Comcare has published a two-year accessibility plan to create a positive and inclusive workplace for its employees with disability.
The Agency’s Accessibility Action Plan 2018-20 (AAP) focuses on the experiences and contributions made by all its employees.
Launching the Plan, Comcare said its commitment to attract, recruit, engage and retain people living with disability was reflected in the AAP actions to increase disability representation and improve the employment experience for employees.
It noted that as at June 2018, 3.8 per cent of Comcare employees identified as having a disability.
It outlined four cultural priority areas as:
Being trusted, empowered and accountable:
Staff are supported in what they do, take responsibility for their work and actions and have the authority to do their job.
Having commitment and focus:
Clear on purpose, outcomes and measurements, which staff can clearly link to their activities.
Being collaborative:
Supporting early collaboration with others (internally and externally), sharing information where appropriate, working together towards shared outcomes and benefits, and effectively communicating.
Being a learning organisation:
Taking a risk and evidence-based approach to innovation, encouraging staff to ask questions, learn from mistakes and share those learnings.
The Plan replaces the previous Comcare Accessibility Action Plan (2015–17) under which Comcare successfully placed three tertiary level interns for short term placements through the Australian Network on Disability and the Stepping Into Program.
“Our Agency’s commitment to creating a diverse workforce is recognised in Australian Public Service Employee Census results, with positive responses up from 67 per cent in 2014 to 80 per cent in 2018,” Comcare said.
“We also created a new Australia Day Award category that celebrates the progression of accessibility and or diversity in the workplace.”
Comcare’s 11-page Plan can be accessed at this PS News link.
