Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan. July 2017 July 2019

Transcription

1 Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan July 2017 July 2019

2 CONTENTS Message from our Board Our Vision for reconciliation About House with No Steps Purpose and Values Our reconciliation journey Our Reconciliation Action Plan Relationships Respect Opportunities Tracking Acknowledgements Glossary Cover: JAGUN Artist: Alison Williams Jagun is a Gumbaynggir word meaning country. This painting represents the ongoing relationship between Aboriginal people and their country, and all living things. The water and sun bring life and human beings are reliant on the balance of all things that Mother Nature provides. My people have survived for thousands of years with this awareness and respect.

3 MESSAGE FROM OUR BOARD House with No Steps (HWNS) is committed to reconciliation. Our organisational values embrace respect for, and inclusion of, distinctive cultural identities. Our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) challenges and supports all HWNS staff to make a positive difference to the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in our communities in their day-to-day work. Reconciliation is the pathway to equity and equality where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples can stand as equals with other Australians: a path forged in friendship. The journey towards reconciliation must start with acknowledgement of the suffering and human rights travesties of the past. These have resulted in huge inequities in access to areas of health, education, employment, and of particular note for HWNS services that support people with a disability. HWNS is no stranger to inequity. We strive for increased recognition of the rights and abilities of people with a disability. Our employees, customers, working partners, families and communities include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. In developing this plan we are making a commitment to work together to transform the future. Our commitment is to listen, learn, share and partner. We are proud to present our RAP. The plan outlines what we as an organisation will achieve over the next two years to contribute to reconciliation. We don t expect it to be easy but we are determined, through positive relationships and sincere dedication to the plan, to deliver and be held to account against the commitments we have made. We will be guided in our work by our Indigenous Advisory Group (IAG), our broader networks, and our core organisational values of Empowerment, Respect, Inclusion, Commitment and Achievement. Richard Madden Chair Andrew Richardson Managing Director 3

4 OUR VISION FOR RECONCILIATION Our vision for reconciliation is to be part of a society in which all people and organisations demonstrate, through their actions and attitudes, that they truly respect, value and include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their cultures. This is closely aligned with our organisational vision: for a society in which every local community demonstrates that it truly respects, values and empowers all people with a disability. We are passionate about our vision for reconciliation and committed to doing all we can to make it a reality. Our vision is realised by: Promoting a culture of diversity and respect across our organisation Working collaboratively and respectfully to enable the children, adults and families we support to live great lives Increasing the workforce participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples Supporting our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to have successful and satisfying careers Ensuring the cultural competence of our workers, managers and leaders. 4

5 ABOUT HOUSE WITH NO STEPS As one of Australia s leading disability service providers, HWNS is dedicated to helping people with a disability live a great life. We operate across 216 sites in Qld, NSW, Vic, Tas and the ACT providing services and employment to more than 3000 people with a disability, including 93 who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. Through our services and businesses, we support people to realise their goals and dreams - whether it is moving out of home, finding a job they love, or becoming active members of the community. We operate in many regional areas including communities with large Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations. We employ around 2500 people including 500 people with a disability. Approximately 5% of HWNS employees and 7% of HWNS employees with a disability identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. For people with disabilities and their families the introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) presents a unique generational opportunity. For our services to be truly inclusive, it is critical that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with disabilities have the same access to those opportunities. Through this RAP we will consolidate and build on our foundations to grow our impact and build relationships, respect and opportunity more broadly and consistently. Our RAP charts a course for the next two years and specifically includes an initiative to advance the ways in which we can work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 5

6 PURPOSE AND VALUES At HWNS our single purpose is to help people with a disability live a great life. We reject social injustice and indignity. We are relentless in our defense of inclusion. We never accept MEAN (Mistreatment, Exploitation, Abuse, Neglect). We speak in support of those who are not heard. Our core values of Empowerment, Respect, Inclusion, Commitment, and Achievement apply to everything we do, including our actions and attitudes to reconciliation: Empowerment: To ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have a say in the ways in which they interact with HWNS, the services they access and the types of support they receive. Respect: This value underpins all other values and recognises the inherent dignity and value of every person. Inclusion: We acknowledge that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have experienced exclusion from many aspects of society. In particular, we recognise that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples often experience additional barriers to accessing services and supports. Commitment: We are committed to providing more opportunities and more equitable access for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through our operations and advocacy. We are committed to working in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, whose unique skills, perspectives and knowledge are invaluable to our reconciliation journey. Achievement: We want to see all Australians achieve their full potential. re cognise &re spond 6

