BUSHkids Annual Report 2018-2019

Section Futures

Tertiary students finding their feet as future clinicians with first-hand experience The advent of the NDIS and other initiatives has created a very competitive employment market in the sector and BUSHkids has risen to these challenges with a multi-level approach, opening many new practical pathways for students and helping secure and expand a skilled, flexible workforce.

One of our key initiatives in 2018–19 has been the recruitment of a bank of students as Early Intervention Facilitators (EIFs) from regional universities as casual staff. In January, 23 successful applicants from across a range of undergraduate courses — including Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech Pathology — attended a three-day BUSHkids workshop hosted by Central Queensland University in Bundaberg to train them in the core BUSHkids group programs, including:  ASS2S ©  PALS  Fun FRIENDS ©  Playgroup  Abecedarian 3a ©  Strong Not Tough ©  Group Theory Other topics included the development of take-home resources to support playgroup activities and a BUSHkids organisational orientation to develop an understanding of our values and approach. The aims of this initiative include establishing a skilled and flexible workforce, building the capacity of future clinicians to work in a family- centred and strengths-based way, and providing a pathway for future clinicians into our organisation. To date, the program has been a resounding success and the casual EIFs have become a valuable part of our regional teams, undertaking a range of duties including interviewing families, triaging, gathering data and completing documentation.

Craig Voll is studying a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy at The University of the Sunshine Coast (USC) and applied for a position with our Hervey Bay team. For the past 20 years, Craig worked as a boilermaker before deciding to make a career change. When asked why he applied for the role, he said that it seemed like “a good opportunity to get some valid experience”. Feedback on the scheme has been overwhelmingly positive from all sides. Hervey Bay Early Start team leader Kris Jennings values the enthusiasm to learn and the contribution of new ideas that the students bring to the team. “The enthusiasm they bring is contagious, we consider them an integral part of our team and we value them immensely.” Having extra hands to support key activities, such as outreach, has also been a relief for Kris. Craig has been travelling to Cherbourg once a week since November 2018. He attends the only Early Learning Centre in town to read to the children and works with the team supporting children’s development. Craig has established himself as a regular visitor to the centre and has created a wonderful rapport with the children who see him as a steady male role model. The community also sees BUSHkids as committed to Cherbourg.

Kris explains that “while some of the work may not directly relate to the students’ area of study, they see the keyworker model working in practice” — which was also confirmed by Craig. “I have mostly learned about cultural considerations, but one of the identified areas needing support there [Cherbourg] is communication so I have been exposed to speech and language interventions as well,” said Craig. He also said “my experiences have helped make sense of theory learned at uni” and recommended the role to other students. There will be an ongoing need to support the community in Cherbourg, however at a pace dictated by the community. BUSHkids is establishing trust, demonstrating responsiveness and our ongoing commitment to meeting the needs of the community, and Craig is playing an integral part in achieving this, one of many students who are now experiencing their learned theory in hands-on roles.

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