The NACCHO Members’ Conference runs from 8 to 10 December in Sydney. It brings together leaders from 146 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations. These organisations form one of the largest Indigenous employer networks in the country. They operate more than 550 clinics and employ more than 7,000 staff. More than half of these employees identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. This scale makes ACCHOs a major driver of Indigenous jobs and training. It also shows how important community led employment models are for the future workforce. The conference theme, Strength Comes from Community Control, highlights this focus.
ACCHOs as Key Employers in Indigenous Communities
ACCHOs play a central role in Indigenous employment. Research suggests that one in every 44 Indigenous jobs in Australia is connected to an ACCHO. This is significant because these jobs often exist in remote and regional areas where employment options are limited. ACCHOs offer roles in administration, outreach, community health, allied health and clinical support. These roles give local people real opportunities to build long term careers without having to leave their communities. As a result, ACCHOs help boost local participation, stability and economic strength.
Why Community Control Supports Stronger Pathways
Community control shapes the way ACCHOs hire, support and develop staff. Decisions about staffing and training are guided by community needs and values. This creates culturally safe workplaces where people feel respected and understood. It also helps staff grow through mentoring and on the job learning. Many employees begin in entry level roles and move into positions such as Aboriginal Health Worker, nurse, allied health assistant or manager. Because training and support are designed locally, these pathways fit the realities of community life. They also help create a workforce that is skilled, confident and connected to the people it serves.
Current Challenges Facing the ACCHO Workforce
Although ACCHOs are strong employers, they face serious workforce challenges. There are shortages of doctors, nurses, allied health professionals and Aboriginal Health Workers. Turnover rates are high in many clinics. Some reports show non Indigenous turnover above 160 percent and Indigenous turnover above 80 percent. This creates pressure on services and reduces continuity of care. These issues are especially difficult in very remote regions, where ACCHOs deliver more than one million episodes of care each year. Without more support, workforce shortages could affect both service delivery and employment stability.
Initiatives Building Better Indigenous Workforce Pathways
Several programs are helping build stronger pathways. Cadetships and scholarships give Indigenous students paid study support and clinical placements. Grants that focus on Aboriginal women’s health strengthen specialist skills within communities. National workforce strategies call for more structured training, long term investment and culturally informed leadership development. These programs share a common goal. They aim to grow a skilled Indigenous workforce from within communities rather than relying on short term external recruitment.
Community Control as a Model for Future Workforce Growth
The NACCHO Members’ Conference highlights how powerful community led employment models can be. ACCHOs show that Indigenous employment grows strongest when pathways are local, culturally grounded and supported over time. They also show that community control creates stable jobs, builds capability and supports better health outcomes. As Australia prepares for 2026, these lessons are becoming more important. A strong Indigenous workforce depends on long term investment, structured development and genuine community leadership. The ACCHO model provides a clear example of how this can succeed.