7 Our Reconciliation Journey Our RAP is a living document that reflects our commitment to reconciliation in our everyday work. While it is our first RAP, it is not the beginning of the journey. We undertook a lengthy period of exploration and consultation, including engagement with Reconciliation Australia (RA) prior to and throughout the RAP development process. We have now embedded our commitment to the reconciliation process into the People goal in our Strategic Plan, ensuring it will be well resourced and prioritised. This goal is all about ensuring HWNS has a diverse and vibrant employee base to inspire new ideas for advancing reconciliation. Through our discovery process we have identified some key learnings that will be vital to the successful implementation of our RAP: Our Indigenous Advisory Group (IAG) needs to have a clearly defined purpose, and be well supported and resourced to achieve its objectives Our RAP needs commitment from every level of the organisation to have impact Working in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, agencies and peoples, on their own terms, is paramount Disability is not a concept recognised in Aboriginal languages and in some communities the language we use can create a barrier to helping people with a disability live great lives. We need to recognise and ensure that our relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are built on mutual understanding As an organisation, we need to better capture information in order to effectively report on outcomes and progress We have much to learn from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and cultures. We must walk together on our path to reconciliation. Our RAP will be launched during NAIDOC Week

8 OUR RECONCILIATION ACTION PLAN The primary purpose of our RAP is to make Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and cultures part of our everyday workplace considerations, program development and service delivery. Our RAP contains actions that will achieve measurable results and help to ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have a voice in our organisation from customers and families, through to employees and business partnerships. For our vision and purpose to become a reality for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in our communities we must forge respectful relationships over time and demonstrate that we are genuine in our commitment to reconciliation. The RAP is a living document which sets out actions we will take to: Build relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples Engender respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and identities across HWNS and the wider communities Provide opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples including access to services, employment and training We acknowledge that supporting and engaging ALL employees across the above actions is the responsibility of ALL HWNS leaders, managers and workers. Our RAP was developed in consultation with HWNS Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, who have been generous in offering their time and contributions to make the plan both meaningful and practical. Its development has included support and input from our Executive Leadership Team and Board of Directors, whose endorsement will help to ensure the plan leads to tangible achievements. The RAP was finalised following review and advice from RA. As a project, our inaugural RAP has been championed by HWNS Human Resources. From now and into the future, the RAP will be monitored by our RAP Working Group (RWG). 8

9 Our RWG has been established to oversee the ongoing implementation and success of our RAP. The RWG consists of representatives from a diverse range of services and locations; Shared Services: People, Learning and Culture representatives, Marketing representative and Quality & Practice representative Support Services: Area Manager, Support Worker and Team Support representatives and Business Development Unit representative Businesses: Supported Employee and Business staff representatives HWNS Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives from the IAG (2 rotating positions) External Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander best practice advisor: Indigenous consultancy 5 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are currently members of our RWG. The RWG is convened by a People, Learning and Culture representative, with the chairperson being the Manager for NSW & ACT Support Services. Each meeting will be hosted in a different region. The role of the RWG includes: Developing the HWNS RAP beyond 2017 Ensuring all RAP deliverables are achieved Receiving reports and monitoring progress from service areas on the progress of actions Providing an annual impact measurement report on achievements to RA Promoting the RAP across HWNS, the communities in which we work, and our service delivery partners. The HWNS IAG is a small group of Aboriginal staff who are either nominated by the staff network and/or are self nominated. The group s purpose is to lead, inspire and drive positive cultural change at HWNS. The IAG will play a vital and valuable role in guiding our internal RWG and measuring success. Two members of the IAG will attend each working group meeting. This will help us ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices are embedded in RAP decision making, and that the work of the IAG feeds into the RWG. The HWNS Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff network has a focus on providing appropriate networking opportunities. The network will be based on the existing HWNS intranet (Wattson). Staff can connect with one another, share news, ideas, best practice, community events, and discuss issues about work and culture. The RAP is championed in our organisation by the Manager People, Learning and Culture. The RAP is also endorsed and supported by the HWNS Board and Executive leaders. 9

