Units are focused on:

establishing long term community relationships

improving community planning and identifying their employment, economic and capacity

building aspirations

assisting CDEPs to better understand the VET sector

sharing best practice amongst CDEP providers
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Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community Services Workforce Planning and Development Strategy 2012

positioning CDEPs to provide ongoing and better literacy and numeracy support to their
participants

ensuring all available resources are accessed, including other industry and community
partners to improve the outcomes from training

ensuring community ownership and that training is aligned to aspirations

strong focus on foundation, literacy and numeracy and employability skills.
Funding has also been provided to deliver pre-courses and non-accredited training as a pathway to
employment focused VET. Examples are programs in media, sport and recreation that focus on
assisting participants to address their foundation skills. After undertaking these programs students
are better positioned to make informed choices on the VET training that they would like to pursue,
and hopefully have the confidence and skills to be successful.
Similarly BIITE has entered into a partnership with JobFind who have 8,000 participants in the
Northern Territory. JobFind has expertise in developing employment pathways, mentoring students,
supporting action learning models and resources to support literacy and numeracy. BIITE is an RTO
experienced in remote delivery and is endeavouring to build its expertise in foundation skills through
a range of strategies which include specialist lecturers, embedding literacy and numeracy, nonaccredited pre-courses, and using media and other engagement programs to connect with students.
The partnership is aimed at improving the employment outcomes for Job Services Australia (JSA)
participants. The challenge for the future will be to influence and develop support strategies for
participants who gain employment and their support agencies and employers, to ensure that they are
able to stay in employment for longer than 13 weeks.
Higher education service delivery—Charles Darwin University
Charles Darwin University (CDU) is in the unique position of delivering training and
education across VET and higher education. In 2007 VET delivery was moved from the
faculty structure where it had sat for a number of years, alongside higher education, to a
new VET structure under the banner of Doing VET Better. The faculties of CDU now
exclusively deliver higher education services. CDU is the only Northern Territory based
university. As mentioned earlier, there is an expectation that CDU will be all things to all
people and this extends to the delivery of higher education services.
Stakeholders identified five higher education qualifications as priorities for their workforce. These
appear in Appendix A. All five listed below are offered by the Faculty of Engineering, Health, Science
and the Environment.

Bachelor of Nursing

Bachelor of Midwifery

Bachelor of Social Work
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
Bachelor of Humanitarian and Community Studies

Bachelor of Health Sciences
Further information about the content of these qualifications can be found in Appendix 4.
Academic support for higher education students at Charles
Darwin University
The School of Academic Language and Learning
The School of Academic Language and Learning (SALL) was established as a one-stop
shop for students seeking academic support.
The programs of SALL aim to give students the skills, literacy and confidence to enter
higher education and progress, once at university. There is a strong emphasis on providing
students with a supportive environment in order that the significant transition students make
into the world of education is successful.
SALL has a number of programs including:
Tertiary Enabling Program (TEP)
Students wanting to access this program can complete and submit an online enquiry/ application
form. This is an online diagnostic task. Students have to complete this task to be offered a place in
the TEP program. Students can access this diagnostic task before they enrol in their higher education
course. Assessment is carried out by the Australian Centre for Education Research (ACER).
Assessment results determine the type of program into which students are placed.
The TEP program gives students the opportunity to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence
needed to succeed at university. Students completing this program will meet the minimum
requirements for most CDU undergraduate degrees.
Common Units Program
The program aims to develop students’ practical academic skills, including critical thinking, reading,
research and writing. It provides an introduction to theoretical and practical aspects of university
culture, building an understanding of the complexities of the increasingly diverse communities we live
and work in, using the Northern Territory social landscape as an exemplar. It also introduces and
develops graduate attribute skills including practical and citizenship skills.
Students develop these skills and knowledge by completing two of the three available common units:

CUC107 Cultural intelligence and capability
And one of the academic skills units:
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
CUC100 Academic literacies (for humanities and social science) – or

