REFLECT RAP Reconciliation Action Plan for the WorkFocus Group

Transcription

1 REFLECT RAP Reconciliation Action Plan for the WorkFocus Group

2 Reconciliation Action Plan for the Years About the Reflect RAP The WorkFocus Group Reflect RAP will allow our organisation to focus on building relationships both internally and externally, and raise awareness with our stakeholders to ensure there is shared understanding and ownership of our RAP within our organisation. Development of our future RAPs will involve consultation with staff across our organisation including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff and/or stakeholders to achieve our vision for reconciliation. Our business The WorkFocus Group delivers services across three areas in employment services: help to get work, help to stay at work and help with advice. This offers both the capacity and capability to drive sustained employment outcomes. The three key divisions of the Group are: WorkFocus Australia / Kairros - Delivering workplace-based rehabilitation and health services across Australia atwork Australia - Delivering Australian Government employment services including: Job Services Australia (JSA) Disability Employment Services (DES) Specialist Indigenous Employment Contract Vocational Training and Employment Centre (VTEC) atwork Australia works with job seekers on/to: skills assessments to identify all suitable jobs a tailored plan to get job seekers a job incorporating their needs and interests access to funds for additional help like training courses, counselling, work tools/clothes, support services and work experience (for eligible job seekers) help with resumes, job leads, job search training and facilities advice on skills and training options help identifying job vacancies and work experience opportunities support to ensure job placements are successful

3 top employer knowledge, expertise and established relationships provide a "one-stop shop" of high quality, professional services and premises Advisory Services - Delivering Australian Government programs: JobAccess National Disability Recruitment Coordinator (NDRC) Complaints Resolution and Referrals Service (CRRS) National Disability Abuse and Neglect Hotline (The Hotline) Our mission is We exist to make a real and measureable impact on employment opportunities for people with injury, illness, disability or disadvantage, including mental health issues. Everything is guided by this: our decisions, the way we work with customers, job seekers and each other, the culture, the approach to business. The WorkFocus Group currently employs around 300 people across six states and territories of Australia, of whom three have identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people. This is approximately one per cent of the workforce.

4 Our RAP The WorkFocus Group is developing a Reflect RAP to: allow us to reflect on what we have, build relationships, create awareness; provide greater direction to understand what our contribution should be; and with a view to more ambitious objectives in the next RAP. The Reflect RAP will cover a year-long commitment, at which point the WorkFocus Group will move to a longer-term RAP with greater commitments. The WorkFocus Group understands that reconciliation good for our business, the economy and the nation. Our commitment to the RAP process in the coming years will focus on long-term, sustainable activities that will have mutual benefit for business and community. It makes a great deal of sense to build on the work we already do, and the connections we already have, through the Specialist Indigenous Employment Contract and Vocational Training and Employment Centre (VTEC) we deliver on behalf of the Australian Government. Our Board sponsor and RAP Champion is Michael Kolomyjec. He is also an Executive Director working within the business. The RAP is: Linda Collard, Manager, WorkFocus Group (chair) Michelle Earthy, Indigenous Case Manager, atwork Australia Fiona Farmer, Indigenous Program Team Leader, atwork Australia Karla Fernee, Executive Support, National Disability Recruitment Coordinator (NDRC) Kevin Fitzpatrick, Area Manager North, atwork Australia Claire Thomas, Group Human Resources Manager, WorkFocus Group Laura Whiteley, Site Manager, Liverpool, Kairros (also representing WorkFocus Australia) Our draft RAP was shared with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples employees and their feedback incorporated. The WorkFocus Group has also invited two expert advisors to contribute to the RAP, providing feedback and ideas on the plan before it is finalised. They are Michele Halse, Project & Programs Manager, Aboriginal Services Unit, Polytechnic West and Lennett Sandy, Indigenous Employment Consultant WA/SA, Australia Post.

5 Our partnerships/current activities Community partnerships VTEC atwork Australia, which is part of the WorkFocus Group, manages a Vocational Training and Employment Centre (VTEC) on behalf of the Australian Government. atwork Australia has been contracted to train 230 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander job seekers for a guaranteed job before July The VTEC model has a strong focus on retention rates and trains job seekers for long term employment opportunities. Our approach to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment services recognises that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples face vocational and non vocational barriers to employment that need a specialist approach to address. Our staff and partners have extensive experience delivering services related to training, mentoring, support and employment in a culturally aware manner. Our team works to deliver services that account for family networks and history, engage with the community surrounding the job seeker and uncover true motivations and barriers to employment. Because we match job seekers with employers needs, our training, mentoring and ongoing support is not only in line with individual needs but aligned to actual job requirements. As such, we are able to foster an environment where ongoing success is achievable for each of our job seekers. Our training programs include: Retail Hospitality atwork Australia partners with Polytechnic West and Djinda Services (with Relationships WA) to deliver the program, under the Generation One model. It has established relationships with Employment Covenant employers such as Sodexo Remote Sites, Morris Corporation, Crown Perth and Spotless. We offer an assigned Aboriginal mentor to atwork Australia job seekers as part of the VTEC service. Specialist Indigenous Employment Contract atwork Australia has a proven track record in helping Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander job seekers find work through training and mentoring programs, helping people meet their employment goals. Since 2003, we have been helping Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander job seekers into employment; placing nearly 1,000 such job seekers into

