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1. Insert Title Here Aboriginal Engagement & Employment Project: An Overview

2. Project objective • Commissioned by NDS WA • Objective – to design and plan a program that will: • provide employment opportunities for Aboriginal within the disability sector • address barriers for Aboriginal people with a disability in accessing programs and services

3. The Case • Aboriginal people have severe or profound disability rates 2.4 times those of non-Aboriginal people • Only about 1/3rd are using specialist disability services • Main cause of under use – lack of engagement between disability services providers and the Aboriginal community

4. The Case cont. • Research shows Aboriginal communities are more likely to engage with services that have: • strong connections with Aboriginal communities • high levels of cultural competency • Aboriginal staff

5. Situation in WA – Survey of NDS Members • Percentage of Aboriginal service users by agency – 24 responses

6. Situation in WA – Survey of NDS Members cont. • Extent of community engagement activities by agency

7. Situation in WA – Survey of NDS Members cont. • 86% of agencies provide cultural awareness training • Slightly under half the agencies employ Aboriginal staff • 17 agencies are either very interested or somewhat interested in: • Increased recruitment and retention of Aboriginal staff • Partnering with NDS on traineeship/cadetship opportunities • Participating in a pilot on workforce development • Partnering with Aboriginal organisations

8. NDS NSW Model • Aboriginal Resources and Pathways • Began as a pilot, now extended • Aims to promote effective ways for disability services to deliver services and support to Aboriginal people. • Focus on identifying inhibitors and enablers in partnership • Developing local networks – 13 established, 6 under development

9. NDS NSW Model cont. • Aboriginal Jobs Together • Aims: • to increase Aboriginal employment in the non-government disability sector; • build the capacity of organisations to employ Aboriginal people • assist Aboriginal people to meet the skills requirements of disability organisations. • Target 110 trainees/cadets – 40 trainees employed & 5 cadets to date

10. Building cultural competency and an Aboriginal workforce • Cultural competency underpins both effective service provision and building an Aboriginal workforce • Full cultural competence means reflecting an awareness of Aboriginal perspectives in direct service delivery, policy and procedural framework, administrative and business structures and human resource practices • Becoming culturally secure can mean significant cultural change • Cultural awareness training is essential and a Reconciliation Action Plan is recommended

11. Take a risk • ‘We must take calculated risks, commit to achieving targets and find new ways of working if we care to make a long term difference’. Public Sector Commission’s Aboriginal Workforce Strategy 2011-2015, p.6

12. The proposed Aboriginal Engagement and Employment Initiative • Principles: • Community participation • Appropriate service delivery (including the right staff) • Cultural protection • Partnerships • Capacity building • Sustainability • Draws on Aboriginal Resources and Pathways and Aboriginal Jobs Together

13. The proposed Aboriginal Engagement and Employment Initiative cont. • Objectives • Establish the local evidence base on Aboriginal needs and match with services • Create linkages and partnerships between Aboriginal communities and disability service providers to jointly identify and overcome barriers • Support cultural competence building in disability organisations and cultural awareness in their workforce • Work with disability service organisations, employment and training organisations and the Aboriginal community to build a sustainable Aboriginal workforce

14. The proposed Aboriginal Engagement and Employment Initiative cont. • Key strategies • Identify need and services in partnership with Aboriginal communities • Build linkages and partnerships - networks • Assist disability organisations to promote their services to Aboriginal communities • Support organisations to build cultural security for Aboriginal people

15. The proposed Aboriginal Engagement and Employment Initiative cont. • Key strategies cont. • Support organisations to recruit select, train and retain Aboriginal workers using Indigenous Wage Subsidy, Australian Apprenticeship Incentive Program and Indigenous Cadetships • Case manage Aboriginal Trainees/cadets • Case manage participating organisations employing or sponsoring trainees/cadets

16. The proposed Aboriginal Engagement and Employment Initiative cont. • Proposed Structure • Regionally based • Governance group of key stakeholders • Staffed by Manager and Regional Coordinators • Four pilots – Metro, Kimberley + two other regions • Resourced to allow strong outreach to Aboriginal communities

17. The proposed Aboriginal Engagement and Employment Initiative cont. • Timeframe – Minimum of 3 years and then self-sustaining • Intended outcomes • Stable and skilled Aboriginal workforce • 60 trainees and cadets employed/sponsored • Increased proportion of Aboriginal people using specialist disability services • Monitoring and evaluation – Results Based Accountability