Aged and disability service providers are facing significant challenges attracting the right staff who are suitable and safe for direct support work. This forum will discuss how to attract more applicants, host more students and work together to be ready for an emergency workforce for a COVID19 outbreak or other emergency.

The Illawarra Workforce Action Group (IWAG) invites you to an online Regional Aged & Disability Services Workforce Forum with representatives from a range of organisations related to the sector including:

Residential and community support service providers
Registered training providers
Local Health District
Government agencies

The forum will seek to gain commitment from stakeholders for initiatives such as:

Endorsement for letters to government for more investment in sector development
Commitments to use the Illawarra South Coast Workforce Hub
Agreement to take more students or trainees

Rationale:

Demand in aged and disability services is growing faster than any other sector and will continue to grow to meet the population demands for the next 40 years. Additional challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the Royal Commissions into Aged Care and Disability Services have created a number of obstacles to attracting and retaining skilled staff in the sector.

The Online Regional Aged & Disability Services Workforce Forum will offer a mechanism to combine efforts across the sectors and align workforce strategies and priorities for providers in the region.

Expected Outcomes:

Drive discussion about working in the aged and disability service sectors to assist changing public perception
Discuss local opportunities to pursue as a group
Gain commitment across participating organisations to a Charter of Collaboration, and how they will contribute