6 work. Our Specialist Indigenous Employment Contract in the Perth North Metro area is the highest performing Job Services Australia Indigenous Contract in Western Australia. Our employment consultants work with job seekers to find the right role and then provide ongoing support as they settle in to their position. Other Other partnerships or working relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities include: Narkle Consultancy Mentoring Service partnered with atwork Australia Midland and Mirrabooka offices and part of the Supply Nation initiative Aboriginal Alcohol and Drug Service (AADS) visit the atwork Australia Midland office once a week to see Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander job seekers Internal activities/initiatives There is great potential for this Reflect RAP to take pockets of expertise in the WorkFocus Group and create awareness of reconciliation and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures across the entire organisation. To date, there are not Group-wide activities or initiatives that create this awareness. Our RAP will tackle that with an awareness-raising focus. Specific initiatives that do already take place include: Collect employment data on people who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander NAIDOC week stall at the Deadly Jobs job fair in Western Australia, also representing the WorkFocus Group and atwork Australia at the NAIDOC Ball Work with some Supply Nation companies already, e.g. an aboriginal consultancy and mentoring service, using an aboriginal-owner driving school for driving education, etc In 2014, atwork Australia nominated employer Morris Corporation as the National Employment Services Association (NESA) Champion Employer of the Year. atwork Australia partners with Morris Corporation to place Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander job seekers into sustainable employment. Morris Corporation won this prestigious award and the two organisations continue to work together to change the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through work opportunities. Twice a week, atwork Australia offers a GATE course (Gaining Access to Training and Employment) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander job seekers.

7 Respect Relationships Over the next 12 months, our organisation commits to: Action Responsibility Timeline Deliverables Establish a RAP Develop external relationships Celebrate National Reconciliation Week (NRW) Raise internal awareness of the RAP Investigate cultural development Celebrate NAIDOC Week Manager Manager and Indigenous Program Team Leader Area Manager North, Indigenous Program Team Leader Group Human Resources Manager The RAP working group continues to actively monitor RAP development, including whether actions are being implemented, and progress is being tracked and reported. The Group oversees the development, endorsement and launch of the RAP, meeting at least twice a year to monitor and report on RAP implementation. Feb - Nov th May- 3 rd June 2015 May 2015 May 2015 June 2015 May 2015 July Develop a list of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, organisations and stakeholders within our local area or sphere of influence that we could approach to assist us in our understanding of the potential activities in our future RAPs. 3. Our will attend a community event or organise an internal event to recognise and celebrate NRW (27 th May 3 rd June annually). 4. Launch WFG RAP with a competition for a staff member to attend a Wirrpanda Foundation trip to Onslow, winner announced on 27 May A plan is developed and implemented to raise awareness across the organisation about the RAP commitment, particularly with key internal stakeholders. 6. A presentation on our RAP commitment is given to all relevant areas of our business to ensure they have an understanding of how their area can contribute to our RAP. 7. A business case for cultural awareness, capability and development based on our core business is developed, with findings presented to relevant HR/Learning and Development area for their input. 8. We have captured baseline data on our employee s current level of understanding around Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, cultures and contributions. 9. Our will participate in a community NAIDOC Week event, or held an internal event (1 st Sunday 2 nd Sunday in July each year).

8 Tracking progress Opportunities Raise internal understanding of protocols Consider Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment Consider supplier diversity Other opportunities Build support for the RAP Manager and Indigenous Program Team Leader Area Manager North, Indigenous Program Team Leader Group Human Resources Manager Indigenous Case Manager June 2015 Aug 2015 May 2015 Aug 2015 Nov 2015 Nov 2015 Dec 2015 Sept A plan is developed to raise awareness including opportunities to raise understanding of the meaning and significance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander protocols, such as Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country, to our employees. 11. A business case for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment within our organisation is scoped. 12. Capture baseline data on current Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees to inform future developments. 13. A business case for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander supplier diversity and how our organisation can develop an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander supplier diversity program is scoped. 14. A paper is presented to the RAP outlining other opportunities, such as around education, that have been identified throughout our consultation with internal and external stakeholders. This paper will assist in defining actions for subsequent RAPs for our organisation. 15. We have defined available resourcing for our RAP. 16. Our data collection is able to measure our progress and successes. 17. We have submitted our annual Impact Measurement Questionnaire on our achievements to Reconciliation Australia.

9 Contact details Board sponsor and RAP Champion Michael Kolomyjec, Executive Director, WorkFocus Group; General Manager, atwork Australia RAP Linda Collard, Manager, WorkFocus Group (chair) Michelle Earthy, Indigenous Case Manager, atwork Australia Fiona Farmer, Indigenous Program Team Leader, atwork Australia Karla Fernee, Executive Support, National Disability Recruitment Coordinator (NDRC) Kevin Fitzpatrick, Area Manager North, atwork Australia Claire Thomas, Group Human Resources Manager, WorkFocus Group Laura Whiteley, Site Manager, Liverpool, Kairros (also representing WorkFocus Australia) Expert advisors Michele Halse, Project & Programs Manager, Aboriginal Services Unit, Polytechnic West Lennett Sandy, Indigenous Employment Consultant WA/SA, Australia Post