Juniper Guwardi Ngadu (Recruitment and retention)

About this case study

This case study focuses on Juniper Guwardi Ngadu, a 24 bed residential aged care home on Bunuba Country in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. Juniper Guwardi Ngadu provides culturally safe, person-centred care for local Aboriginal older people from five language groups.

The case study is based on an interview with Belinda Storer, residential care manager at Juniper Guwardi Ngadu. Belinda has lived on Bunuba Country for the past 20 years. Her reflections highlight the role of Indigenous leadership, two-way cultural learning and workforce capacity building in sustaining a skilled and consistent workforce in a remote Aboriginal community.

The recruitment and retention focus of this case study is the way Juniper Guwardi Ngadu combines workforce planning, cultural learning, consistent rostering and community partnership to create a place where residents and staff can feel respected, valued and connected.

Why this is important

Workforce stability is one of the most important conditions for quality care in remote aged care settings. High turnover can disrupt continuity, reduce trust and make it harder for staff to understand residents’ cultural, family and community connections.

Juniper Guwardi Ngadu demonstrates that recruitment and retention challenges in remote communities can be addressed through committed leadership, creative workforce design and sustained support. The approach focuses not only on getting staff into roles, but on helping them belong, learn and stay long enough to build meaningful relationships.

This is important for culturally safe care because staff need time, guidance and relational learning to understand residents’ stories, cultural backgrounds, language groups, family ties and connections to Country. Retention supports consistency, and consistency supports trust.

How the approach worked

Juniper Guwardi Ngadu uses a blended workforce model that integrates PALM scheme workers with local staff and fly-in fly-out staff. The model recognises that no single recruitment pathway is enough in a remote context. Workforce stability is built by combining different staffing sources and investing in orientation, shared learning and team cohesion.

The service asks agencies to supply staff who can commit to longer contracts. Staff are encouraged to stay for extended periods so they have time to build relationships with residents, understand local culture and contribute to continuity of care.

On arrival, each new team member completes at least two buddy shifts with experienced staff. This supports cultural confidence, practical learning and understanding of resident needs. Rosters are also designed so that staff work with the same residents across consecutive days, helping residents see familiar faces and supporting trust.

Relationship-based care is strengthened through ongoing two-way cultural learning. Each staff member participates in a cultural learning plan that covers First Nations cultures and the cultures of colleagues, including PALM workers. This builds empathy, communication and mutual respect across the team.

Daily yarning-circle handovers bring staff together to share updates and reflections. The circle reduces hierarchy, encourages open conversation and provides a culturally familiar approach to knowledge sharing. These practices support collaboration and help staff feel part of a team with shared purpose.

Belinda Storer described the onboarding and training of PALM project staff as challenging but rewarding. She reflected that the team that emerged from this investment was highly capable, cohesive and able to contribute strongly across care settings.

Implementation supports

• Use a blended workforce model (integrating full-time employees with freelancers, contractors, part-time workers, and temporary staff) when local recruitment alone cannot meet workforce needs.
• Seek longer placements and longer agency contracts to support continuity of care and cultural learning.
• Build structured onboarding into the first days of employment, including at least two buddy shifts with experienced staff.
• Design rosters so staff care for the same residents across consecutive days where possible.
• Include cultural learning for all staff, including learning about First Nations cultures and the cultures of colleagues.
• Use yarning-circle handovers to support safe knowledge sharing, reflection and team connection.
• Provide staff accommodation where housing shortages affect recruitment and retention.
• Address burnout risk through peer support and a clear focus on staff wellbeing.
• Connect with local health services, community organisations and telehealth supports to reduce the impact of geographic isolation.

What this means for practice

For aged care providers, Juniper Guwardi Ngadu shows that recruitment and retention in remote communities needs to be designed around belonging, consistency and cultural learning. Workforce stability is not only a staffing outcome. It is part of the care model.

The case study suggests that remote services may need to combine local recruitment, external workforce pathways and fly-in fly-out arrangements while still protecting continuity of care. This requires structured onboarding, longer placements, consistent rostering and strong team culture.

The approach also highlights that cultural learning should not be a one-off orientation activity. At Juniper Guwardi Ngadu, cultural learning is relationship-based and reciprocal. Staff learn about the residents and community they support, and they also learn about each other. This strengthens collaboration and may help staff remain connected to the workplace.

Implementation barriers and solutions

Practice learning

• Retention improves when staff have time to build trust with residents, families and colleagues.

• Longer placements can support continuity, cultural confidence and staff belonging in remote aged care settings.

• Buddy shifts help new staff learn residents’ needs and local cultural context from experienced team members.

• Roster consistency is a practical retention and care-quality strategy because it supports relationships and familiar routines.

• Two-way cultural learning helps staff understand residents and colleagues, reducing miscommunication and strengthening team cohesion.

• Yarning-circle handovers can support inclusive communication, reduce hierarchy and create space for learning.

• Recruitment barriers such as housing, geographic isolation and burnout need practical supports, not only workforce messaging.

Research source

This evidence-based example has been based on an interview with Belinda Storer at Juniper Guwardi Ngadu to fit ARIIA’s case study format. For full detail and context, refer to the interviewee in the link provided.

For more information, visit: Juniper Guwardi Ngadu

Contact: Belinda Storer