CUC106 Design and innovation communicating technology (for science technology)
Academic Language and Learning Success Program
This program helps students do what they do better. It runs workshops on campus at Casuarina and
online. It also offers individual consultations with students and works with other staff of the university.
This program is open to all students including international students.
The usual outcome of this program is that students produce better work, get much better results and
have greater confidence. Many automatically set their goals higher. Students can nominate
themselves for this program or be referred by lecturers or other university staff.
Australian Centre for Indigenous Knowledges and Education
The Australian Centre for Indigenous Knowledges and Education (ACIKE) is a joint initiative
between Charles Darwin University (CDU) and Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary
Education (BIITE).
Both organisations share a commitment to Indigenous students’ outcomes and currently
occupy unique positions in the Australian tertiary education sector, having a critical focus on
regional, remote and Indigenous education in some of the most challenging environments in
the country. From 2012, ACIKE will be the only higher education delivery portal for BIITE.
Both organisations will provide staff for four schools within the ACIKE structure.
Collaborations during 2011 have resulted in an exciting range of courses for Indigenous and
non-Indigenous students to consider for study from 2012. ACIKE will have a range of
flexible multi-modal delivery options that will include workshops, Learnline, face-to-face and
external delivery. The three main sites for delivery will be at the main ACIKE Hub, CDU
Casuarina campus and at the BIITE campuses at Batchelor and the Alice Springs Desert
Peoples’ Centre.
From 2012 ACIKE will manage the Indigenous Preparation for Tertiary Success program
(PTS). Two of the five priority higher education qualifications identified by the project
stakeholders will be delivered by ACIKE in 2012, the Bachelor of Nursing Pre-registration
and the Bachelor of Health Sciences. On completion students will receive a CDU higher
education qualification.
Indigenous Preparation for Tertiary Success program (PTS)
The PTS program has been especially designed for Indigenous students who have not studied
recently or have not completed year 12, and are unsure about their capacity to succeed. PTS
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Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community Services Workforce Planning and Development Strategy 2012
courses are designed to develop Indigenous students’ skills, knowledge and confidence so they will
succeed at university.
Successful completion will give students the minimum entry requirement for most Diploma and
Bachelor programs at ACIKE, CDU and universities in South Australia.
Applicants must complete an online diagnostic task which, when assessed, will determine whether
the student is best suited to the PTS1 or the PTS2 course.
The course is offered in face-to-face workshop mode, followed by online work that can be completed
at home. Participants will receive assistance from a coach/tutor who will support them with tasks and
assignments throughout the semester.
Indigenous Transitions Pathways (ITP) program of Flinders
NT, Flinders University, Darwin NT
The Commonwealth Government through the Department of Health and Ageing has funded the
Indigenous Transition Pathways (ITP) program of Flinders NT, Flinders University, Darwin NT. The
program also receives substantial support from the NT Government. A team of Indigenous
academics and administration staff have been working for the past two years on the development of
an alternative pathways program for Indigenous people of the Northern Territory. Professor Della
Yarnold and her team have implemented many strands of support for Indigenous students which
have continued to evolve in very exciting directions. As it currently stands the program seeks to
provide a more holistic assessment of readiness to study medicine for Indigenous people, but the
lived experience has highlighted the need for further science preparation opportunities and a more
structured approach to aligning pastoral care with academic and financial support. Further
information about this initiative can be found in the Flinders School of Medicine postgraduate
program case study.
Registered Training Organisation critical success factors for
the future
Workforce planning and development is not all about training and education, but it has a
significant role in building the skills and capacity of a workforce. It is not surprising then, that
during the development of the project training and education was a hot topic.
Several case studies addressed Registered Training Organisations’ capacity and capability.
RTOs mentioned in these case studies were given an opportunity to comment on the
content. From this ‘right of reply’ the following has been distilled. It is intended to guide and
inform stakeholders involved in future training and development initiatives.
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Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community Services Workforce Planning and Development Strategy 2012
Roles and responsibilities
As in any joint venture, clearly established, understood and realistic roles and
responsibilities need to be agreed at the outset, including building in accountability to meet
and maintain these roles and responsibilities.
Employers need to clearly identify who is accountable for an initiative within the agency,
rather than leaving the responsibility at the agency level. Employers need to be realistic and
ensure that agency employees who take on the initiative have the full capacity and
capability to do this, including workloads that will readily accommodate new responsibilities.
When there are changes to employees within the agency involved in the initiative, it is the
employers’ responsibility to make sure that new people are fully briefed about their
responsibilities in the initiative.
Agreed, effective and timely communication processes are a key component of effective
partnerships and clearly articulated, honoured roles and responsibilities. These should also
be agreed prior to the initiative’s commencement and regularly reviewed to ensure the
requirements of all stakeholders are being met.
A shared picture of what is within and outside scope for the venture needs to be articulated
and reflected in the agreement between parties. An agreed mechanism for negotiation to
vary the scope should also be outlined and followed.
Sustainable delivery models—the need to future proof initiatives
A risk assessment and management strategy should be developed at the outset of the
initiative to future proof the initiative and cover potential challenges, for example staff
turnover in both the employer or RTO organisations, or the unforeseen delay of training
delivery due to weather, cultural reasons and so forth. The risk management strategy must
clearly identify all stakeholders’ responsibilities.
It is particularly important that RTOs on the supply side of the partnership ensure that they
can recruit, retain and replace their people, both to sustain the initiative and meet their
contractual obligations.
Pre-enrolment assessment of participants
RTOs and employers should agree to a pre-contractual and pre-enrolment assessment
process that establishes the language literacy and numeracy (LLN) levels of intended
participants. This will be a useful guide to selecting the level of the qualification that needs
to be added to the scope of the RTO, teaching and learning resources that need to be
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Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community Services Workforce Planning and Development Strategy 2012
