People

Focus within the People domain

These actions focus on building the capacity of DPC staff to understand their role in enabling self-determination, regardless of the area they work in.

Actions under this domain also focus on providing a culturally safe workplace for Aboriginal staff, and supporting the recruitment and retention of Aboriginal staff members.

Overview of progress

Important work was undertaken in this area over the last 18 months. In particular, all areas of DPC increased their awareness and understanding of treaty and self-determination.

With some actions put on hold or delayed due to the COVID-19 response and recovery efforts, 2022 will be an important year to seek outcomes in the People domain. This includes ensuring the implementation of DPC's Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2019-2021 and the development of DPC’s Aboriginal Workforce Strategy. Continuing to build knowledge of self-determination across the department is vital to ensure all DPC staff understand their role in embedding self-determination in their day-to-day work.

DPC is committed to supporting Aboriginal staff retention, recruitment and leadership, and further work is required to ensure this is a core focus of the SDRF workplan in 2022. There remains a noticeable gap in actions to support Aboriginal staff in the department, including through recruitment. While the Aboriginal Staff Network (ASN) continues to play a vital role in supporting Aboriginal staff members, there is a significant opportunity and need for ASN identified priorities to be progressed further, thereby ensuring a whole of department approach to progress in this important area.

2.1.1 DPC actions to build knowledge of self-determination across the department

Deliver a survey for treaty and self-determination, to inform learning and track DPC collective knowledge and understanding

Responsible DPC Group	FPSR
Progress	Complete
Enablers	Prioritise culture Address racism and promote cultural safety
Progress and Impacts	In 2020, DPC staff provided responses to baseline survey measuring collective knowledge and understanding of treaty and wider self-determination reforms. 35 staff responded to the survey. Results indicated that while nearly all respondents had an understanding of self-determination, one third were unaware of the VPS’ commitment to self-determination, and almost half did not believe self-determination related to their day-to-day work.
Future commitments	Develop a strategy to further raise awareness of DPC’s commitment to self-determination as well as better engagement with all areas of DPC to communicate how self-determination relates to their daily work. Deliver a follow-up survey to track progress and learning across the department

Increase access to cultural awareness and cultural safety training for DPC staff

Action	Increase access to cultural awareness and cultural safety training for DPC staff
Responsible DPC Group	CCC
Progress	Ongoing
Enablers	Prioritise culture Address racism and promote cultural safety
Progress and Impacts	Cultural awareness training enables DPC staff to reflect on their understanding of cultural safety and self-determination and build confidence in the way staff can and should apply and embed these concepts in the workplace. From July 2020 – November 2021, 68 DPC staff participated in Aboriginal Cultural Awareness and Cultural Safety training. DPC Board of Management participated in a Cultural Safety and Self-Determination session, facilitated by Aboriginal owned and operated business, ABSTARR consulting, in November 2021. This followed a pilot session being undertaken by 15 staff in Economic Policy and State Productivity (EPSP) Group in August 2021.
Future commitments	Procure new cultural safety training that aligns with Victoria’s self-determination reform agenda.

Increase all staff awareness of how self-determination relates to their work

Responsible DPC Group	All groups
Progress	Ongoing
Enablers	Prioritise culture Address racism and promote cultural safety
Progress and Impacts	Significant effort has been made to build DPC staff awareness of self-determination over the last 18 months. Key examples reported by groups across DPC included: Building staff confidence to embed self-determination thinking into workstreams as well as advice prepared for executives and ministers. Embedding self-determination within budget analysis and advice to decision-makers regarding budget and non-budget processes. Inviting FPSR to engage early in policy reforms or projects that have a self-determination or treaty linkage (for example, Yarra Strategic Plan and Alpine resorts transition), and inviting FPSR to liaise on briefings that interact with the SDRF and the VAAF. Representatives from FPSR attending branch meetings across DPC to discuss government's self-determination agenda and treaty negotiation process. Raising awareness of self-determination and the SDRF across the department through opportunities such as the All Staff Forum, which included a dedicated focus on treaty and self-determination in 2021.
Future commitments

2.1.2 DPC actions to support Aboriginal staff, including through recruitment

Increase support for Aboriginal staff members through the Aboriginal Staff Network (ASN)

Responsible DPC Group	All groups
Progress	Ongoing
Enablers	Prioritise culture Address racism and promote cultural safety
Progress and Impacts	The ASN is a space for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander identifying staff within DPC and the Victorian Public Sector Commission (VPSC) to connect, support and yarn. The ASN’s achievements include: Fortnightly meetings, which allow staff to engage with their colleagues and connect in small groups. Advertising internal (and external) job opportunities through the ASN MS Teams channel. Supporting the VPSC to develop a document on self-determination in the workplace and to progress commitments relating to cultural safety in the workplace (see Case Study 2.1.2).
Future commitments	Continue to support regular meetings of the ASN in 2022, encouraging new staff participation in the ASN, and consider the potential for future events such as an Aboriginal Staff Gathering.

Develop a new DPC Aboriginal Workforce Strategy

Develop a common policy guide to Cultural and Ceremonial leave with the VPSC

Responsible DPC Group	IRV
Progress	Delayed
Enablers	Prioritise culture
Progress and Impacts	A revised Cultural and Ceremonial Leave policy was due to be completed by early October 2021 but was delayed when resources were diverted to COVID-19 response work. IRV has prepared a draft Cultural and Ceremonial Leave policy which is currently with the Community and Public Sector Union for consultation and feedback. The new policy will give effect to clause 60 of the VPS Enterprise Agreement, which provides VPS employees with Cultural and Ceremonial Leave.
Future commitments	Facilitate finalisation of the VPS Cultural and Ceremonial Leave Policy.

Ensure implementation of DPC’s Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2019-2021 incorporates actions to enable self-determination

Responsible DPC Group	CCC, FPSR, ASN
Progress	Delayed
Enablers	Prioritise culture Address racism and promote cultural safety
Progress and Impacts	Implementation of DPC’s Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2019-2021 will continue in 2022. A review of DPC's Diversity and Inclusion Strategy has been delayed due to COVID-19, team resourcing issues and competing priorities. This action is reinforced through development of the Aboriginal Workforce Strategy
Future commitments	Ensure that continual implementation of DPC’s Diversity and Inclusion Strategy prioritises Aboriginal expertise and the recommendations from the ASN’s report on self-determination in the workplace to ensure this work has a positive impact on Aboriginal staff at DPC. Review DPC's Diversity and Inclusion Strategy by mid-2022, engaging key stakeholders to ensure the reviewed strategy incorporates actions to enable self-determination and Aboriginal expertise. Address relevant review outcomes in DPC’s Aboriginal Workforce Strategy, where appropriate.

Support the recruitment and retention of Aboriginal staff within DPC

Responsible DPC Group	CCC
Progress	Ongoing
Enablers	Prioritise culture Address racism and promote cultural safety
Progress and impacts	As at 30 June 2021, 27 DPC staff identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. This included 14 women and 13 men. Barring Djinang, the 5-year Aboriginal Employment Strategy for the VPS, has adopted a VPS-wide Aboriginal employment target of 2 per cent. DPC exceeded this target in the 2020-21 financial year, with 2.8 per cent of all DPC staff identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. All 27 Aboriginal staff work in FPSR Group. 22 Aboriginal staff work full time, and 5 work part time. 22 Aboriginal staff are employed under ongoing arrangements, and 5 are employed on fixed-term contracts. 5 Aboriginal staff are in leadership roles (VPS 6 or above), 11 are in senior roles (VPS 5), and 11 are in VPS 1-4 roles. Recruitment and retention outcomes for the July 2020 – June 2021 period included: 5 Aboriginal staff recruited into DPC. 8 Aboriginal staff exited DPC.
Future commitments	Encourage active recruitment, support and retention of Aboriginal staff across all areas of DPC, in particular groups outside FPSR. Improve data collection mechanisms to ensure workforce data is collected in a culturally safe and responsive manner that reflects Aboriginal staff across the department. This will allow DPC to improve future strategies and action plans that support recruitment, retention and leadership opportunities for Aboriginal staff. Utilise insights from the People Matter Survey 2021 DPC results on areas for future action and development, including that: 86 per cent of Aboriginal staff reported that being Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander is not a barrier to success in DPC (compared to 68 per cent of non-Aboriginal respondents). 64 per cent of Aboriginal staff reported feeling culturally safe at work, compared to 84 per cent of non-Aboriginal respondents.

CASE STUDY for 2.1.2: Aboriginal Staff Network

The ASN is a space for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander identifying staff within DPC (and the VPSC) to connect, support and yarn.

Supporting Aboriginal staff retention, recruitment and leadership

The ASN met fortnightly over MS Teams during 2021. Attendance ranged from 11-30 staff members. Meetings provided an opportunity for staff to engage with their colleagues and to connect in small group meetings.

The ASN has also had success with both men’s and women’s groups, as well as randomly assigned breakout rooms that allowed staff from different areas of DPC to meet and discuss their work.

Next Steps

Discussions relating to the ASN’s name are ongoing, along with the Network’s future format. Online MS Teams meetings continued due to COVID-impacts, but there is appetite to transition to in person, regional/metro meetings in 2022.

2.1.3 Supporting whole of government actions for the people domain

Prepare government for treaty through whole of government engagement

Responsible DPC Group	FPSR, All Groups
Progress	Ongoing
Enablers	Transfer power and resources to communities
Progress and impacts	DPC supported all departments and agencies in understanding the treaty process and ensuring that new policy, legislative and program proposals align with the future outcomes of Victoria's treaty process. Regular meetings between DPC and Treaty Coordinators ensured that all departments were updated on the treaty process and that a coordinated approach was taken to future projects that may intersect with treaty. FPSR continued to offer secretarial support for the Treaty Inter-Departmental Committee (IDC) (see Case Study 2.1.3).
Future commitments	Continue and strengthen whole of government treaty engagement in 2022.

Embed self-determination in the Public Engagement Framework

Responsible DPC Group	DV
Progress	Complete
Enablers	Prioritise culture Transfer power and resources to communities
Progress and impacts	The Public Secretary Administration Committee formally approved the whole of government Public Engagement Framework 2021-25 in 2021 (Framework). The Framework is informed by the VAAF and includes self-determination as a central policy focus. This Framework will assist VPS staff to undertake culturally safe and respectful engagement for all consultation processes.
Future commitments

Deliver Treaty MicroCertification series

Responsible DPC Group	FPSR
Progress	In progress
Enablers	Prioritise culture Address racism and promote cultural safety
Progress and impacts	In October 2021, the first DPC-funded cohort commenced the Preparing for Treaty MicroCertification series (MicroCert series), delivered by the University of Melbourne. The MicroCert series explores the role that treaties have played, and might play, in relations between Indigenous peoples and contemporary settler societies. DPC funded 22 VPS staff to undertake the MicroCert series. This prompted other departments to fund their own staff to participate in the series, bringing the cohort to a total of 31 staff. This will equip treaty coordinators and relevant VPS staff with the knowledge and confidence to understand treaty and its practical impacts on each staff member's work.
Future commitments	Continue supporting relevant VPS staff to undertake the MicroCert series in 2022.

Deliver the Deadly & Proud campaign

Responsible DPC Group	FPSR
Progress	Complete
Enablers	Prioritise culture Address racism and promote cultural safety
Progress and impacts	FPSR continued to engage all Victorians in the treaty process through public events and the Deadly and Proud campaign - a social awareness campaign that recognised and celebrated the unique status, rights, cultures and history of Aboriginal communities in Victoria, and was pivotal in changing public perceptions around treaty and truth. The campaign began in February 2021 and featured 21 Aboriginal storytellers from across the state who shared their stories of pride across the themes of ancient cultures, resilience, community and the historic path to treaty. FPSR amplified the campaign’s reach through well-known ambassadors, events, advertising and partnerships. The campaign attracted widespread positive news coverage – totalling over 650 pieces. Independent research highlighted increased public engagement with treaty. By 30 June 2021, the campaign’s website had obtained more than 200,000 views and campaign social posts had a total reach of 7,100,000. Since finalising the campaign, the Deadly & Proud website continued to attract high levels of online engagement, helping Victorians to listen and learn in relation to the path to treaty and truth-telling.
Future commitments

CASE STUDY for 2.1.3: Preparing government for treaty through whole of government engagement

Treaty will require a whole of Victorian Government response and requires new thinking and ways of working across government as we enter ground-breaking territory in policymaking.

On the path to treaty

DPC developed its whole of government engagement approach to help Victorian Government departments and agencies understand the treaty process and ensure that new policy, legislative and program proposals align with the future outcomes of Victoria's treaty process.

DPC's whole of government engagement included overseeing secretariat functions for the IDC.

Treaty Coordinators served as a departmental/organisation liaison on treaty-related matters within their organisation's portfolio areas and supported each IDC member ahead of meetings by attending pre-brief meetings hosted by DPC.

DPC had regular meetings with Treaty Coordinators to provide informal updates on treaty and for departments/organisations to advise of work underway that may intersect with treaty. This ensured government had a coordinated approach to relevant work.

In addition to supporting all government departments and agencies, DPC continues to support and advise the Minister for Treaty and First Peoples and Premier in leading the State's work to advance treaty with First Peoples.

Next Steps

FPSR will continue and strengthen its whole of government engagement in 2022.