Implementing an eMentoring program for aged and community

care staff in rural and remote Queensland

Sarah Stewart 2010

Creative Commons BY

http://sarah-stewart.blogspot.com

Acknowledgements

• Dept. Health and Aging, Australia who provided project funding

• All the people who volunteered to be mentors and mentees

• Aged Care Queensland Inc project team: Anne Livingstone, Anna Lennon, Tania Whyatt and Robin Apps

• eMentoring project Reference Committee

What were the issues that needed to be addressed?

Difficult to recruit and retain staff in aged and community care

sector in Queenslandhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/34701044@N06/4000009470

Rural and remote staff miss out on support and professional development

because of geographical isolation

Indigenous staff require support and professional development

that meets their particular needs

Professional development and support for workers is vital for provision of high quality care

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23368139@N02/4182053334

critical to the sustainability of aged care industry by attracting and

retaining younger people http://www.flickr.com/photos/41894180985@N01/2478337872

a way to improve staff skill mix and not just staff numbers

eMentoring seen by ACQI to be one way of meeting development

needs of workforce

Program development Jan – May 2009

• Development of resources including handbook

• Advertising & recruiting mentors & mentees

• Selection and matching mentees with mentors

• Assessment of computer skills and equipment

Development of eMentoring CD Rom with Creative Commons BY license

Program implementationMay - June 2009

• Face-to-face mentoring and computer skills workshops

• Supporting mentors and mentees in making contact, developing learning plans and developing mentoring relationships

• Helping out with technology issues

• Evaluation questionnaire

Participants

EOI Entered Program

Mentees 63 23

Mentors 34 20

Why people didn’t participate• Too busy with audit and accreditation• Attitudes of employers/managers • Too busy with other study• Unable to attend face-to-face eMentoring workshops • Too busy with mentoring student nurses• Time frame was too short or did not suit their needs• No financial support for time off work • Lacking computer skills and confidence• Concerns about cost to the organization• Prefers face-to-face mentoring

Why indigenous people didn’t participate

• Prefer to work in a face-to-face context, to build a rapport and feelings of trust• Concerns about eMentoring relationship arising from such factors as gender, culture, position or

time• Concerns about privacy and confidentiality in small, close-knit communities • Potential fear of ‘failing’ or ‘shame’ by participant • Lack of access to the Internet bandwidth, especially in remote areas eg. Thursday Island• Lack of computer skills• Variability of literacy skills

Barriers to participation once enrolled in program

• Difficulties with technology eg organisational firewalls

• Lack of time

• Program too short

• Mentor or mentee did not get in touch

Successes of the program

• Provided support when none was available

• Increased computer skills and confidence

• Introduced people to free, cost-cutting communication tools

• Introduced people to concepts and benefits of online networking

eMentoring handbook re-mashed by Terrance DeShaun for youth eMentoring program in New Orleans

http://terrancedeshaun.blogspot.com

Recommendations for future programs

• Longer program – minimum 6 months• ‘Train the trainer’ approach to computer

skills• Explore benefits/disadvantages of online

communities of practice• Strategies for embedding technology in the

workplace• Engage with wider community to share skills

and resources

sarahstewart07@gmail.com

http://sarah-stewart.blogspot.com

Twitter: SarahStewart