accessed, the level of LLN support needed post-enrolment and the capacity of the
participants to manage the course work.
Where student numbers are being artificially thickened to make a training program viable, it
is important that extra participants are drawn from employment contexts and job roles that
share skills sets with the primary cohort.
Community and family support
When training participants are drawn from remote communities it is important that there is
community and family support for the participants. Employers and RTOs need to work
collaboratively to consult and negotiate with significant community individuals and agencies
to ensure that there are no approval barriers to participation in training programs.
Cultural safety
If the initiative involves participation of and/or delivery of services to Indigenous people, all
partners must have a shared understanding of and commitment to cultural safety and agree
to make cultural safety an underpinning principle for the initiative.
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Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community Services Workforce Planning and Development Strategy 2012
Appendix 1: List of priority qualifications identified by
project stakeholders essential for the development of the
workforce and increasing the number of Aboriginal people
employed in the health and community services workforce
Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualifications
HLT21307 Certificate II in Aboriginal Primary Health Care
HLT33207 Certificate III in Aboriginal Primary Health Care
HLT43907 Certificate IV in Aboriginal Primary Health Care (Practice)
CHC20108 Certificate II in Community Services
CHC30108 Certificate III in Community Services
CHC40708Certificate IV in Community Services
HLT44007 Cert IV in Aboriginal Primary Health Care (Community care)
HLT20907 Certificate II in Population Health
HLT32207 Certificate III in Population Health HLT42307CertificateIV in Population Health
CHC40408 Certificate IV in Alcohol and Other Drugs
CHC40508 Certificate IV in Mental Health
CHC50408 Diploma of Community Services (Alcohol and other drugs and mental health)
CHC41608 Cert IV in Child Youth and Family Intervention (Family support)
CHC51208 Diploma of Child Youth and Family Intervention
CHC41408 Certificate IV in Child Youth and Family Intervention (Residential and out of
home care)
CHC41808 Certificate IV in Youth Work
CHC51408 Diploma of Youth Work
CHC41508 Cert IV in Child Youth and Family intervention (Child protection)
CHC70108 Vocational Graduate Certificate in Community Services Practice (Statutory child
protection)
CHC70208 Vocational Graduate Certificate in Community Services Practice (Client
assessment and case management)
HLT32407 Certificate III in Allied Health Assisting
HLT42507 Certificate IV in Allied Health Assisting
HLT51607 Diploma of Enrolled Nursing
BSB20107 Certificate II in Business
BSB51107 Diploma of Management
Higher education qualifications
Bachelor of Nursing
Bachelor of Midwifery
Bachelor of Social Work
Bachelor of Humanitarian and Community Studies
Bachelor of Health Sciences
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Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community Services Workforce Planning and Development Strategy 2012
Appendix 2: Northern Territory based public RTO capacity
to respond to demand based on scope to deliver and
accreditation
Qualification
Batchelor Institute
Charles Darwin
of Indigenous
University
Training and
Education (BIITE)
(CDU)
Bachelor of Nursing
Has accreditation
Bachelor of Midwifery
Has accreditation
Bachelor of Social
Has accreditation
Work
Bachelor of
Has accreditation
Humanitarian and
Community Studies
Bachelor of Health
Has accreditation
Sciences
CHC30108 Certificate
Has scope to deliver
III in Community
Services
CHC40708 Certificate
Has scope to deliver
IV in Community
Services
CHC40508 Certificate
Has scope to deliver
IV in Mental Health
CHC41808 Certificate
Has scope to deliver
IV in Youth Work
HLT42307 Certificate
Has scope to deliver
IV in Population Health
CHC40408 Certificate
Has scope to deliver
IV in Alcohol and Other
Drugs Work
HLT21307 Certificate II
Has scope to deliver
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Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community Services Workforce Planning and Development Strategy 2012
in Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander
Aboriginal Primary
Health Care
HLT 33207 Certificate
Has scope to deliver
III in Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander
Primary Health Care
HLT43907 Certificate
Has scope to deliver
IV in Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander
Primary Health Care
(Practice)
CHC20108 Certificate II
Has scope to deliver
in Community Services
HLT44007Certificate IV
Has scope to deliver
in Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander
Primary Health
(Community Care)
BSB50207 Diploma of
Has scope to deliver
Management
BSB20107 Certificate II
Has scope to deliver
Has scope to deliver
in Business
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Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community Services Workforce Planning and Development Strategy 2012
Appendix 3: Northern Territory based private RTOs with
capacity to respond to demand, based on scope to deliver
and accreditation
Industry specific qualifications
Registered
Training
Organisation
(RTO)
CHC20108
Certificate II
in
Community
Services
CHC30108
Certificate
III in
Community
Services
Council of
Aboriginal
Alcohol
Program
Services
(CAAPS)
Has scope to
deliver
Has scope
to deliver
Dovaston
Consulting
Has scope to
deliver
H K Training
Has scope to
deliver
*STEPS
Has scope to
deliver
Has scope
to deliver
Red
Cross
Has scope to
deliver
Has scope
to deliver
Department of
Health
Has scope to
deliver
Has scope
to deliver
HLT43907
Certificate
IV in
Aboriginal
and
Torres
Strait
Islander
Primary
Health
Care
(Practice)
CHC40708
Certificate
IV in
Community
Services
Work
CHC40408
Certificate
IV in
Alcohol
and Other
Drugs
Work
HLT51607
Diploma
of
Enrolled
Nursing
CHC418
08
Certifica
te IV in
Youth
Work
Has scope
to deliver
Henge
Education
Has scope
to deliver
*Bridgeworks
Has scope to
deliver
*BCA
Has scope to
deliver
Kormilda
College
Has scope to
deliver
Eagle Training
Services
Has scope to
deliver
NT Christian
Schools
Association
Has scope to
deliver
WaltjaTjutang
ku Palyapayi
Aboriginal
Association
Has scope to
deliver
Institute of
Aboriginal
Development
(IAD)
Has scope to
deliver
Has scope
to deliver
Has scope
to deliver
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Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community Services Workforce Planning and Development Strategy 2012
Registered
Training
Organisation
(RTO)
CHC20108
Certificate II
in
Community
Services
CHC30108
Certificate
III in
Community
Services
HLT43907
Certificate
IV in
Aboriginal
and
Torres
Strait
Islander
Primary
Health
Care
(Practice)
CHC40708
Certificate
IV in
Community
Services
Work
CHC40408
Certificate
IV in
Alcohol
and Other
Drugs
Work
Central
Australian
Remote
Health
Development
Services
(CARHDS)
HLT51607
Diploma
of
Enrolled
Nursing
CHC418
08
Certifica
te IV in
Youth
Work
Has scope
to deliver
Generic qualifications
Registered Training
BSB20107 Certificate II in
BSB50207 Diploma of
Organisation (RTO)
Business
Business
BSA
Has scope to deliver
Bridgeworks
Has scope to deliver
Casuarina Senior
Has scope to deliver
Has scope to deliver
College
Red Cross
Has scope to deliver
Dovaston Consulting
Has scope to deliver
Kormilda College
Has scope to deliver
Nhulunbuy High School
Has scope to deliver
STEPS Training
Has scope to deliver
Tiwi Islands Training and
Has scope to deliver
Has scope to deliver
Employment Board
GTNT Training Plus

