Bupa and WomenCAN Australia partner to give women a second career in aged care
Bupa has joined with leading charity, WomenCAN Australia, to offer new training and employment opportunities for women looking to re-enter the workforce and have a fulfilling career in aged care.
The partnership supports women from vulnerable backgrounds, such as migrants, refugees and older women who are economically disadvantaged, equipping them to enter the aged care workforce through training, work placements and ongoing support and networking.
Thirty women will commence paid traineeships across a range of carer, kitchen, maintenance and other roles in Bupa aged care homes in regional Victoria. The first eight women have already begun their placements at Bupa Echuca and Bupa Bendigo.
Bupa Aged Care and Villages Managing Director Andrew Kinkade said the partnership is an innovative way to both grow the aged care workforce and enable vulnerable women to have a real impact in caring for older Australians in regional Australia.
The workforce shortage in aged care is particularly severe in regional Australia. Many homes in regional Australia are declining new residents due to insufficient workforce, which is placing a strain on regional health systems. As the largest provider of aged care in regional Australia, we are delighted to be partnering with WomenCAN to welcome new team members to our regional homes.
“We’ve already had wonderful feedback from both our new team members and our residents and families. The most important thing for us is the relationships formed between our residents and team members. Our new team members have great life experience and values and with the right training and support, they will excel and play a valued role in supporting older Australians.”
WomenCAN Australia is a charity which assists vulnerable women at risk of financial insecurity, including homelessness, to attain new skills and build independence.
“This sort of collaboration benefits everyone involved and actually really does change women’s lives by supporting them along a path we’ve proven leads to financial independence,” said WomenCAN Australia CEO and founder Mikaela Stafrace.
“What BUPA and WCA are doing together provides a model. We plan to get more and more women into training and jobs.’’
All participants will be supported by on-the-job training in Bupa’s aged care homes, including external training through an accredited program. Once they have successfully completed the training, participants will be offered a permanent role with Bupa.
