National Indigenous Employment and Capability Action Plan

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National Indigenous Employment and Capability Action Plan
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This action plan supports the National Indigenous Employment and Capability Plan 2010 -11 and outlines the work to be undertaken, timeframes, responsibilities and progress to date relating to the outputs identified. This document will be updated twice per year and reported on to the People Management Committee to reflect the progress being made. This is likely to occur in June/July and November/December At a glance, the colours in the far right column indicate the status of the action, with red indicating that work has not commenced, yellow indicating the action has commenced, is an ongoing action or an update to an existing initiative and green indicating the action has been completed.

Workplace environment

The department is committed to providing a supportive and culturally inclusive work environment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees. Already, the department has achieved a number of positive outputs that affect the workplace environment including:

Indigenous Cultural Awareness training has been an important component of departmental Graduate and Traineeship Programs
the department’s Reconciliation Action Plan was successfully evaluated and refreshed in 2009
a showcase of Indigenous related policies and programs are presented during National Aboriginal and Islander Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) Week.

These achievements are assisting the department in working towards an inclusive culture and will continue to be integral to this plan.

Output	Action	Responsibility Timeframe	Progress/Tracking
Cultural Awareness training	Review the current Cultural Awareness training to ensure it meets the needs of the department in both Central Office and the Regions.	Human Resources Branch December 2010	The Department of Human Services (Centrelink) have been engaged to pilot Indigenous Cultural Appreciation Training in the Canberra and Adelaide offices. This training will be evaluated and, if effective, it will be implemented nationally.
	Increase the number of staff attending Cultural Awareness training in both Central Office and the Regions.	Human Resource Branch / Regional HR Managers On going	Pending the outcome of the above, once the training has been approved, all employees will be encouraged to attend.
	Provide information about the Indigenous culture at induction and on MyLink.	Human Resources Branch April 2010	A link to www.shareourpride.org.au (an introduction to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their culture, and to building respectful relationships) is included on the e-Learning induction program and on MyLink.
Reconciliation Action Plan	Review and refresh the department’s Reconciliation Action Plan in line with Reconciliation Australia’s reporting requirements and routinely publicise the resulting achievements.	Indigenous Working Group / Indigenous Policy and Program areas Annually	The Indigenous Working Group have commenced discussions with Reconciliation Australia regarding the RAP review and refresh
Monitor attitudes and perspectives	Analyse the results of the employee survey to determine changes in attitudes and perspectives.	Human Resources Branch September 2010	Will commence following the employee survey in August 2010
Champion Indigenous Affairs	Determine and appoint a Champion for Indigenous Affairs to lead Indigenous initiatives across the department.	Indigenous Working Group July 2010	A Champion for Diversity has been proposed through the Diversity Council model. This will incorporate Indigenous Affairs
Welcome to Country opening addresses	Develop and adopt a standardised protocol for Welcome to Country and acknowledging traditional owners of the land.	Indigenous Working Group / Corporate Communications December 2010
Celebrate days of cultural significance	Hold NAIDOC Week celebrations annually in Central Office and the Regions that showcase the department’s Indigenous related policies and programs and its staff.	Indigenous Employee Network / Human Resources Branch / Regional HR Managers Annually in July	NAIDOC Week is being celebrated nationally in the following ways: All regions – information stands including information on DAFF programs. Canberra – morning tea launch including Welcome to Country, Secretary presentation and NAQS presentation. Central East – smoking ceremony including morning tea and unveiling of plaques acknowledging traditional owners.

Attraction

Innovative attraction, recruitment and selection processes will enhance our ability to attract and recruit Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This is pivotal in ensuring we are able to recruit and retain employees who can contribute to and enhance policy and program development and service delivery

Currently, the department is attracting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by:

advertising programs such as Graduate and Traineeship Programs on Indigenous media
utilising the Australian Public Service Commission’s (APSC) Pathway’s program in both Central Office and the Regions
implementing regional specific advertising strategies in areas with a higher density of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, such as in the Northern Region, where engagement with local Indigenous council and community networks is undertaken
promoting current Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees through employee profiles on our Indigenous employment website.

