1 July 2011

The forward-looking program brings Australian employers, the Australian Government and Indigenous people together in order to create real jobs, with Indigenous employees supported by pre-employment training, job placement and on-the-job mentoring.

As the only national health care provider among over 250 participating organisations, St John of God Health Care will offer job opportunities to Indigenous Australians in areas including nursing, allied health and hospitality across its facilities in Western Australia, Victoria and New South Wales.

St John of God Health Care’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Dr Michael Stanford, said that by signing the covenant, the not-for-profit organisation was pledging to deliver Indigenous jobs in mainstream health care, a sector where Indigenous Australians are significantly underrepresented.

“The Australian Employment Covenant provides St John of God Health Care with access to expertise and assistance that will help us to design and implement training and employment initiatives. We plan initially to offer development pathways and employment to Indigenous people in areas such as enrolled nursing and patient care," Dr Stanford said.

"As its workforce needs continue to grow, the organisation sees great potential to extend the number of opportunities for Indigenous Australians across a range of clinical and non-clinical roles.

“Through the covenant we are contributing not only to the strength of our own workforce, but the future national health workforce, and most importantly doing our part to create a new generation of highly employable Indigenous Australians,” he said.

Signing the Covenant strengthens St John of God Health Care’s existing commitment to working with Indigenous Australians; mostly through initiatives delivered by its Social Outreach and Advocacy services, which reach out to people experiencing disadvantage.

These include a laptop giving program for first year Indigenous medical students at the University of Western Australia, and Indigenous health services including mental health programs at Warrnambool and Murdoch, a diabetes clinic at Bendigo, a drug and alcohol service at Bunbury, and the Strong Family, Strong Culture service in northern Western Australia, which works with Aboriginal families with children in the 0-5 age group.

St John of God Health Care’s long standing commitment to the health and welfare of the community, in particular the Indigenous community, began in 1895 when its founders, the Sisters of St John of God arrived in Australia. They subsequently worked in remote communities, first in the Western Australian Goldfields and later in the Kimberley where the organisation still runs services.

As a major health care employer with 9,300 employees, St John of God Health Care is committed to developing its workforce, as part of its focus on excellence and delivering the highest quality of health care to the community.