Companion animal management is an established component of environmental health practice in many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Animal Management Workers play an important role in supporting healthy homes through activities including dog and cat population management, parasite control, community education, dog bite prevention, zoonotic disease risk reduction and supporting responses to animal health and biosecurity concerns. Despite the breadth of this role, nationally recognised training pathways specifically designed for remote community animal management have historically been limited.
Recognising this workforce gap, AMRRIC partnered with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders, registered training organisations, veterinarians and environmental health practitioners to develop a nationally accredited training program contextualised to the realities of remote community practice. In July 2026, one of the program’s skills sets was piloted in collaboration with participants from Woorabinda Aboriginal Shire Council and Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council, and with support from AMRRIC’s RTO partner Ninti Training.
The pilot combined classroom learning with practical, community-based activities, enabling participants to immediately apply new knowledge within their own community. Training covered companion animal health assessment, safe animal handling, parasite management, animal welfare, community engagement, basic biosecurity awareness, data collection, planning animal management activities and understanding the contribution of companion animal management to healthier homes and communities.
Delivery was founded on a recognition of the importance of local leadership, contextualised learning and practical mentoring. The pilot also provided an opportunity to evaluate and refine the training content, delivery model and assessment approach.
This presentation will share the rationale behind developing the skill set, the collaborative process used to design and pilot the training, and the practical lessons emerging from its first delivery. Reflections from both facilitators and local participants will explore what worked well, the challenges encountered, and the adaptations required to ensure the training reflects the realities of remote environmental health practice. The session will also discuss the value of iterative co-design and continuous improvement when developing workforce pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Animal Management Workers.
Relevance
Building and sustaining a skilled local workforce is essential to strengthening environmental health outcomes in remote communities. This presentation will provide practical insights for organisations seeking to develop locally relevant training pathways, strengthen animal management capability and support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander practitioners working across the Healthy Living Practices. Delegates will be encouraged to reflect on how workforce development, local partnerships and community-led delivery can contribute to stronger environmental health outcomes beyond companion animal management alone.