Has scope to deliver
* Denotes those RTOs that did not originate in the Northern Territory but have a physical presence and
have developed strong partnerships leading to significant services to health and community services.
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Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community Services Workforce Planning and Development Strategy 2012
Appendix 4: Priority higher education qualifications with
content summaries
Bachelor of Health Science
The Bachelor of Health Science is a three year, full time course that provides students with the
knowledge and skills required to work in areas of Health Promotion, Community Health Development,
Indigenous Health, and Health Services Management.
The course has a particular focus on the provision of culturally safe primary health care.
Primary health care is ‘essential health care based on practical, scientifically sound and socially
acceptable methods and technology that are universally accessible to individuals and families in the
community’ (WHO, 1978). Culturally safe health care refers to provision of care that is sensitive to the
historical, social and political context and knowledge and practices of health consumers, as well as
the Western knowledge’s and practices that inform healthcare in Australia and beyond.
Core units within the Bachelor of Health Science ensure students gain the knowledge and
understanding to support successful health service delivery for diverse populations, and particularly
for Indigenous Australians. The course also introduces students to theoretical knowledge and
perspectives informing contemporary community work practice and the concepts and processes
relating to social change. Students will become familiar with a number of models and theories of
community work and approaches to community development, as well as developing an awareness of
the skills necessary for effective and progressive community-focused practice.
Bachelor of Nursing Pre-registration
The Bachelor of Nursing Pre-registration covers the underpinning principles of primary health care,
namely cultural safety in practice. In particular it addresses the needs of Indigenous and multicultural
Australians. It recognises the value of using a population health approach for the prevention, early
detection and management of chronic diseases, providing appropriate, evidence-based care with the
ability to work in multidisciplinary teams. All of this is embedded throughout the Bachelor of Nursing
program in both content and assessment. This ensures that graduates can retrieve and apply
knowledge and information that enables them to respond appropriately and ethically to the needs of
diverse populations in regional and global contexts.
Units in this course may be offered in either internal or external modes of study. Not all units are
offered in both modes. For every year of equivalent full-time study at either the Casuarina or Alice
Springs campus of the university, all students must attend and pass a one week clinical teaching
block.
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Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community Services Workforce Planning and Development Strategy 2012
Bachelor of Social Work
The Bachelor of Social Work is an accredited degree that allows students to meet the requirements
for eligibility for membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers. The degree offers
students the opportunity to study the core elements of social work with a focus on issues relevant to
the Northern Territory. A key element of students’ learning is the requirement to undertake two 70day placements in the third and fourth years of study.
Bachelor of Humanitarian and Community Studies
The Bachelor of Humanitarian and Community Studies provides students with the knowledge and
skills required to work with individuals, groups and communities in areas of reduced or limited
infrastructure. In particular students will gain practical skills to work effectively and safely with
communities in situations where resources are limited due to geographic location (remoteness),
social circumstances, emergency situations or regional disaster.
Themes running through the course include multidisciplinary practice, challenging cross-cultural
constructs and working in remote locations. Students will exit the three-year program with both a
foundation in human services work providing eligibility to join the Australian Community Workers
Association, and practical skills based on the entry application requirements of humanitarian aid
agencies for work as a humanitarian logistician.
The course will provide students with the necessary skills to prepare them to work effectively in
remote communities in Australia, disaster-affected areas nationally and internationally, and in
logistically supporting humanitarian aid agencies.
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Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community Services Workforce Planning and Development Strategy 2012
Priority VET qualifications with content summaries
The following content is from the HLT07 Health Training Package Version 4 and the CHC08
Community Services Training Package Version 3
HLT21307 Certificate II in Aboriginal Primary Health Care
This qualification covers workers who undertake a range of tasks under direct supervision to support
the provision of health care services to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health work is an emerging area of work and occupational titles
for those working in this area vary according to jurisdictional and workplace requirements.
At this level, workers may be trainee Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health workers,
working as assistants in a rural or urban environment, or they may deliver limited health care services
to clients living in communities that are isolated from mainstream health services. This qualification
is suited to Australian Apprenticeship pathways.
This qualification is intended to:

