Dementia Australia announced last week the launch of four new Leadership and Practice Change education programs for care workers.
The range of accredited and non-accredited programs is spearheaded by the first ever fully-funded, national 10993NAT Certificate IV in Dementia Practice and will build participants’ leadership skills within the aged and community care sector.
The other courses are Demonstrating Dementia Leadership and Leading Quality Dementia Care with a peer support, knowledge sharing Community of Practice, rounding out the offerings.
Dementia Australia CEO Maree McCabe AM said these programs will deliver engaging education to build the dementia capability of future leaders in the sector, as well as creating lasting change through leadership and culture change that in turn promotes improved behaviours, attitudes, and care practices for all care workers.
“Strong leadership was recognised as a critical element of sustained practice improvements by the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety and in response, also by the Federal Government,” Ms McCabe said.
“And strong leadership in aged care is fundamental to the delivery of high-quality dementia care.
“Our programs provide opportunities for ongoing development and learning pathways for future leaders in the sector.
“With the current shortage of aged care workers, it is crucial that we attract more people to the sector, strengthen the current workforce’s capability and develop meaningful learning pathways.
“We are proud to be leading the charge to improve the dementia capability of the aged care workforce by developing and empowering staff.
“In so doing, we will improve the quality of care provided for all people living with dementia and ensure better outcomes for everyone involved.
“This expansion of our Centre for Dementia Learning’s programs enhances our already comprehensive suite of education programs that are designed to improve the quality of care for people living with dementia.”
The four Leadership and Practice Change programs, designed and delivered by Dementia Australia as part of Dementia Training Australia, are funded by the Australian Government.
Further details on the different programs include:
- The 10993NAT Certificate IV in Dementia Practice: a qualification designed to enhance the dementia practice, knowledge and skills of existing workers, and strengthen the capacity of existing staff to be dementia practice leaders. It provides participants with advanced tools to become leaders in implementing practice change so they can support staff, families and carers in improving the lives of people living with dementia. https://dementialearning.org.au/course/certificate-iv/.
- Demonstrating Dementia Leadership: a program that explores the knowledge and skills required to lead teams and individuals by modelling good practice and demonstrating how to influence team performance. The content covers two units of competency from the 10993NAT Certificate IV in Dementia Practice: BSBLDR411 Demonstrate leadership in the workplace, and BSBLDR414 Lead team effectiveness. https://dementialearning.org.au/course/demonstrating-leadership/.
- Leading Quality Dementia Care: a program that explores the benefits of self-leadership in the context of supporting people living with dementia, working collaboratively with staff, working in partnership with families and thriving within organisational frameworks. The program provides four modules of learning including trust, communication, diversity and stress management. https://dementialearning.org.au/course/leading-quality-dementia-care/.
- And, Community of Practice (CoPs), that will build relationships to support members to share knowledge and lead improvements in practice. This national network of CoPs will build on the success of the previous program that was funded by the Priceline Sisterhood Foundation and evaluated by Swinburne University of Technology. https://dementialearning.org.au/course/dementia-community-of-practice/
For more information on how to register your staff/teams, please visit: https://dementialearning.org.au/courses/leadership-training/
Dementia Training Australia (DTA) is a consortium funded by the Australian Government to provide nationwide education on the support and care of people living with dementia. DTA offers a range of courses and resources including e-learning, workshops, webinars, and tailored training packages. The nationally recognised training is delivered and assessed by Dementia Australia (RTO Code 2512) every year through the Dementia Essentials courses.
The consortium is made up of Dementia Australia and four universities – the University of Wollongong, La Trobe University, Queensland University of Technology, University of Western Australia, and associate member University of Tasmania Wicking Dementia Centre.
Our mission is to improve the knowledge and skills of the workforce who are involved in supporting people living with dementia and their carers. We focus on evidence-based standards in the development and delivery of practical education and learning pathways for individuals and organisations.
Visit dta.com.au
Dementia Australia is the source of trusted information, education, and services for the estimated more than 400,000 Australians living with dementia, and the more than 1.5 million people involved in their care. We advocate for positive change and support vital research. We are here to support people impacted by dementia, and to enable them to live as well as possible. No matter how you are impacted by dementia or who you are, we are here for you.
For support, please contact the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500. An interpreter service is available. The National Dementia Helpline is funded by the Australian Government. People looking for information can also visit dementia.org.au.
