Pacific Addiction Workforce Strategy

Embedding Pacific perspectives of health and wellbeing

Valuing families and communities

Building capability

Lead integration
Reduce duplication, enhance efficiencies and take a value for money approach by strengthening relationships, utilising best practice and sharing innovations between the Pacific mental health and addiction sectors. Provide a single hub for Pacific mental health and addiction sector workforce development and convene four integrated sector forums over three years.

Facilitate upskilling
Promote and provide up to five scholarships and awards to the current Pacific addiction workforce prioritizing those working with young people. Mentor and track recipient outcomes.

Enhance service responsiveness
Provide cultural competency and capability training and support through the Le Va Engaging Pasifika training programme targeting the non-Pacific workforce.

A sustainable and flexible Pacific addiction workforce in a range of roles and a mainstream addiction workforce responsive to the complex needs of Pacific families.

Implementing evidence-based, sustainable and multi-level workforce initiatives

Recruitment and retention

Attract new workers
Promote and provide up to five scholarships and awards to tertiary education providers with relevant addiction courses of study. Mentor and track Pacific students in a course of study in an addiction-related field. Provide support and link to potential employers through the Le Va Futures that Work programme.

Career movement
Provide up to five places in the Le Va Le Tautua Emerging Leaders programme to the Pacific addiction workforce and provide individualised career pathway support.

An increase in the number of skilled Pacific workers providing addiction treatment or intervention to Pacific families.

Working together

Human rights

Resources and tools

Provide effective tools
Promote the Matalafi Matrix as a cultural assessment tool, adapt Pasifika Talking Therapies for the addiction sector, and promote resources in Pacific languages.

Ensure quality resources
Ensure a Pacific lens is applied in the development of resources and tools, particularly in primary care.

Addiction professionals utilising effective resources and tools to provide responsive interventions for Pacific families.

Pacific values underpinning the strategy:
Love, respect, humility, compassion, reciprocity, spirituality, service, humour, honesty, relationships, family.