Services and support
Workforce development and support program
Strong training to deliver the best social and emotional wellbeing programs
The Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT) workforce development and support program for social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB) supports the SEWB and alcohol and other drugs (AOD) workforce across Aboriginal community controlled health services (ACCHSs) in the Northern Territory.
We focus on looking after the people who look after the community—building skills, confidence and connection, and making sure SEWB and AOD workers have access to training, supervision, networks and resources that are grounded in culture and community.
What we do
The workforce development and support program strengthens the SEWB and AOD workforce at every stage—from new workers just starting out, through to experienced staff, team leaders and managers.
We provide access to training, workshops and communities of practice, support services to plan for SEWB workforce needs, and promote good supervision, reflective practice and staff wellbeing. Our role is to support member services so SEWB work is sustainable, valued and well supported.
Why this program matters
SEWB and AOD workers deal every day with grief, loss, trauma, violence, addiction, worry for young people and pressure on families. This work is essential, but it can also be heavy and isolating, especially in remote communities.
A strong SEWB workforce needs more than just one-off training. Workers need ongoing support, culturally safe supervision, time for reflection and real pathways to grow in their roles. The workforce development and support program helps services invest in their SEWB staff so they can keep doing this important work in a way that is safe, sustainable and grounded in culture.
Our focus areas
The program focuses on building a strong, supported SEWB and AOD workforce across ACCHSs. This includes workforce planning, access to training and development, supervision and reflective practice, communities of practice, and tools for staff wellbeing and self-care.
We also support services to recognise and strengthen Aboriginal SEWB roles, ensure position descriptions and structures reflect cultural and community responsibilities, and link workforce development to broader SEWB and suicide prevention priorities.
How we support member services
We work with member services to understand their SEWB and AOD workforce—who is in the team, what support they currently receive, and where the gaps are. Together, we identify priorities such as training needs, supervision arrangements, reflective practice spaces and leadership development.
Support can include linking staff into AMSANT and external training, helping services plan SEWB workforce development over time, and offering tools and frameworks for supervision and reflective practice that are culturally informed and realistic for busy services. We also connect SEWB workers with peers across the Northern Territory so they can share ideas and not feel alone in their roles.
Who we work with
The workforce development and support program works with SEWB and AOD workers in ACCHSs, SEWB team leaders, managers and senior staff responsible for supporting SEWB and AOD workers, and Aboriginal health practitioners, counsellors, wellbeing officers and cultural support workers.
We also work with human resources and workforce teams in services planning SEWB and AOD roles, and with partners such as the Northern Territory Primary Health Network (NT PHN), the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO), training providers and educators involved in SEWB and AOD workforce development.
Our impact
Through the workforce development and support program, AMSANT is helping services to:
- strengthen skills, confidence and cultural grounding across the SEWB and AOD workforce
- improve access to high-quality, relevant training and development opportunities
- embed regular, culturally safe supervision and reflective practice for SEWB and AOD workers
- reduce isolation and burnout by building stronger SEWB peer networks and communities of practice.
Over time, this supports more stable SEWB teams, stronger local leadership and better social and emotional wellbeing outcomes for Aboriginal people across the Northern Territory.
Current projects & initiatives
SEWB workforce training and workshops
coordinating and promoting training opportunities for SEWB and AOD workers, including trauma-informed practice, suicide prevention, mental health and other SEWB-related topics.
SEWB communities of practice and networks
supporting spaces where SEWB workers, coordinators and managers can talk, share resources and learn from each other.
Supervision and reflective practice support
promoting and supporting models of supervision and reflective practice that are culturally safe and realistic for remote, regional and urban services.
Workforce planning and development advice
assisting services to think through SEWB workforce structures, role design and development pathways.
Training available
The workforce development and support unit coordinates and promotes a suite of training opportunities for SEWB and AOD workers across AMSANT member services. Training currently includes, or is developing towards, the following focus areas:
- Culturally responsive trauma-informed practice (CRTIP)—understanding trauma in the context of colonisation, racism and ongoing stress, and responding in ways that are culturally safe and healing-focused for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health first aid—building practical skills and confidence to recognise signs of mental health distress, talk safely about concerns, and provide culturally appropriate first-line support until more help is available.
- Social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB) and self-care—introducing core SEWB concepts and focusing on how workers can look after their own wellbeing while supporting community, including boundaries, burnout and staying connected to strengths.
- Case notes and case management (1–2 day workshop)—strengthening everyday practice skills such as record-keeping, goal setting, planning and follow-up in a way that fits SEWB work and community contexts while meeting service requirements.
- Domestic, family and sexual violence training—supporting services to respond more safely and effectively to violence in communities, with a focus on culturally informed, trauma-aware practice. Delivered in partnership with external training providers where appropriate.
- Narrative practice workshops—exploring how story, yarning and local understanding of wellbeing and healing can shape SEWB work, with practical tools that workers can adapt for their own communities.
Details on upcoming training dates, registration and eligibility are shared directly with member services. SEWB and AOD workers can contact AMSANT’s workforce development and support team or speak with their SEWB manager for more information.
Resources & downloads
SEWB and AOD training calendars and information, supervision and reflective practice tools and guides, worker wellbeing and self-care resources, information on SEWB communities of practice and network meetings, and SEWB workforce planning and development resources are available.