NSW Ministry of Health acknowledges the people of the many traditional Countries and language groups of New South Wales. It acknowledges the knowledge and wisdom of Elders who have passed, those of today and tomorrow and pays respect to Aboriginal communities of the land.
This initiative started in 2000 to support people employed as Aboriginal Health Workers and Aboriginal Health Practitioners (as outlined in Information Bulletin 2018/018) to collaborate and share information on career pathways, professional development opportunities and workforce initiatives across NSW. In 2018 it included a forum with the aim to hold it every two years but was postponed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
More information including registration, agenda and presentations are available on the Aboriginal Health Worker and Aboriginal Health Practitioner Forum page.
The NSW Health Aboriginal Health Worker (AHW) Workforce Forum is a state level event that was introduced in 2000 to establish a voice for NSW Health AHWs employed across NSW Health Local Health Districts and Specialty Networks.
The Aboriginal Workforce Unit, Workforce Planning & Development Branch, Ministry of Health in partnership with the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker Association, hosted the Forum at the Hilton, Sydney CBD on Thursday, 25 and Friday 26 (half day) October 2018.
AHWs from across NSW Health who are responsible for the delivery of clinical and non-clinical services and Managers Aboriginal Workforce Development (MAWDs) attended. Other key stakeholders and subject matter experts shared their knowledge and experience.
170 delegates attended the Forum (n=130 NSW Health AHWs; n=24 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations and n=16 non Aboriginal staff from executive, clinical and non-clinical services across other sectors.
A communique was sent via email on 14 December 2018 to forum delegates and their managers, directors and chief executives.
The NSW Health Good Health - Great Jobs Aboriginal Workforce Strategic Framework 2016 - 2020 (the Framework) is taking the next step up in growing a strong and culturally supported Aboriginal workforce.
The Framework aims to support local health districts, speciality networks and other NSW health organisations to grow and develop their Aboriginal workforce. The Framework shares the vision of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workforce Strategic Framework 2016 - 2020.
The Good Health - Great Jobs: Aboriginal Workforce Strategic Framework 2016 - 2020 was launched on 21 November 2016.
The Aboriginal Workforce Unit (AWU) hosted the NSW Health Good Health - Great Jobs 2017 Stepping Up Forum at the International Convention Centre (ICC), Sydney on Wednesday 22nd and Thursday 23rd March 2017.
288 delegates attended the two day Forum with Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal health managers and staff working across all professions including clinical, non-clinical and leadership roles.
We have received some positive news in relation to facilitating diversity in Government sector employment. The Government Sector Employment Rule 26, Employment of eligible persons, has been amended to include the whole government sector (including the NSW Health service) in its scope. The updated GSE Rule 26 took effect on 1 June 2016.
GSE Rule 26 allows agencies to target positions to 'eligible persons' who belong to one of the groups deemed to be disadvantaged in employment. This will remove the need to seek a separate exemption from the Anti-Discrimination Board to target a position for eligible persons covered by the Rule. The Rule also allows for such modifications to recruitment and selection policies or procedures as are necessary to facilitate the employment of eligible persons in the agency. These changes have been incorporated into the revised and finalised Recruitment and Selection of Staff to the NSW Health Service, PD2017_040.
Stepping Up is NSW Health’s recruitment resource for Aboriginal people. It aims to assist Aboriginal job applicants understand how to apply for roles in NSW Health, and hiring managers to more effectively structure the recruitment to roles within NSW Health.
For more information on Stepping Up, please see Projects.
The Aboriginal Workforce Unit (AWU) is part of the Workforce Planning and Development Branch of the NSW Ministry of Health. More information on the organisational structure of the Ministry of Health is available.
Our core business is:
Information from Aboriginal Affairs NSW, key data - NSW Aboriginal people, September 2020 states there were 265,685 Aboriginal people living in NSW, representing 33.3% of the Aboriginal population of Australia and 3.4% of the NSW population.
The Aboriginal Workforce Unit connect with a number of agencies /groups / organisations across the health sector to support their work. These include:
