aboriginal and torres strait islander engagement strategy · 2020. 5. 30. · june 2017 aboriginal...
TRANSCRIPT
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Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander
Engagement Strategy
2017 – 2019
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June 2017 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement Strategy
Page 2
This artwork was created by
Gilimbaa to represent how
Churches of Christ in Queensland
supports those in our care.
The individual and their family are
at the centre of everything we do.
Our mission of bringing the light of
Christ expands out to their
extended family and the wider
community.
The string game is a traditional
game of both Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander cultures and is
played by boys and girls, as well as
adults. In this artwork, the string
game represents the pathways and
connections that link and lead to the
individual we are supporting.
Head Office
41 Brookfield Road
Kenmore Queensland 4069
Phone: 07 3327 1600
Fax: 07 3878 1268
Website: cofc.com.au
Contents
Our purpose ........................................................................... 3
Our principles ......................................................................... 3
Connection ........................................................................ 3
Inclusion ............................................................................ 3
Participation ...................................................................... 3
Our commitment .................................................................... 4
Service delivery ..................................................................... 6
Housing Services .............................................................. 6
Children, Youth and Families ........................................... 6
Mission Development ....................................................... 6
Supporting documents ........................................................... 6
Key dates ............................................................................... 7
Related documents ................................................................ 7
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June 2017 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement Strategy
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Our purpose To provide Churches of Christ in Queensland staff with appropriate guidance and support regarding community protocols and cultural considerations for engaging with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This will ensure that staff work practices and ongoing communication is both respectful and empowering to communities.
The development of this strategy has taken place in consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander internal staff and members of the broader community. This strategy will both strengthen our partnerships with communities as well as inform future service delivery.
Churches of Christ in Queensland values the importance of shared goals and understanding to enable high levels of participation and effective engagement which lead to sustained strategies and success. Staff knowledge and understanding of cultural protocols and respectful language is an important step towards respecting and representing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander views, encouraging culturally appropriate work practices and achieving cultural diversity.
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement Strategy is a plan for increasing our engagement in the areas we service. This plan will be reviewed annually by our Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group.
Our principles Churches of Christ in Queensland is committed to incorporating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives into the way we do business as supported by our Strategic plan 2015-2018. This engagement strategy will be guided by the principles of Connection, Inclusion and Participation.
Connection
Churches of Christ in Queensland recognises Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as two separate and distinct cultures. We are committed to establishing and fostering strong relationships with Elders, Traditional Owners, key representatives and organisations. This will enable us to connect in a meaningful and respectful way, which creates positive outcomes for communities. We will go the extra mile with compassion and grace, and work alongside communities to achieve the best outcomes possible.
Inclusion
Churches of Christ in Queensland recognises Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as First Nations peoples with rich traditions and customs. We also recognise the negative impact of previous government policies and intergenerational trauma. Our organisation is committed to working alongside communities as the owners and decision makers in the design and delivery of current and future community programs. We will respect cultural wisdom and always act with empathy and honesty.
Participation
Churches of Christ in Queensland will provide opportunities for staff to develop cultural competence and cultural respect when working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Through cultural awareness training and education we will be better culturally informed to support service delivery to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. We will be accountable to the communities we work alongside and will continuously look for ways to improve the quality of our engagement and services.
Each of these principles are underpinned by our organisational values:
1. Modelling unconditional love
2. Behaving with integrity
3. Being good stewards
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June 2017 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement Strategy
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Our commitment Churches of Christ in Queensland is committed to developing meaningful relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, organisations and communities as being fundamental to the work of our organisation. This is fundamental to the work of our organisation and will be strengthened by:
Establishing an Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander Advisory Council
Continuing and strengthening
participation in urban, regional and
remote community forums that supports
our service delivery and mission
objectives
Building high level engagement and
participation with Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander communities, Elders,
families and individuals
Developing culturally appropriate
materials to support our publications and
organisational website that demonstrate
our commitment to Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander peoples
Harnessing our Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander staffs knowledge and
expertise to strengthen and positively
support our organisation’s cultural
capability
Our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement Strategy will demonstrate a commitment to:
Respectfully acknowledging Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the
Traditional owners and custodians of the
land and sea
Recognising each Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander community as culturally
unique
Acknowledging that Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander people live in all parts of
Australia in urban, rural and remote
communities
Churches of Christ in Queensland commitment to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff and the broader community is further demonstrated by:
Human Resources policies which are
relevant and inclusive of cultural
considerations relating to staff, which
includes having a Recruitment and
Retention Policy, Cultural Leave Policy,
access to culturally appropriate support
services and dedicated processes for
advertising identified vacancies
Ongoing commitment to the
development, implementation and
monitoring of our Reconciliation Action
Plan via the Reconciliation Action Plan
Working Group
Supporting and encouraging staff to
celebrate significant Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander events with the
broader community as well as including
local Elders and Traditional Owners
Developing an Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander business procurement list
including membership to Supply Nation
Providing clear career opportunities and
pathways for our staff
Providing cultural awareness training for
all staff through online LearningLink
modules and face-to-face sessions
supported by Traditional Owners and
Elders
Implementing a Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander employee network
developed and facilitated by internal staff
Providing cultural and mentoring
supervision and support
The organisation’s vision is that through common goals and mutual expectations there is an opportunity to transform the lives of individuals through connectedness, purpose and meaning. Churches of Christ in Queensland is committed to a strong action framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander engagement that supports the
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June 2017 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement Strategy
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organisation as a leader in the community sector as well as an employer of choice for future staff.
