We have taken another step in our reconciliation journey with a new Reconciliation Action Plan and Aboriginal Employment Strategy.
We have taken another step in our reconciliation journey with a new Reconciliation Action Plan (June 2019 – June 2021) and Aboriginal Employment Strategy (2019-2022). Both documents were launched at Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute in August, highlighting our commitment to strengthening our cultural capability and growing our Aboriginal workforce to 10%. It follows the release in July of our Aboriginal Action Plan (2019-2020), which sets out the actions that our agency will take to improve outcomes for Aboriginal children and young people in care.
The Reconciliation Action Plan has a focus on growing cultural capacity with actions under 4 key areas: Relationships, Respect, Opportunities and Governance. The Aboriginal Employment Strategy includes a range of initiatives to build a diverse and inclusive workforce, increasing our capability to provide care that is culturally respectful, safe and responsive. To achieve our goal, we have aligned the strategy with 5 key principles for a holistic and sustainable workforce: Engagement, Culture, Attraction, Development and Retention. To support implementation, the department has also introduced a new 4-step cultural learning program called the Aboriginal Cultural Footprint, which was developed in consultation with Aboriginal advisors.