the Aged Care Today magazine featured articles

As one of only three organisations funded nationally, Ageing Australia is leading delivery across Victoria and Tasmania, with a focus on key areas including Burnie, Ulverstone, Devonport and Shepparton.

Building on work done by the previous Home Care Workforce Support Program, which ceased on 30 June 2024 and attracted 13,000 new PCWs to the home care sector nationally over three years, the new program announced in May 2025 will run until June 2028. A key focus for this program will be to secure increased participation from people with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds.

Ageing Australia is taking a coordinated approach to workforce attraction, recruitment, training and retention, ensuring local communities have access to high-quality in-home care services. We will be working closely with local providers to bring new PCWs into the sector while helping both new and experienced staff build the skills and confidence needed to deliver safe, high-quality care.

“Ageing Australia has developed a comprehensive approach to strengthen the aged care workforce by improving access to high quality training and development for PCWs, particularly in rural and remote areas,” said Belinda Allen, Ageing Australia General Manager Services and Sector Capacity.

“Through the government’s workforce program, we’re partnering with providers and individuals in local communities to attract new workers into home care and support existing staff to grow their skills and confidence. By building local capability and fostering mentoring and leadership, we’re helping create sustainable, community-led teams that deliver safe, high-quality care for older Australians.”

A national program, it is being delivered in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia by Skills Generation, and in the Northern Territory by training provider Crest NT Ltd.

Sally Morris, Director at Crest NT, said the program is about growing confidence and capability within local communities. “We are already seeing the positive impact of the program, with more local people feeling confident and supported to deliver quality care for older community members,” said Sally. “Crest is committed to nurturing this growth by building a sustainable, compassionate workforce and strengthening community-led care across the Northern Territory.”

Rose Harris from the National Engagement team at Skills Hub and Skills Generation says an important element of the program is its collaborative approach, highlighting the importance of local partnerships for long-term workforce development.

“The Skills Generation and Skills Hubs teams have been engaged in rich conversations and consultation throughout the regions about sustainable, community-led aged care workforce and training solutions,” said Rose. “As well as attracting and training a new cohort of workforce over the next three years, we are working towards a changed perspective on what it means to work in aged care, and the valuable role it plays in rural and remote communities.”

One of the program’s primary goals is to ensure at least half of all PCWs take part in training, while for providers, the program will help them build internal capacity by streamlining recruitment and onboarding, improving human resources practices and enhancing retention strategies.

Working at the grassroots level, the program will also strengthen relationships between employers, training providers and potential workforce, unlocking transferrable skills within local communities.

“The enhanced collaboration among providers, training organisations and sector stakeholders is set to improve recruitment, training and professional development in an ongoing way,” said Belinda. “The importance of working at the local level in a ‘grow your own’ approach cannot be overstated.”

Visit the website to learn more or register your interest in engaging with the program.