Support the recognition of basic levels of skill and knowledge held by Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait
Islander people undertaking health-related work in community contexts.

Recognise competence for those who choose to exit at Certificate II due to constraints such as
literacy/numeracy.
The Certificate II qualification is a means for encouraging the early development of Aboriginal
and/or Torres Strait Islander health workers as it:

provides an entry point for workers with limited English literacy and numeracy

provides guidance for trainers and employers preparing people for a range of work roles in Primary
Health Care working with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities (i.e. as a ‘prevocational’ qualification)

is suitable for delivery through VET in Schools programs
However, the Certificate II qualification may not have work outcomes in all jurisdictions.
HLT33207 Certificate III in Aboriginal Primary Health Care
Certificate III may be regarded by many jurisdictions as the minimum level for Aboriginal and/or
Torres Strait Islander health work. In some jurisdictions, however, individuals may start at Certificate
II level and when ready progress to Certificate III. The qualification structure for Certificate III
supports both these options. This qualification is suited to Australian Apprenticeship pathways.
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Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community Services Workforce Planning and Development Strategy 2012
Certificate III in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Primary Health Care covers workers who
provide health care services to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients, usually as part of a
team, with ongoing supervision and guidance. Occupational titles for these workers may include, for
example:



Aboriginal health worker
Aboriginal Health Worker
Torres Strait Islander health worker
HLT43907 Certificate IV in Aboriginal Primary Health Care (Practice)
This qualification covers workers who provide a range of primary health care services to Aboriginal
and/or Torres Strait Islander clients, including specific health care programs, advice and assistance
with medication. These workers can be expected to flexibly assume a variety of job roles and
undertake a broad range of tasks. This qualification is suited to Australian Apprenticeship pathways.
Occupational titles for these workers may include, for example:

Aboriginal health worker

Torres Strait Islander health worker

Aboriginal Health Worker


Senior Torres Strait Islander health worker
Registered Aboriginal Health Worker
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health work is an emerging area of work and occupational titles
for those working in this area vary according to jurisdictional and workplace requirements.
HLT44007 Cert IV in Aboriginal Primary Health Care (Community Care)
This qualification covers workers who provide a range of primary health care services to Aboriginal
and/or Torres Strait Islander clients, including specific health care programs.
These workers can be expected to flexibly assume a variety of job roles and undertake a broad range
of tasks. This qualification is suited to Australian Apprenticeship pathways.
Occupational titles for these workers may include, for example:

Aboriginal health worker — community
health

Torres Strait Islander health worker —
community health

Senior Aboriginal health worker

Senior Torres Strait Islander health worker

Community health worker (Aboriginal
and/or Torres Strait Islander health)

Stolen generations worker


Aboriginal hospital liaison officer
Aboriginal Health Worker

Aboriginal health education officer
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Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community Services Workforce Planning and Development Strategy 2012
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health work is an emerging area of work and occupational titles
for those working in this area vary according to jurisdictional and workplace requirements.
HLT32407 Certificate III in Allied Health Assisting
This qualification covers workers who provide assistance to allied health professionals. Workers at
this level operate under direct supervision and do not conduct programs or therapeutic interventions.
This qualification is suited to Australian Apprenticeship pathways.
Occupational titles for these workers may include:

Therapy assistant

Podiatry assistant

Physiotherapy assistant

Speech pathology assistant

Occupational therapy assistant

Allied health assistant
HLT42507 Certificate IV in Allied Health Assisting
This qualification covers workers who provide therapeutic and program related support to allied
health professionals. The worker is required to conduct therapeutic and program related activities
under the guidance of an allied health professional. Supervision may be direct, indirect or remote and
must occur within organisation requirements. The worker is required to identify client circumstances
that need additional input from the allied health profession. This qualification is suited to Australian
Apprenticeship pathways.
Occupational titles for these workers may include:




Therapy assistant
Physiotherapy assistant
Occupational therapy assistant
Nutrition assistant

Community rehabilitation assistant




Podiatry assistant
Speech pathology assistant
Allied health assistant
Dietetic assistant
HLT51607 Diploma of Enrolled Nursing
This qualification covers the application of nursing skills and knowledge required to be eligible for
registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia in line with some state/territory
nursing and midwifery regulatory authorities. This qualification is suited to Australian
Apprenticeship pathways.
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Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community Services Workforce Planning and Development Strategy 2012
CHC20108 Certificate II in Community Services
This qualification may be used as a pathway qualification into community services work and may
apply specifically to:

Workers who support individuals by providing a first point of contact in a crisis situation and referral
to a broad range of services, or

Workers in residential facilities and/or in community services under direct or regular supervision
within clearly defined organisation guidelines and service plans.
Workers at this level:

May provide assistance and support to clients accessing a service or experiencing issues such as
alcohol and/or other drug issues

Assist people in meeting their immediate needs e.g. by providing shelter and food

Provide short-term contact with clients in a crisis situation during which time they establish a helping
relationship to define the crisis and provide referral information where appropriate

May provide ancillary services such as catering, cleaning, laundry, gardening and home maintenance

Report directly to a supervisor and are not responsible for other workers.
These positions may have direct contact with clients, identify presenting needs and refer to
appropriate services and support.
This qualification may provide an appropriate pathway into higher level qualifications, such as those
in aged care, disability and home and community care. This qualification is suited to Australian
Apprenticeship pathways.
Occupational titles may include:

Assistant community services workers

Housekeeping assistant

Care service employee

Laundry assistant

Contact officers

Night/community patrol workers

Customer service staff

Personal care assistant

Domestic assistant

Provision of emergency relief

Gardener/grounds person

Reception/front desk staff

Home helper

Support worker
CHC30108 Certificate III in Community Services
This qualification applies to community work delivered through a broad range of services which
provide support to individuals and groups.
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Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community Services Workforce Planning and Development Strategy 2012
This level is appropriate for support workers, case workers and client contact officers and generally,
these positions:

Have direct contact with clients

Identify presenting needs

Refer to appropriate services and support.
At this level support workers and case workers may provide day-to-day support in community
settings and/or provide assistance with entitlements and benefits under the broad direction of others.
Emotional and practical support may be provided face to face or over the telephone to assist the client
and enable an accurate referral to be achieved.
This qualification is available as a broad-based qualification or with a focus on either community
services or community development work. This qualification is suited to Australian Apprenticeship
pathways.
Occupational titles may include:

Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
community development worker

Neighbourhood centre worker

Client contact

Recreational activities officer (weekend)

Community care worker

Residential support worker

Assistant community workers (focusing on
community health primarily in an Indigenous
community)

Support worker (community based with an
orientation toward any or a number of the
following: youth, women, families,
domestic violence, child protection)
Indigenous youth worker

Tenants working in a range of areas

Intake and referral worker (Aboriginal)

Youth case worker (community health
service setting – non residential)

Juvenile justice court officer

Youth housing support worker

Juvenile justice officer

Youth worker


Juvenile justice officer (community)
Aboriginal Alcohol and Other Drugs worker

Aboriginal Community Worker

CHC40708 Certificate IV in Community Services Work
This qualification covers workers who provide a range of services and interventions to clients, and/or
who implement community education and interventions. Work may take place in a range of contexts
such as community based organisations, residential rehabilitation services and outreach services and
workers may have supervisory responsibilities.
The qualification:
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Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community Services Workforce Planning and Development Strategy 2012


Defines knowledge and skills required by support workers and case workers who work
autonomously under the broad guidance of others
Refers to specific knowledge of a client group and appropriate intervention processes applied
in residential and community settings.
On completion of this qualification the worker will be able to design and deliver programs that aim to
enhance the well being of individuals and groups. This qualification is suited to Australian
Apprenticeship pathways.
Occupational titles may include:

Case worker

Health education officer

Community services worker

Outreach officer

Community support worker

Support worker

Domestic violence worker

Welfare support worker


Early intervention homelessness worker
Family support worker


Welfare worker
Aboriginal Community Worker
HLT20907 Certificate II in Population Health
This qualification covers workers who provide basic support in Population Health work. Workers at
this qualification level apply competencies within a limited scope of operation and highly defined
range of contexts, where the choice of actions required is clear. These workers implement directives
of superiors and work under routine guidance with intermittent checking. This qualification is suited
to Australian Apprenticeships pathways.
Occupational titles for these workers may include:

Indigenous support worker

Peer educator

Support officer
HLT32207 Certificate III in Population
This qualification covers workers who are operational in a range of Population Health
projects/programs. Workers at this qualification level apply competencies normally used within
established routines, methods and procedures in the fulfilment of work likely to be allocated by a
Population Health professional. These workers contribute to the work of others through teamwork
and coordination. This qualification is suited to Australian Apprenticeships pathways.
Occupational titles for these workers may include:
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Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community Services Workforce Planning and Development Strategy 2012