10 Communicate and Support RELATIONSHIPS Strengthening relationships will enable us to empower more people, demonstrate our respect, become more inclusive, act on our commitment, and achieve our goals. Strong and respectful relationships ensure that the spirit of reconciliation and respect is built into everything we do; it is part of our core business. Through the delivery of our services and the way that we operate, we aim to build and model respect for an understanding and appreciation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and cultures. Indigenous Advisory Group Reconciliation Australia RAP Working Group RAP All HWNS Staff Monitor and Report HWNS Board & Managing Director Local Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Peoples (Stakeholders & Community) 10

11 ACTION TIME Action Deliverable Timeline Responsibility RWG monitors RAP development and implementation of actions, tracking progress and reporting 1 RWG oversees the development, endorsement and launch of the RAP Ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are represented on the RWG Meet at least twice per year to monitor and report on RAP implementation Establish a Terms of Reference for the RWG July 2017 July 2017 May, November 2018, May 2019 June 2017 Manager, People Learning & Culture Celebrate and participate in National Reconciliation Week (NRW) by providing opportunities to build and maintain relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians Organise at least one internal event for NRW each year Register the event via the RA NRW website Support an external NRW event Ensure the RWG participates in an external event to recognise and celebrate NRW 27th May 3rd June, 2018, 2019 Manager, Marketing and Community 2 Develop and maintain mutually beneficial relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, communities and organisations to support positive outcomes 3 Develop and implement an engagement plan to work with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders Measure and track our progress against the engagement plan Meet with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations to develop guiding protocols for future engagement Establish relationships or MoUs with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community organisations in our regions November 2018 November 2018, 2019 November November 2018 Manager, Marketing and Community Manager, Support Services Investigate opportunities to establish dedicated Aboriginal Liaison roles to increase our connection with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and strengthen the development of relationships November 2018 Connect with the local Elders of the regions we operate in and maintain strong and meaningful connections 11

12 CONT. Action Deliverable Timeline Responsibility Raise internal and external awareness of our RAP to promote reconciliation across our business and sector 4 Implement and review a strategy to communicate our RAP to all internal and external stakeholders Promote reconciliation through ongoing active engagement with all stakeholders Ensure RAP is promoted through HWNS Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employee network and prominently displayed on our employee intranet (Wattson) Ensure RAP is referenced in all corporate inductions and a copy is provided to all new employees as part of their welcome pack July 2017 September 2017 July 2017 September 2017 Manager, Marketing and Community Manager, People Learning & Culture Create opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees to network and connect 5 Identify Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees who wish to participate in networking Invite identified Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees to join the employee network Create opportunities for all new Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees to express their interest in networking and connect with other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees May, November 2018, May 2019 May, November 2018, May 2019 May, November 2018, May 2019 Manager, People Learning & Culture Use existing platforms such as Yammer and Wattson to connect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees across our many locations and services, and encourage mentor relationships and promote events, activities and ideas which can feed into the IAG February 2018 Support the work of the IAG and employee network Promote the work of the IAG across HWNS November 2017, May 2018, November 2018, May 2019 Chairperson, RAP Working Group 6 Ensure the initiatives and work of the IAG are supported Provide information to all new employees about the Aboriginal employee network and the IAG during their induction July 2017 Ensure ideas generated by the IAG and employee network are successfully implemented through to July 2019 Report on the success of the IAG through IMPACT reporting and an annual review July 2018, July 2019 Regularly communicate information about the Aboriginal employee network and the IAG to all employees, including news stories July 2017 through to July 2019 Manager, Marketing and Community 12

