Diversity and inclusion

We are committed to growing our Aboriginal workforce and positioning ourselves to become an employer of choice for Aboriginal people.

We are continuing to implement the priorities of our Aboriginal Recruitment and Career Development Strategy 2020–23 while the strategy is being refreshed. The strategy outlines our commitment to increasing our Aboriginal workforce and creating a culturally inclusive and safe working environment.

The strategy sets out priority actions and outcomes that guide us towards meeting our target of 2% Aboriginal employment. Of that 2% employment target, at least 75% of positions should be ongoing, and 20% should be VPS Level 6 roles and above.

The strategy will support us to achieve our commitments through investment in Aboriginal employment, building meaningful careers and growing a work environment which understands, values and respects Aboriginal people and culture.

Employee training

We are committed to creating a culturally safe and inclusive workplace. A crucial step to achieving this is establishing a foundational level of cultural knowledge and capability within our workforce.

To support this we offer Cultural Safety Training delivered by the Koorie Heritage Trust, an Aboriginal controlled community organisation that connects Aboriginal peoples, cultures, history and communities from across Victoria and delivers cultural competency training and programs to the wider Victorian community.

Staff led network

Aboriginal Staff Network (ASN)

We are proud to support the Aboriginal Staff Network (ASN). The ASN's goal is to support Aboriginal employees by creating a safe place to come together, celebrate Aboriginal culture and work towards creating an inclusive and culturally safe environment within our department and across the Victorian Public Sector.

Employee resources and supports

We offer EAP services to all employees through Converge. Our provider offers a dedicated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander support service to ensure our employees get the culturally appropriate support they need.

Cultural and ceremonial leave policy

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees are able to take paid leave to participate in NAIDOC activities and are able to take up to 3 days of paid ceremonial leave each year. Employees can also take leave to attend community meetings and attend annual general meetings of Aboriginal community organisations.

Events

We acknowledge, celebrate and commemorate many key days of significance including National Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week.

We strive to have a workforce that reflects our diverse community and is inclusive of all people, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse, intersex, queer, questioning and asexual (LGBTIQA+) people.

As well as supporting our employees we are also committed to the objectives of the Pride in our future: Victoria's LGBTIQ+ strategy 2022-32. The strategy strives to create a more inclusive and cohesive state, where LGBTIQA+ Victorians can enjoy the same opportunities as any other Victorian.

Employee training

All staff are encouraged to complete the LGBTIQA+ Awareness training which is an online module built to increase awareness of practical ways to support LGBTIQA+ inclusion in the department.

The training provides an overview of why LGBTIQA+ inclusion is important, terminology, the everyday challenges that people identifying as LGBTIQA+ may experience, being mindful of stereotypes and assumptions, and how you can actively support inclusion in the workplace.

Employee resources and supports

Gender affirmation leave policy

We encourage a culture that supports transgender and gender diverse employees and recognises the importance of providing a safe environment for employees undertaking gender transition.

VPS transgender and gender diverse employees are entitled to gender transition leave to support their transition.

EAP

We offer EAP services to all employees through Converge. Our provider offers a specialist LGBTIQA+ support service to ensure LGBTIQA+ employees get the tailored support they need.

Staff led networks

Pride Network

The department's Pride Network supports lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer/questioning and asexual employees with awareness and education programs, advice and peer support.

The networks aims to ensure LGBTIQA+ employees are respected, valued and treated equally and that LGBTIQA+ Victorians are represented and supported in our polices and processes.

GenSHED

GenSHED is a peer run VPS wide staff led network in partnership with the Pride Network for initiatives connecting intersex, transgender, non binary, gender diverse & gender queer peers.

It’s about nurturing fundamental characteristics that make us authentic, so that together we might connect, empower, and inspire each other, to be brave and courageously positive in the face of stigma and prejudice and within a workplace setting.

Events

We acknowledge, celebrates and commemorate many key days of significance including Wear It Purple day, IDAHOBIT and Transgender day of Visibility.

We strive to be an employer of choice for people with disability, and we are committed to ensuring that employees with disability are supported.

As a Disability Confident Recruiter, we have reviewed our end-to-end recruitment processes, and ensured that all members of the recruitment team have participated in disability confidence training.

We actively encourage people with disability to apply for roles with us. We advertise a number of our roles as special measures, including prioritised positions for people with disability.

As well as providing workplace adjustments to our employees, we also provide adjustments for applicants throughout the recruitment process to ensure it is equitable.

If you’re a person with disability who requires an adjustment to participate in the recruitment process, including an alternative format of the application, please contact  the Diversity and Inclusion team at diversity@ecodev.vic.gov.au or 0430 527 847.

Employee training

All staff are encouraged to complete Disability Awareness Essentials training which aims to build a foundational level of understanding of disability and, in turn, helps to build disability confidence. We also offer additional training for managers and recruiters, including inclusive recruitment, workplace adjustments and unconscious bias awareness training, to ensure people with disability are supported.

Employee resources and supports

Neurodiverse confidence services

Neurodiverse confident services are the next step we’re taking to make our workplace more inclusive. The services available include confidential counselling/coaching for neurodivergent employees and workplace enablement confidence training for managers and their teams.

Reasonable adjustments

We are committed to ensuring employee with disability have access to reasonable workplace adjustments in order to perform the requirements of their role.

Workplace adjustments are also available in the recruitment process for candidates with disability. Workplace adjustments for employees with disability can include flexible work arrangements, specific equipment and software, services like live captioning and Auslan interpreting, building and workspace modifications, adjusted communication methods, or other changes to the workplace.

Staff led networks

Enablers Network

The Enablers Network is a staff-led advocacy network for people with disability and allies. The network provides peer support for people with disability and works to increase their social and economic participation at the department by ensuring our policies and processes are inclusive.

Autism Success Network

The Autism Success Network (ASN) is a peer-led employee resource group for autistic employees and their allies. The ASN aims to increase autism acceptance among employers and colleagues in the VPS.

ADHD Growth Network

The ADHD Growth Network represents the needs, interests and concerns of VPS employees with lived experience of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The aim is to recognise, celebrate and promote the diversity of disabilities and experiences while complementing the work of the VPS Enablers Network.

Events

We acknowledge, celebrate and commemorates many key days of significance including International Day of People with Disability.

We strive to have a workplace that encourages and supports the inclusion of people from all cultures and communities.

Employee training

All staff are strongly encouraged to complete our Cultural Competence online training to develop practical ways to engage with people from diverse cultures in the workplace and the broader community.

Employee resources and supports

Public holiday substitution

Staff can substitute a prescribed public holiday for another day to observe a religious or cultural occasion. For example, a team member can request to observe Luna New Year instead of New Year’s Day. Further information is provided in the common policies for the VPS Agreement 2020.

Staff led network

People of Colour  Network

Our People of Colour (PoC) Network is a staff run network led for and by PoC staff. The PoC Network was established in September 2021 and complements the work of the VPS wide Women of Colour Network.

The People of Colour (PoC) Network aims to:

• provide a safe and inclusive working environment for PoC staff
• Champion a greater understanding on the unique challenges PoC experience at work
• Promote a culturally diverse workforce at all levels of decision-making
• Advocate for PoC lived experiences to inform internal policy and program development
• Ensure equality and better organisational outcomes for our PoC staff

Events

We acknowledge, celebrates and commemorates many key days of significance, including Cultural Diversity Week.