Connect to Caring Program

Creating Opportunity. Changing Lives. Strengthening the Future of Care.

Connect to Caring is an innovative employment and training program designed to open doors for people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) backgrounds—particularly individuals from refugee backgrounds—who face barriers to traditional education and employment pathways.

Connect to Caring is more than a training program — it’s a pathway to purpose, designed to empower people from refugee and other marginalised backgrounds, to build meaningful careers in the Aged Care and Disability sector.

Why it Matters

Many newly arrived Australians bring with them rich life experience, compassion, and a deep desire to contribute to their communities—but they are often locked out of employment opportunities due to language, transport, caring responsibilities, or a lack of local experience. Meanwhile, the Aged Care and Disability Support sectors face growing workforce shortages.

Connect to Caring bridges this gap, providing a culturally responsive, wraparound model that supports both the individual and the sector.

We know that care roles require more than qualifications. They need heart, resilience, and cultural understanding — qualities the people we work with bring in abundance. That’s why this program meets people where they are, listens to their lived experiences, and walks with them as they take confident steps toward employment.

From the very beginning, participants help shape the journey. Their voices inform the program design, ensuring it reflects their hopes, strengths, and support needs.

The program connects participants to training pathways in Aged Care and Disability – but training is only part of the story. Through ongoing tailored, wrap-around support and strong employer partnerships — including within MercyCare and with other sector employers — Connect to Caring helps participants secure meaningful employment in aged care and disability support work as they gain confidence and thrive in care environments.

How it Works

A step-by-step onboarding process to ensure this is the right program for you including expression of interest, information sessions, followed by tailored screening to match individuals with the right training pathway.
Practical barriers like transport, childcare, and language are addressed with wraparound support.
We partner with trusted training providers like Activ Pathways and Status to deliver accredited qualifications
Ongoing support while undertaking the appropriate study pathway
Volunteer and Work Placement opportunities to support real-world insight into working in the Care sector
Job-readiness preparation to support preparedness for the workforce, including essential soft skills development like resume writing and interview preparation, as well as developing understanding of Australia workplace culture and job-onboarding practices
Connection to employers in the Care sector
Ongoing wrap-around support in initial months of employment to ensure sustainable employment

The Bigger Picture

This is Care in action — for people, for community, and for a stronger, more inclusive Care sector.

This program isn’t just changing individual lives—it’s shaping the future of care in Western Australia. By investing in people who are often overlooked, we’re helping to build a compassionate, skilled, and diverse workforce that is ready to meet the growing demands of the Aged Care and Disability sectors.

For participants, it’s a chance to belong, to contribute, and to thrive.

For the sector, it’s a sustainable workforce solution grounded in equity and inclusion.

And for all of us, it’s a reminder of what’s possible when we connect care with opportunity.

To find out more, refer a client or to apply for Connect to Caring, please contact us at:

MercyCare Mirrabooka
4 Brewer Place, Mirrabooka
Phone: 08 6298 9888
Email: hwilliams@mercycare.com.au