13 RESPECT Through respect, we acknowledge the richness and diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and the strong connections to the land and waters cherished by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Respect is a core value of HWNS. Respect engenders trust and understanding and underpins our interactions and relationships, so we can enhance and improve access to services and supports and strengthen working partnerships. Our focus will be on: Engaging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander customers and their families, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees Promoting cultural understanding and communications across the whole of HWNS Through these actions we aim to develop cultural understanding and capability that will recognise, promote and support a strong and positive view of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander identities and cultures. 13

14 ACTION TIME Action Deliverable Timeline Responsibility Engage all employees in cultural learning opportunities to increase understanding and appreciation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories and achievements Develop and implement a cultural awareness training strategy for our employees which defines cultural learning needs of employees in all areas of our business and considers various ways in which cultural learning can be provided (online, face to face workshops, cultural immersion) November 2018 Manager, Learning and Culture 1 Investigate opportunities to work with local Traditional Owners and/or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consultants to develop cultural training November 2017 Provide opportunities for RWG members, RAP Champions, HR and other key leadership to participate in cultural training December 2017 Investigate opportunities for cultural training to be made available for all employees on an annual basis Ensure all new employees complete online cultural awareness training as part of induction processes February 2018 Engage employees in understanding the significance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural protocols such as Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country to ensure there is a shared meaning 2 Develop, implement and communicate a cultural protocol document for Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country Develop a list of key contacts for organising a Welcome to Country and maintain respectful partnerships Invite a Traditional Owner to provide a Welcome to Country for at least one significant event Include Acknowledgement of Country at the commencement of important internal meetings August 2017 August 2017 May, July 2018, May, July 2019 September 2017 General Manager, Quality & Practice Provide opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees to engage with their cultures and communities by celebrating NAIDOC Week Review HR policies and procedures to ensure there are no barriers to employees participating in NAIDOC Week Provide opportunities for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees to participate in/with their cultures and communities during NAIDOC Week June 2017, 2018 May, July 2018, May, July 2019 Manager, Learning and Culture 3 14

15 CONT. Action Deliverable Timeline Responsibility Visibly demonstrate respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in our workplace Display the Aboriginal and the Torres Strait Islander flags around our office locations Display an Acknowledgement of Country plaque at our Head Office November 2017 November 2017 Manager, Marketing and Community 4 Ensure each HWNS site has a visual demonstration of our respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and cultures, and of local Traditional Owners Through consultation with the IAG, investigate other opportunities to demonstrate respect Work towards the cultural appropriateness of our services 5 Through consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, investigate opportunities for ensuring information about our services and the NDIS is provided in a culturally appropriate format Ensure HWNS key support documentation reflects the specific needs of and opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and is culturally appropriate June 2018 Manager, Marketing and Community Ensure our resources reflect cultural sensitivities Enhance HWNS website content to ensure it is culturally appropriate Gather and respond to feedback from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the cultural appropriateness of our resources Promote and celebrate dates of cultural significance to recognise, promote and support respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and identities 6 Promote and communicate dates of cultural significance via a range of media Celebrate at least one event of cultural significance each year Communicate opportunities to attend and participate in community events for days of cultural significance to our employees Support and attend events in our local communities May, November 2018, May 2019 May, July 2018, May, July 2019 November 2017, May, November 2018, May 2019 May, July 2018, May, July 2019 Manager, Marketing and Community 15

16 OPPORTUNITIES Creating opportunities is important to HWNS as this is how we realise our purpose of helping people with a disability to live great lives. To achieve this, we must ensure our services are accessible to all and that they are culturally sensitive. To be truly inclusive and empowering, we must demonstrate that our workplace includes and empowers Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees. We are committed to: Ensuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with a disability and their families have equality of access to support and services they need Creating a diverse workforce where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees are welcomed and feel valued for their unique perspectives Enhancing our service quality by using the skills, perspective and knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Our focus will be on: Providing high quality, culturally appropriate services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander customers Attracting and supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees Supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to build capability, and to self determine, through training, support and partnerships. 16

