The Victorian Public Sector Commission (VPSC) has marked NAIDOC Week this year by launching a program to promote Aboriginal cultural capability in the public sector.
The Commission said the initiative, Building Aboriginal cultural capability in the workplace, would help Victorian public sector organisations build culturally safe workplaces.
“It’s important that we have a shared cultural understanding and appreciation, not only for NAIDOC Week, but always,” VPSC said.
“When an organisation is culturally capable, its employees share an understanding about what they need to do to ensure a respectful and inclusive workplace so that their colleagues may feel more culturally safe,” it said.
“When you have a respectful and inclusive workplace, your employees may feel more culturally safe.”
VPSC said organisations were more likely to have policies and programs that reflected the needs of the community when they had culturally capable employees.
“Help your organisation attract and retain Aboriginal employees and make the public sector reflect the community we serve,” it said.
The Commission said it would work with PS organisations to identify priorities; assess the current state; and build a workplan in line with the State’s Self-Determination Reform Framework.
It said the workplan could include developing and/or connecting the organisation to resources; setting goals; recruitment and special measures roles; cultural awareness training; cultural leave processes; and developing a monitoring and reporting framework.
Further information on VPSC’s cultural capability initiative can be accessed at this PS News link.