Output	Action	Responsibility Timeframe	Progress/Tracking
Integrated approach to career and development opportunities	Investigate an integrated approach to career and development opportunities for Indigenous Australians, including establishing relationships with schools and Indigenous communities and utilising these relationships in the development of a School to Work program.	Human Resources Branch July 2011	An integrated approach to career and development opportunities for Indigenous Australians is under development.
Indigenous employment website	Provide information on DAFF’s jobs page including: opportunities DAFF can offer Indigenous Australians profiles of Indigenous employees application and interview processes Indigenous and diversity related policies.	Human Resources Branch Annual review in July	Opportunities for Indigenous Australian’s within DAFF and employee profiles are provided on the Indigenous employment website. Both the DAFF Workplace Diversity Strategy and the National Indigenous Employment and Capability Plan (including this action plan) are provided on the DAFF jobs site.
Indigenous employment website	Provide a link on DAFF’s jobs internet page to the APSC’s guide Getting a job in the APS	Human Resources Branch July 2010	Getting a job in the APS is provided on the Indigenous employment website.
Indigenous advertising	Use Indigenous media such as the ATSI Jobs Board, Koori Mail and indigenousjobsaustralia.com.au to promote the department’s job vacancies.	Divisions / Regions / Recruitment Services Ongoing	All gazetted DAFF vacancies will be advertised on Indigenous Jobs Australia unless the convenor opts not to. A subscription has been purchased for 12 months. The application form will be reviewed to ensure usage data can be accurately recorded.
Indigenous advertising	Utilise careers fairs to promote the work of the department and career opportunities for Indigenous Australians at university career centres.	Human Resources Branch Annually in March	Indigenous career centres at universities have been contacted and information provided.
Support for recruitment panel coordinators	Prepare advice for recruitment panel coordinators on recruitment processes involving Indigenous Australians. For example, speaking to the applicant about a position where written communication may not be a necessary part of the role, allowing the applicant to bring a family member to the interview etc.	Human Resources Branch December 2010
Support for recruitment panel coordinators	Provide support to Indigenous employees interested in participating on recruitment panels	Individual Managers On going	DAFF Indigenous Employees Network advised of training available on participating in selection panels.
Whole of government recruitment programs	Utilise the APSC’s Pathways Program to place Indigenous Graduates, Trainees and / or Cadets.	Regional and Central Office Managers / Human Resources Branch Annually in January / July	All three of the APSC’s Pathways Programs are being utilised in 2010-11. Further details below.
	Indigenous Cadetship Support (Cadets) – APSC / DEEWR	Regional and Central Office Managers Annually in January	Central Office currently employs four cadets and participates in the recruitment process. An additional four cadets are being sought in the 2011 intake.
	Consider centralised funding for Indigenous cadets to encourage divisions to take on a cadet and to enable their movement across divisions.	Human Resources Branch May 2010	A proposal seeking centralised funding for cadets is currently being developed.
	Indigenous Entry Level Recruitment Program (Trainees) - APSC	Regional and Central Office Managers Annually in July	The department has committed to place up to 15 trainees across the regions and central office in the 2010 intake. Two regional representative participated in the assessment centres which were held from 28 June – 2 July 2010.
	Indigenous Graduate Program (Graduates) - APSC	Central Office Managers Annually in January	DAFF is seeking up to five graduates through the Indigenous Graduate Program. DAFF was represented at employer information sessions and participated in the assessment centres which were conducted from 24–27 May 2010.
	Indigenous Student Internship Program (Work experience) - DEEWR	Human Resources Branch Annually in June / September	Twelve secondary students were placed in DAFF on 23 June 2010 through the ‘Learn Earn Legend! Work experience in Government’ program.
Identified positions	Encourage the use of identified positions in areas that undertake policy development and program delivery that impact on the Indigenous community.	Divisional executive managers / Human Resources Branch December 2010	The use of identified positions for bulk recruitment rounds nationally is being recommended to the PMC.

