Think HQ Campaign Encourages Careers in Aboriginal Health

Award-winning integrated agency Think HQ has tapped into 65,000 years of experience to deliver a campaign to drive employment opportunities and careers for Aboriginal people for Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO).

The workforce attraction campaign aims to encourage Aboriginal people to consider a career in the Aboriginal health and wellbeing sector. It does that by reminding all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of a simple fact: with 65,000 years of experience behind them, they already have the most important qualification for a career in health.

To develop the creative strategy, content and messaging with cultural cut-through, Think HQ drew on its significant background and expertise working with Aboriginal stakeholders and communities, yarning with Indigenous health industry professionals including GPs, midwives and Aboriginal health and social and emotional wellbeing

workers.

While those conversations revealed Aboriginal health professionals’ passion for their community work changing lives and helping others heal, it also delivered a key insight that informed campaign direction: most Aboriginal people don’t realise their life experience gives them a key prerequisite for many jobs in Aboriginal health.

The creative solution draws on that insight to inspire a new generation of Aboriginal healthcare and wellbeing workers, spearheaded by a compelling video series written and produced by Think HQ alongside Wiradjuri director Jack Steele and a team of First Nation creators in film and music, plus talent from across the community.

In addition to a hero film, four videos bring to life the inspiring real life stories of four talented Aboriginal healthcare professionals working in a range of roles to make a difference in communities.

Think HQ also developed a poster series and three audio assets for the campaign that reaches across online, social channels and radio.

A dedicated hub answers the why’s and how’s of starting a career in Aboriginal health and provides resources and links to job opportunities, all underpinned by the campaign premise ‘You have 65,000 years of experience. Start a career in Aboriginal health today’.

Abe Ropitini, executive director, Population Health, VACCHO commented on the campaign, “Collaborating with Think HQ was a great process of combining cultural and creative expertise.

From concept development through to production, the Think HQ team – which included First Nations people – was able to translate our initial yarns into a powerful concept, which was then brought to life through beautiful design, photography, and film production. We are excited to continue expanding the campaign even further.”

Lisa Gumbleton, group head of creative strategy at Think HQ said, “The best care comes from empathy without judgement, and when people receiving care can connect with someone who understands them. That makes lived experience an important prerequisite to a career in Aboriginal health, yet people didn’t really understand the different roles and career pathways available to them. Our campaign seeks to tap into their passion for health and desire to help their community by showing a career in health could be the right one for them.”

Sam McCarron, Think HQ associate creative director further explained, “Some might be put off by the belief that they don’t have the prerequisites for a career in healthcare. But they do. Health and wellbeing knowledge in Aboriginal culture goes back further than any knowledge in the world. It was important that we worked with First Nations creators and creatives to help communicate this with the heart and nuance it deserved.”

The campaign is part of the Victoria Aboriginal Health & Wellbeing Workforce Strategy 2022-26 launched by VACCHO in 2022. Providing meaningful employment opportunities and careers for Aboriginal people is a core part of VACCHO’s vision for a strong and able workforce delivering holistic health and wellbeing services to the Aboriginal population.

The campaign will run online, on radio and across VACCHO’s social media channels until 31 March 2025.