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‘Giving back to our community’: the retention of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander disability workforce in New South Wales, Australia
This Aboriginal-led study examines the factors that influence the retention of non-university qualified Aboriginal health, ageing and disability workers in New South Wales. The findings provide insights into retention factors that strengthen disability service provider practices and inform government policy.
Aboriginal employees state that giving back to communities and families is a driving factor in their commitment to their role. They recommend that employers consider flexible work arrangements to support employees in delivering on this commitment.
The results support findings from previous studies on factors that attract and retain Aboriginal employees. These include:
- the need for organisations and managers to create inclusive, culturally safe workplaces with a zero-tolerance approach to racism;
- explicit welcome of Aboriginal people;
- proactive engagement with Aboriginal leaders and organisations;
- respect for cultural obligations;
- and work-life balance.