Retention

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees continue to have a much shorter length of service before leaving the APS. During 2008-09 48.8 per cent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees who separated from the APS had fewer than five years of service, compared with 38.6 per cent of non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees ¹.

It is important to recruit Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people into our department and equally important that we are able to retain them. Providing development opportunities, appropriate employment conditions, offering flexible working arrangements and managing performance are all ways the department can ensure employees are satisfied and ultimately enhance the potential for retention. Already, the department:

utilises its intranet to promote training and development opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees as well as flexible working arrangements
provides provision in Studybank guidelines for greater assistance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees completing approved courses
has established an Indigenous Employees Network to provide a means for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees from across the department to come together to discuss matters of interest, to share experiences and to provide support to fellow colleagues.

^{¹ State of the Service Report 2008-2009, p. 25}

Output	Action	Responsibility Timeframe	Progress/Tracking
Employee networks	Support employees to attend Indigenous APS Employment Network (IAPSEN) meetings through MyLink and the Indigenous Employees Network.	Human Resources Branch / Individual Managers Ongoing	Employees are advised of IAPSEN meetings through the Indigenous Employees Network.
	Participate in the DAFF Indigenous Employee Network.	Indigenous Employees Ongoing	The DAFF Indigenous Employee Network currently has 21 members. Individual regions have commenced regionally based networks and Indigenous Ambassadors have been identified in the South West and Northern Regions.
	Establish a whole of portfolio Indigenous Employee Network.	Human Resources Branch / Portfolio HR Teams July 2010	All portfolio agencies have been approached to participate in the DAFF Indigenous Employees Network.
	Hold an annual regionally based Indigenous employee conference	Human Resources Branch / Regional HR Managers 2011	Indigenous Ambassadors are currently being appointed for each region. Once all are appointed, consideration will be given to a conference being arranged to progress Indigenous employment and retention initiatives.
Coaching and mentoring	Indigenous cadets recruited through the ICS are provided with a mentor for the duration of their cadetship.	Human Resources Branch / Indigenous Employees Network Ongoing	Current cadets have been provided with a mentor for the duration of their cadetship.
	Profiles of Indigenous staff are posted on the Indigenous Employees Network team-site, with Indigenous employees encouraged to form their own informal mentors.	Human Resources Branch / Indigenous Employees June 2010	‘Connections’ an initiative aimed to improve relationships and informal mentoring relationships has been established and is currently being promoted to Indigenous employees.
	Support Indigenous employees to undertake mentor training to become a mentor for Indigenous cadets.	Individual Managers / Human Resources Branch Ongoing	DAFF Indigenous Employees Network advised of mentoring programs as they are made available.
	Employees participating in the Emerging Leaders program are provided with a coach to assist with their career and learning development	Emerging Leaders training provider Ongoing	Emerging Leaders program currently being piloted in Central East Region and Central office.
Flexible working arrangements	Provide support for Indigenous employees to access personal leave for ceremonial purposes and attendance at IAPSEN activities etc. subject to operational requirements	Individual Managers / Human Resources Branch Ongoing	No issues have been raised regarding Indigenous employees access to personal leave.
Flexible working arrangements	Establish an internal exchange program where Indigenous employees at the same level are able to switch positions to gain greater departmental experience.	Human Resources Branch June 2011	Consideration is being given to this by the Indigenous Employees Network
Whole of Government development programs	Promote and encourage participation in APSC (and other agency and organisations) programs such as secondment and scholarship programs.	Human Resources Branch / Indigenous Working Group Ongoing	Participation in external programs are promoted to the DAFF Indigenous Employees Network as they arise.
Exit interviews	Conduct exit interviews to determine reasons for leaving to assist with future retention strategies.	Individual Managers / Human Resources Branch Ongoing	Exit surveys do not currently identify if a person is of a diverse background. This is being reviewed.

Last reviewed:
24 Aug 2010

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