ABORIGINAL ENGAGEMENT IN THE NSW PUBLIC SECTOR NSW Premier’s Department | Executive Development Program | November 2009 Recommended Strategies for Employment and Retention
Mar 23, 2016
ABORIGINAL ENGAGEMENTIN THE NSW PUBLIC SECTOR
NSW Premier’s Department | Executive Development Program | November 2009
Recommended Strategies for Employment and Retention
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Project Team MembersOriana AugustsonManager Corporate Strategy and GovernanceTAFE NSW – South Western Sydney Institute
Niall MackenHeritage Architect, Planning Heritage and Urban DesignSydney Harbour Foreshore Authority
Derrick OliverManager Membership AdministrationNSW Rural Fire Service
Janice SmithInfrastructure Communications ManagerRoads and Traffic Authority of NSW
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Project Objective The aim of the project is to identify strategies to engage
more Aboriginal people into the NSW Public Service and to support their ongoing career development
Why is this question important to answer?
Each NSW government department has a charter to increase the number of Aboriginal people employed. Following research and an analysis of a selection of NSW Government Agencies, this project identifies strategies that can be adopted to engage and retain Aboriginal staff
The benefit to the NSW Government is a constructive and
overarching approach of working towards this key objective
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Project Methodology
Review of Government policy Individual Agency strategies TAFE Research
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COAG & NSW Government agenda and policies
COAG Framework NSW State Plan Making it our Business
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Overarching Agreement on Aboriginal Affairs between the Commonwealth of Australia and the State of New South Wales
2005-2010
Intergovernmental Aboriginal Affairs Group
Making It Our Business
Coalition of Australian Governments
Regional Coordination Management Groups
Aboriginal Action Plans
NSW Public Sector Workforce Strategy 2008-
2012
Commonwealth Government
Aboriginal Employment Strategies
Department of Premier and Cabinet
Regional Engagement
Groups
Local level (Shared responsibility agreements)
Two Ways Together
NSW State Government
NSW State Plan
Individual agencies
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Review of Agency AES Some NSW Government agencies and
departments have a specific Aboriginal Employment Strategy, others operate under a broader Human Resources Plan
The level of detail provided is dependent on the specific roles and responsibilities of individual organisations
The NSW public sector has a target to employ 2% of staff who are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people – however this target is not broken down by position (e.g. cadets, trainees and apprentices vs. management or leadership positions)
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Group Member Agency Review
NSW Department of Education and Training – TAFE NSW
Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority NSW Roads and Traffic Authority NSW Rural Fire Service NSW Department of Conservation,
Climate Change and Water NSW Police Force
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DET – TAFE NSW Workforce Diversity Policy, underpinned by Strategic
Human Resources Plan 2009-2011 & Aboriginal Human Resources Development Plan 2009-2011
Key charter - “meeting the needs of Aboriginal people is core business for NSW Public Sector agencies. We have a responsibility to promote the employment of Aboriginal people and support Aboriginal staff once employed”
TAFE NSW has partnered with the DPC to provide sector-wide cultural education and training
In 2008, the Department’s number of employed Aboriginal people was 2.3%
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Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority Aboriginal employment strategy addressed
as part of the overall human resources planning.
Initiatives include signing of a Principles of Cooperation agreement with Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council
Contribution to help provide training, employment and life opportunities for Aboriginal people (eg. Support for the Tribal Warrior Association)
Proposal to employ an Aboriginal tour guide
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NSW Roads & Traffic Authority Has developed successive Aboriginal Action
Plans (AAP) since 2001 Current AAP (2009-2012) involves the
implementation of an Aboriginal Employment Strategy (AES) 2009-2012
Commitment to provide employment opportunities to Aboriginal people and to retain them in a supportive and culturally sensitive workplace
Employ an Aboriginal Employment Coordinator to develop the AES
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NSW Roads & Traffic Authority Target identified positions in the RTA
cadetship, graduate programs and apprenticeship positions
New Aboriginal employment advertisement templates focus on entry level employment and school-based scholarships
Developing a dedicated Aboriginal employment website including a database to attract potential job applicants and a dedicated Aboriginal employment hotline
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NSW Rural Fire Service (NSWRFS) Has recently employed an Aboriginal
Liaison Officer (ALO) Currently developing its Human
Resources Strategic Plan employment strategies to increase Aboriginal employment
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NSW Fire Brigades (NSWFB) No formal Aboriginal Employment
Strategy Salaried position of Aboriginal Liaison
Officer with links to the local community
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Dept of Conservation , Climate Change and Water NSW The Aboriginal Employment Strategy (2006-2008)
currently being reworked Key priorities in areas of recruitment, skills
acquisition and career development, retention, cultural awareness, community capacity building
Identifies systemic barriers and behaviours that can hinder employment, retention and progression
Achievements include the use of Identified Positions cadetships and traineeships within the Parks and Wildlife Division
Identified need for an Aboriginal Employment coordinator to manage/direct, monitor and report
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Strategies Partnerships Industry Links Career Support Cadetships Recruitment (targeted vs non targeted) Representative Bureaucracy Resourcing Whole of Government Support Agency Support
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RTA Indigenous Program
Improving employment outcomes for Aboriginal people in the RTAback row | George Shearer, Garry Ferguson, Graham Purcell, Andrew Whitton, Leanne Thompson-Gordon, Stephen Knightmiddle row | Mark Hartwig, Barry Gunther, Jeff Charlton,Agnes Donovan, Greg Evans, front row | Rodney Simpson, Kylie Stewart, Yvette King, and Mary-Lou Buck
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Acknowledgements and Thanks NSW Premier’s Department Nous Group Our Agencies Our Managers Our Sponsor Our EDP group Our Team Members