We would like to give you an update on how the Australian Public Service (APS) Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Employment Strategy is evolving (the Strategy).
We have had significant interest from across the service from employees at all levels, offering to contribute to the Strategy. To date we have been engaging primarily with our Culturally and Linguistically Diverse employees, through the Networks, and listening to people to better understand the issues being experienced in the workplace. We have received a rich and nuanced range of perspectives and potential actions to strengthen opportunities for people from all backgrounds to contribute their skills, knowledge, experience and expertise in the workplace.
We want to thank everyone who has contributed so far by sharing your professional and personal experiences and reflections or by giving us suggestions. We are currently considering how best to incorporate this valuable feedback for the benefit of the whole APS.
Building on the Listening Circles held by PM&C where 97 employees from 24 agencies shared their lived experience, the Taskforce has:
- Conducted a CALD survey across the APS and received 843 responses
- Spoken with over 40 individuals from over 10 agencies and external Subject Matter Experts in one on one interviews to hear their lived experiences
- Reviewed over 100 domestic and international academic or policy papers by academia, multicultural organisations, public sector guidelines and strategies
On 1 June, our Deputy Commissioner and leader of the Strategy, Dr Subho Banerjee, gave an information session on the approach and early themes. Nearly 300 CALD and non CALD employees joined the session and it was clear that there a lot of impetus for this Strategy.
There are many opportunities for enriching the work of the APS through better integrating of our diversity into all of our policy, programs and operations.
Our next phase will be wrapping up our interviews and analysing the data. Then we will be talking more with our HR practitioners and D&I experts to identify practical actions that could be considered in the Strategy.
Dr Banerjee will provide another update to CALD Networks in the next month.
Finally, the Strategy is being developed by a dedicated and diverse multicultural Taskforce of people. Led by the APSC, we have secondees from the Department of Social Services, the Treasury and the Australian Financial Services Authority. Our cultural backgrounds are Eurasian, South American, South Asian and Anglo-Celtic.
If you wish to get in touch please email CALDstrategy@apsc.gov.au