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A qualitative evaluation of a mentoring program for Aboriginal health workers and allied health professionals

journal contribution
posted on 2013-10-01, 00:00 authored by Jennifer BrowneJennifer Browne, S Thorpe, N Tunny, K Adams, C Palermo
Objective: Effective partnerships between Aboriginal Health Workers and non-Aboriginal health professionals are essential to achieve Aboriginal health outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate a mentoring workforce development strategy for Aboriginal Health Workers and non-Aboriginal allied health professionals. Methods: Thirty-four Aboriginal Health Workers and non-Aboriginal health professionals were recruited to the mentoring program where they were paired and established a learning relationship for approximately six months. A qualitative evaluation with thirty of the participants was undertaken involving in-depth interviews at the completion of the program. Results: A total of 18 mentoring partnerships were formed across Victoria. The data revealed three key themes in relation to the evaluation of the program: (1) The mentoring program facilitated two-way learning, (2) The Aboriginal Health Workers and non-Aboriginal health professional participants reported being able to meet their identified learning needs through the partnership, (3) The capacity to improve practice was facilitated through readiness to learn and change practice and personal attributes of the participants, as well as organisation and management support. Conclusions: Peer mentoring between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal health workforce was found to be a powerful mechanism to promote two-way learning that has the capacity to meet learning needs and promote practice improvement. Implications: Peer mentoring may be part of a multi-strategy approach to the development of the Aboriginal health workforce. © 2013 Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation. ANZJPH © 2013 Public Health Association of Australia.

History

Journal

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health

Volume

37

Issue

5

Pagination

457 - 462

Publisher

WIley

Location

London, Eng.

ISSN

1326-0200

Language

eng

Publication classification

C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

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