Registry officer, cancer surveillance

Outreach worker, needle and syringe exchange
program

Disease control officer

Indigenous support worker

Assistant project officer

Allied health assistant/community worker

Team support worker
Health HLT42307CertificateIV in Population Health
This qualification covers workers who are operational in a range of Population Health
projects/programs. Workers at this qualification level apply competencies within routines, methods
and procedures where discretion and judgement would be required under very broad guidance in the
fulfilment of work likely to be allocated by a Population Health professional. These workers may be
responsible for limited organisation of the work of others. This qualification is suited to Australian
Apprenticeship pathways.
Occupational titles for these workers may include:

Data entry supervisor

Health promotion officer

Registry officer, cancer surveillance

Health promotion project officer

Health sponsorship coordinator

Schools program officer

Team support worker

Ednet community educator

Outreach worker

Women’s health educator

Health liaison worker

Aboriginal health education officer

Assistant community health worker

Assistant Aboriginal community health worker

Gay education services officer

Gay education and outreach officer

Assistant community health worker,
women’s health

Coordinator Aboriginal neighborhood house

Area health education officer

Team manager

Assistant project officer

Indigenous Health Promotion Officers
CHC40408 Certificate IV in Alcohol and Other Drugs
This qualification covers workers who provide a range of services and interventions to clients with
alcohol and other drugs issues and/or implement health promotion and community interventions.
Work may take place in a range of contexts such as community based organisations, residential
rehabilitation services and outreach services. This qualification is suited to Australian Apprenticeship
pathways.
This qualification:
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Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community Services Workforce Planning and Development Strategy 2012

Defines the knowledge and skills for support workers and care workers who work autonomously
under the broad guidance of other practitioners and professionals in the community services and
health sectors

Refers to specific knowledge of a client with alcohol and other drugs issues and to appropriate
intervention processes applied in residential and community settings.
Occupational titles may include:

Case worker

Family support worker

Community support worker

Outreach worker

Detoxification worker

Support worker

Drug and alcohol worker


Aboriginal Alcohol and other Drugs Worker
Aboriginal Mental Health Worker
CHC40508 Certificate IV in Mental Health
This qualification covers workers who provide a range of community services focusing on:

Rehabilitation and support for people affected by mental illness and psychiatric disability

Implementing community based activities focusing on mental health, mental illness and psychiatric
disability, and

Mental health promotion work.
Work may focus on engaging people with mental illness in community participation, prevention of
relapse and promotion of recovery through programs such as residential rehabilitation, work in
clinical settings, home based outreach and centre-based programs delivered by community based
non-government organisations. This work may also involve supported employment and programmed
respite care. This qualification is suited to Australian Apprenticeship pathways.
This qualification:

Defines the knowledge and skills required by support workers and case workers who work
autonomously under broad guidance

Refers to specific knowledge of mental health issues and appropriate intervention processes applied in
residential and community based settings.
Occupational titles may include:

Community rehabilitation and support
worker

Mental health rehabilitation support worker

Community support worker

Mental health support worker

Mental health outreach worker
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CHC50408 Diploma of Community Services (Alcohol and Other
Drugs/Mental Health)
This qualification applies to workers providing services to clients in relation to mental health and
alcohol and other drugs issues. This qualification is suited to Australian Apprenticeship pathways.
The qualification:

Includes counselling, referral, advocacy and education/health promotion services

Requires high level specialist knowledge, skills and competencies especially in regard to laws
affecting clients, the range of services available to them and health issues related to mental health
issues and alcohol and drug use and misuse
Occupational titles may include:

Alcohol and drugs worker

Mental health outreach worker

Community rehabilitation and support
worker

Mental health rehabilitation support worker

Community support worker

Mental health support worker

Mental health community worker
CHC41608 Cert IV in Child Youth and Family Intervention (Family Support)
CHC41508 Cert IV in Child Youth and Family intervention ( Child Protection)
CHC41408 Certificate IV in Child Youth and Families Intervention (Residential and Out of Home
Care)
This suite of qualifications covers those who work in youth and family intervention, including
practice specialisations in residential and out of home care, child protection, family support and early
intervention. Workers are under a broad supervision framework and operate within clearly defined
organisation guidelines, service plans and position specifications. These qualifications are suited to
Australian Apprenticeship pathways.
These workers may include paraprofessional and recognised entities who:

Carry out activities related to maintenance of a child or young person at risk, personal care and/or
other activities of living

Report directly to a supervisor and may at times be partially responsible for providing support to other
workers

Possibly undertake higher levels of report preparation and case notes, especially in relation to
supervised access visits

May provide out of home care.
Please note:
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Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community Services Workforce Planning and Development Strategy 2012

Foster carers may access units from the suggested foster care electives

Child protection workers in some jurisdictions may be required to select particular electives to address
jurisdictional requirements

