Aims:
Discovering the cross-cultural training options available to staff across health services (both government and non-government) in the Northern Territory (NT).
 
Objectives: 
  1. Create a better understanding of the evolution of cultural training programs between 1996-2016 in the NT.
  2. Assemble a database of cross-cultural programs and cultural competency resources currently in use in the NT. 
Summary:

The NT is a place of great cultural diversity. Cross-cultural training has been delivered to staff within non-government and government health services in the NT for decades. This type of training intends to achieve culturally appropriate and safe health services for Aboriginal Australians. The NT government recognises the importance of a culturally competent public sector and therefore requires that all agencies provide cross-cultural training to their employees. 

The purpose of the project is to create greater awareness of the range and diversity of training programs available for health and other service providers in the NT. It enables them to choose programs that meet the requisites of their staff and type of service delivery. There is little evidence that any of the programs were evaluated although the report includes views of current/past staff on the properties that make programs successful and effective in different health service delivery settings.

The project does not seek to reach a definitive conclusion on a perfect model of cross-cultural training, but rather initiate conversations within organisations around what changes can be made to existing programs to develop and improve the cultural competency of staff and consequently service delivery.

Implications for policy and practice:

This project will inform a larger project aimed at developing a patient-led component of cultural awareness training for renal clinicians. 

Our research has found:  

Formal evaluation of cultural awareness programs is rare.

Project manager:
Contact information:
Project dates:

4 August 2016 - The database and report were completed in February 2017 and are available on the website.