The meaning of these important milestones was also shared via internal communications, social media and through local activities with stakeholders across the states. Our communication channels were regularly updated with information and invitations for staff and residents to get involved with the program of activities. We provided the opportunity for staff to choose to work or celebrate the 26 January public holiday in a way that felt most appropriate for them and provided information about the growing momentum for a First Nations Voice to Parliament and a commitment to remain engaged in this process. The Board and Executive Leadership Team have publicly demonstrated their commitment to The Voice. A significant achievement was the launch of the Housing Choices Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Protocols with an accompanying video featuring one of our First Nations colleagues. The Protocols aim to empower staff to undertake considered action in their ways of working that is culturally appropriate. The official launch of the Protocols in each state included staff morning teas and breakfast events, smoking ceremonies and Welcome to Country from First Nations Elders. During National Reconciliation Week celebrations, RAP Committee members led and attended a plethora of local events, including marches, cultural walks, and film viewings. During NAIDOC Week 2022 RAP Committee members and staff attended events including concerts, art shows and marches, while marketing materials and information were shared with staff across the organisation. True to one of Housing Choices’ core values of having residents at the centre of our work, residents were invited to get involved in all activities via social media posts and through resident newsletters. They joined us in a range of activities held across the states, including in South Australia, where more than 30 residents attended a basket weaving workshop with Marra Dreaming during NAIDOC Week. First Nations residents shared their stories via Housing Choices social media, resident newsletters, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Protocols, the Housing Choices Times staff newsletter, and the Housing Choices Annual Report 2022-23 . First Nations residents’ artworks were purchased for local offices and imagery was used throughout communications.
One such work was by Ballardong resident and artist Sydney Phillips, who designed the painting used on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Protocols document cover and featured on t-shirts designed and worn in Western Australia during National Reconciliation Week. During our Reflect RAP journey, we had the opportunity to reflect on the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ culture, being a national organisation operating across five states. This was both an opportunity and a challenge as we work towards harmonising our services. A number of our deliverables were unable to be met, largely as a result of resourcing issues associated with a broad program to align our service model nationally, following a period of significant growth in the organisation. These have been identified in a report submitted to our Board in October 2023 and are highlighted in our Innovate RAP, in alignment with other strategic projects happening across the organisation. These deliverables were primarily associated with: - Finalising our draft National Engagement Strategy, including best practice principles for engagement and criteria for formal relationships. This document is in draft and will be completed as part of Deliverables 1.2 and 1.3 in the first half of 2024. - Reviewing key policies and procedures to identify opportunities for Housing Choices to be a more diverse and inclusive organisation. This work is being captured in our national Transformation Program that is aligning all our policies and procedures nationally to best practice and will include a cultural competence lens in the review work. - Review human resources policies and procedures to identify existing anti- discrimination provisions and recruitment policies and practices to ensure we are culturally inclusive. This work has commenced and will also constitute part of the national Transformation Program. During the lead up to the Referendum on the Voice to Parliament, we also felt grateful for the opportunity to have engaged with the RAP, for having a working environment that was able to engage in constructive and informed discourse on the issue and support each other through and after a challenging time for the nation. We are a better, more diverse, more reflective organisation for being on this journey and look forward to the Innovate RAP continuing with this momentum.
Housing Choices Australia - Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan 2024 - 2026 11
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online