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander workers in child protection may, in some jurisdictions be
required to select the elective unit: CHCPROT422A Undertake child protection work within an
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander framework
Occupational titles may include:

Alternative care workers

Early intervention worker

Care worker

Entry level case worker

Case support worker

Family support/prevention worker

Child protection support worker

Foster parent/carer

Children’s/youth support worker

Home based care worker

Community visitors

Out of home care provider

Cottage parent

Residential care worker

Direct care worker
CHC51208 Diploma of Child Youth and Family Intervention
This qualification covers those who work in residential facilities and/or non-residential settings
related to child protection and family support work. This qualification is suited to Australian
Apprenticeship pathways.
These workers:

Work under limited supervision or within a team and are responsible for planning and prioritising
their own work program to achieve targets

May supervise other workers

Depending on the focus of their role, may carry out activities related to improvement of personal
living and emotional circumstances of a child or young person at risk

May exercise legal authorities and delegated decision making on relevant statutory matters.
NOTE: Some jurisdictions require higher an undergraduate degree as minimum entry to statutory
child protection work.
Occupational titles may include:

Child protection worker/practitioner

Protective case worker

Child safety officer

Residential care worker
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Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community Services Workforce Planning and Development Strategy 2012

Family support worker / protection planner

Therapeutic worker

Non-residential case worker/team leader

Youth support case worker
CHC41808 Certificate IV in Youth Work
This qualification covers workers who develop and facilitate programs for young people through a
range of community based programs designed to address the social, behavioural, health, welfare,
developmental and protection needs of young people. This qualification is suited to Australian
Apprenticeship pathways.
This work may be undertaken through employment in community, government and welfare agencies
and workers will be:

Responsible for implementing policies and guidelines of the employing organisation

Largely self-directed with fairly autonomous decision making capacity under the indirect supervision
of a manager.
Occupational titles may include:

Community development worker (youth)

Youth and family resource officer

Indigenous youth worker

Youth and family service worker

Recreational youth activities worker

Youth case worker

Residential care worker

Youth housing support worker

Support worker residential

Youth worker

Youth alcohol and other drugs worker
CHC51408 Diploma of Youth Work
This qualification covers people with responsibility for the development and the outcomes of
programs and services for young people managed through a range of agencies and designed to meet
the social, behavioural, health, welfare, developmental and protection needs of young people. This
work may be undertaken through employment in community, government and welfare agencies.
The qualification is designed to ensure that policies and guidelines of the employing organisation are
implemented and includes responsibility for direction and supervision of staff, contracting external
agencies and/or management of specialist services. This qualification is suited to Australian
Apprenticeship pathways.
Occupational titles may include:

Case manager

Senior case worker
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Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community Services Workforce Planning and Development Strategy 2012

Coordinator youth and family services

Senior youth worker

Coordinator youth services

Youth work team leader

Program manager
CHC70108Vocational Graduate Certificate in Community Services Practice (Statutory Child
Protection)
CHC70208 Vocational Graduate Certificate in Community Services Practice (Client
Assessment and Case Management)
The above specifically designated ‘Advanced Practice’ qualifications provide a basis for assessment
and training of skills and knowledge required for work involving delivery of high level interventions
in identified areas of practice, as distinct from management of services. These qualifications are
suited to Australian Apprenticeship pathways.
These qualifications cover those workers who are advanced practitioners in the two specialised fields
identified and who require a high level of knowledge and skills in their area of specialisation for
application in the following contexts:

Provide specialist services to clients with complex and diverse needs

Act as a resource for other workers

Provide practice supervision of staff including volunteers

Work intensively with clients.
Workers at this level are making high level, independent, complex judgements in highly specialist
contexts. Their role may also involve full responsibility and accountability for all aspects of work of
self and others and functions including service planning, delivery and evaluation.
Occupational titles may include:

Client assessment and case management

Statutory child protection

Case manager

Child protection worker

Care manager

Child safety officer

Assessment officer

Social worker

Assessor
BSB20107 Certificate II in Business
This qualification reflects the role of individuals who perform a range of mainly routine tasks using limited
practical skills and fundamental operational knowledge in a defined context, working under direct supervision.
Occupational titles may include:
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Northern Territory Aboriginal Health and Community Services Workforce Planning and Development Strategy 2012

Administration Assistant

Clerical Worker

Data Entry Operator

Information Desk clerk

Office Junior

Receptionist
BSB51107 Diploma of Management
This qualification reflects the role of individuals who are engaged to manage the work of others or to add value
to or review management practices. Their role may be in any industry or organisational setting. Typically
people in these roles will have considerable experience in their respective industries or vocational areas and
combine an informed perspective of specific work requirements with their managerial approaches. The
qualification requires a sound theoretical knowledge base and managerial competencies to plan, carry out and
evaluate own work or the work of a team.
Occupational titles
Job roles and titles vary across different industry sectors. A possible job title relevant to this qualification is:

manager.
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