A regional model of governance as implemented by the organisation has previously been recognised as the preferred model for engagement for Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander communities. This model also allows for cultural leadership and responsibility.
Finally, it is important to note that our journey towards increasing cultural capability and cultural competence is an evolving one in real time.
Figure 1: The Commonwealth Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Capability Model. Effective
practice in all three domains contributes to an employee becoming culturally capable
(apsc.gov.au/publications-and-media/current-publications/cultural-capability-framework)
http://www.apsc.gov.au/publications-and-media/current-publications/cultural-capability-framework
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June 2017 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement Strategy
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Service delivery Housing Services
Churches of Christ Housing Services
manages tenancies for a significant number
of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
residents. We support Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander engagement through cultural
awareness and capacity training for our
operational staff, and the targeted
recruitment of Aboriginal or Torres Strait
Islander employees. We also seek to
engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander communities through our
partnerships with Indigenous Housing and
Health organisations, along with the
development of housing models to increase
home ownership opportunities for Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Children, Youth and Families
The Children, Youth and Families team’s
vision is for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander children, young people, families and
communities to be engaged, to feel valued
and respected, to have equal access to our
services and to achieve the best possible
outcomes. Children, Youth and Families is
committed to supporting the Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander engagement strategy
through service delivery that responds to the
principles of connection, inclusion and
participation. The fundamental goal of all
Children, Youth and Families programs is to
reduce potential barriers and to deliver
improved services for Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander young people, families and
communities. We will achieve this goal
through strengthening our relationship with
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people,
organisations and communities. Our
commitment to developing the Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander engagement
strategy is an important step in
demonstrating our commitment to this goal.
Mission Development
Mission Development is committed to
building strong relationships with Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander people. We
support our Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander communities through our Aboriginal
Mission Action Partners who lead our team
and our organisation to build our cultural
capability. We seek to listen, reflect and then
empower communities toward the
aspirations they seek. It is our passion and
commitment to bring the light of Christ into
communities.
Supporting documents The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement Strategy is further strengthened by the following documents:
Community Protocols Guide
Respectful Language Guide
These documents will provide staff with location based protocols and information to support culturally appropriate engagement, including baseline information to support appropriate communication and language terminology. You can access these on the Churches of Christ in Queensland website – cofc.com.au
http://www.cofc.com.au/
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June 2017 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement Strategy
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Key dates
26 Jan - Survival Day
26 May - National Sorry Day
27 May - 3 June - National Reconciliation
Week
3 June - Mabo Day
2-9 July - NAIDOC Week
4 August - National Aboriginal and
Islander Children’s Day
Related documents
Community Protocols Guide
Respectful Language Guide
Churches of Christ in Queensland
Strategic Plan 2015-2018
Reconciliation Action Plan 2017-2019
Churches of Christ in Queensland’s
statement supporting recognition of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
peoples in the Australian Constitution
United Nations Declaration on the Rights
of Indigenous Peoples
National Indigenous Reform Agreement
Knowledge of previous government
policies relating to the “Stolen
Generations”
National Framework for Protecting
Australia’s Children 2009-2020
About Churches of Christ in Queensland
Churches of Christ in Queensland has a significant presence in Queensland, Victoria and
Vanuatu with over 200 services in more than 100 communities, positively impacting
thousands of lives each year. We operate a range of missional and community care
services to assist families, the elderly and people in need through church communities and
our care services groups operated through Churches of Christ Care and Churches of Christ
Housing Services.
Our purposeOur principlesConnectionInclusionParticipation
Our commitmentService deliveryHousing ServicesChildren, Youth and FamiliesMission Development
Supporting documentsKey datesRelated documents