Marŋgithirri guŋga’yunarawu ga guŋga’yunyarawu marŋgithinyarawu Learning to connect and connecting to learn: Preparing the rural and remote allied health workforce through a co-created student-implemented service in East Arnhem, Australia

Marŋgithirri guŋga’yunarawu ga guŋga’yunyarawu marŋgithinyarawu Learning to connect and connecting to learn: Preparing the rural and remote allied health workforce through a co-created student-implemented service in East Arnhem, Australia Journal Article

Australian Journal of Rural Health

• Author(s): Bird, Katrina, Stothers, Kylie, Armstrong, Emily, Marika, Eunice Djerrkŋu, Yunupingu, Murphy Dhayirra, Brown, Louise, Witt, Susan, Campbell, Narelle, Barker, Ruth
• Published: 2021
• ISBN: 1038-5282

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Abstract: Objectives To explore the process of learning for allied health students providing a student-implemented service for older Yolngu in remote East Arnhem, Northern Territory, Australia. Design An exploratory qualitative study following an 8-week student-implemented service. Setting Nhulunbuy and Yirrkala and surrounding remote Aboriginal communities of the East Arnhem Region of the Northern Territory. Participants Data were collected from: 4 students who implemented the service; 4 professional supervisors, 3 placement coordinators, a Yolngu cultural consultant and a care manager from a local community organisation, all of whom supported implementation of the service; and 7 older Yolngu and their families who were recipients of the service. Interventions A student-implemented service for older Yol?u delivered by allied health students from James Cook University. Clinical, cultural and pastoral supervision and support was provided by Flinders University, James Cook University, Indigenous Allied Health Australia and 2 Yolngu cultural consultants and 2 local community organisations. Main outcome measures Semi-structured interviews with those who implemented, supported and received the service. Data were analysed thematically using an inductive approach. Results 'Learning to connect and connecting to learn' described how allied health students were learning to provide a service for older Yolngu. Four interrelated processes connected their learning: 'preparing and supporting', 'bonding and responding', 'growing and enriching' and 'working and weaving'. Conclusion The co-created student-implemented service provided a unique learning opportunity for allied health students on how to provide a culturally safe service in a remote Aboriginal community in northern Australia.

• Urls: https://doi.org/10.1111/ajr.12813
• Keywords: Aboriginal, co-design, older people, remote services, service learning