17 ACTION TIME Action Deliverable Timeline Responsibility Investigate opportunities to improve and increase Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment outcomes within our workplace 1 Develop and implement an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment and retention strategy Engage with existing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees to consult on employment strategies, including professional development Promote all vacancies as encouraging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants July 2018 February 2018 July 2017 Manager, People Learning & Culture Collect information on our current Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees to inform future employment opportunities September 2017 Review HR and recruitment procedures and policies to ensure there are no barriers to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees and future applicants participating in our workplace September 2017 Investigate opportunities to incorporate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander supplier diversity within our organisation 2 Review procurement policies and procedures to identify barriers to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses to supply our organisation with goods and services Develop and communicate to employees a list of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses that can be used to procure goods and services November 2017 General Manager, Administration & Infrastructure Develop commercial relationships with an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander owned business April 2019 Investigate Supply Nation membership September 2017 Improve access to HWNS services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander customers 3 Review service delivery models with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, where services overlap with community need Provide ongoing employee training to ensure all HWNS services and supports are delivered in a culturally appropriate way Ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders have an understanding of access pathways to the NDIS November 2018 Manager, Support Services Manager, Learning & Culture Manager, Support Services Ensure the Support Framework includes information on engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples November 2017 General Manager, Quality & Practice Develop an instrument for measuring the current number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with a disability we support so that improvements and increases will be measurable into the future. November 2017 Manager, Support Services 17

18 Tracking Action Deliverable Timeline Responsibility Report RAP achievements, challenges and learnings to RA for inclusion in the RAP Impact Measurement Report 1 Complete and submit the RAP Impact Measurement Questionnaire to RA annually Investigate participating in the RAP Barometer 30 September 2017, 2018 Manager, People Learning & Culture Report RAP achievements, challenges and learnings internally and externally 2 Publically report our RAP achievements, challenges and learnings Build reporting on RAP outcomes into regular reporting cycle incorporate into existing tools, survey and feedback mechanisms Report on plan outcomes, progress and any road blocks through HWNS strategic reporting processes including annual review June 2018, 2019 June 2018, 2019 October 2017, 2018 Manager, Marketing and Community Promote awareness of outcomes and achievements using internal and external communications media, such as articles on Wattson and in external publications May, November 2018, May 2019 Review, refresh and update RAP Liaise with RA to develop a new RAP based on learnings, challenges and achievements January 2019 Chairperson, RWG 3 Send draft RAP to RA for formal feedback and endorsement November

19 Acknowledgements Key supporters of the RAP journey Carl Ahrens, Lyn Ainsworth, Leanne Allegri, Michael Brown, Tina Burns, Kady Colman, Carmel Dargan, Robyn Eicker, Gary Field, Phillipa Friedrich, Anne Hodge, Ingrid Jacka, Mark Kane, John Kelly, Richard Madden, Suzanne Mahler, Marilyn Munro, Carly Manning, Yirrigee Morgan, Kim Parish, Tina Purdon, Andrew Richardson, Helen Riordan, Scott Sheppard, Warren Steadman, Nick Stuart, Steve Sutton, Kieran Turner, Tamara Vidler, Rob Watkins, Graham Wilson, Shirlee Whalley HWNS Board members Richard Madden (Chair), John Diddams (Deputy Chair), Leanne Dreves, Maura Boland, Sandie Angus, Dearne Cameron, Don McPhail, Samantha Male and Andrew Richardson (Managing Director). Contact details Name: Shirlee Whalley Position: HR Manager Northern NSW and Queensland Glossary RAP IAG RA HWNS NDIS MEAN NAIDOC RWG NRW MoU HR IMPACT Reporting Impact Measurement Questionnaire TOR Wattson Reconciliation Action Plan Indigenous Advisory Group Reconciliation Australia House with No Steps National Disability Insurance Scheme Mistreatment, Exploitation, Abuse and Neglect National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group National Reconciliation Week Memorandum of Understanding Human Resources House with No Steps Strategic Plan IMPACT Reconciliation Australia process measuring the progress and performance of the Reconciliation Action Plan Terms of Reference HWNS Intranet 19

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