Regional Disability Workers Become Multi-skilled Through AMY Innovation
University of Ballarat and Grampians Disability Accommodation Services
AMY: she's tailor-made, highly flexible, can be delivered almost anywhere and has enabled many regional workers in the disability sector to become multi-skilled in Aged Care, Mental Health and Youth Work.
Jointly developed by the University of Ballarat and Grampians Disability Accommodation Services, AMY has been delivered to 180 staff across the Grampians region from Bacchus Marsh to the South Australian border and from Bendigo to Mildura.
The program was designed as a result of gaps in service delivery identified by Grampians Disability Accommodation Services. Disability staff were servicing clients in aged and youth cohorts, some of whom also presented with mental health issues. The University of Ballarat was approached to develop pathways for existing workers to be skilled up in one or more of these areas.
Most participants already have Certificate IV in Disability, and the AMY units are new pathways to Certificate IV in Aged Care, Mental Health (non clinical) or Youth Work, and to an Advanced Diploma in Disability Work or Diploma in Community Services Management.
"AMY was specifically tailored to the needs of far-flung regional staff - the training is very flexible, with locally-delivered workshops minimising time away from the workplace," says Christian Holm, Regional Workforce Development Adviser, Disability Accommodation Services.