Strategies to Support Aboriginal Employment

Strategies to Support Aboriginal Employment

The NSW Policy Statement 2006-08, Making it our Business (MIOB), provides a policy framework to guide public sector agencies to recruit and retain Aboriginal people, and provides strategies that offer flexibility in meeting current and future workforce needs.

The key initiatives underpinning this Policy are:

1. Two Ways Together: NSW Aboriginal Affairs Plan 2003-2012

In February, 2001 the State Government announced a new plan to manage Aboriginal Affairs in NSW.

Two Ways Together: NSW Aboriginal Affairs Plan 2003 - 2012 was the result and is the NSW Government’s ten year plan for Aboriginal Affairs. It provides the foundation for a whole-of-Government approach to planning and delivering services to Aboriginal people and communities in NSW.

Two Ways Together changes the way that the Government and communities work together – involving Aboriginal people in decisions about planning, implementation and evaluation, and changing the way the Government works so that co-ordinated and responsive services are delivered in ways that are accessible to Aboriginal people. This recognises that Aboriginal people know best the needs of their communities, and that past policies and practices have not always worked.

2. Bilateral Agreement

The Australian and NSW Governments have signed the Overarching Agreement on Aboriginal Affairs between the Commonwealth of Australia and the State of New South Wales 2005 – 2010.

The ‘Bilateral Agreement’ is intended to provide the foundation for future co-operation between the two Governments to improve outcomes for Aboriginal people. The Agreement is not intended to supplant existing bilateral agreements, but to build on and complement these.

The Bilateral Agreement identifies seven priority action areas. The seventh priority action area is Economic Development - building Indigenous wealth, employment and entrepreneurial culture, as a priority, and is integral to boosting economic development and reducing poverty and dependence on passive welfare.

The Two Ways Together Economic Development action plan identifies six multi-agency action areas that build on the Agreements’ priorities of building Indigenous wealth, employment and entrepreneurial culture, and is consistent with the Ministerial Council for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affair’s Economic Development policy framework, and the Council of Australian Governments endorsed National Framework of Principles for delivering services to Indigenous Australians.

3. CEO Performance Agreements

All Chief Executive Officers are responsible for the delivery of Aboriginal Affairs results as part of their agency’s results and service performance, and will need to include the corporate priority of Achievement of Two Ways Together in their Performance Agreements.

The NSW Policy Statement 2006-08 mentioned above, is complemented by a Strategic Framework and Resource Guide, Making it our Business (MIOB), which provides guidance to agencies in developing Indigenous employment strategies.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cadetship Program provides opportunities for NSW Public Sector agencies to support Indigenous Australian students interested in combining university study with employment in the agency, followed by permanent employment.

The Yarning Up: Careers in the NSW Public Sector booklet tells the stories of 20 Aboriginal people in the NSW Public Sector, and celebrates the significant and increasing contribution of Aboriginal people to the Sector. The stories are well-written and honest accounts of personal journeys and careers, and they will interest both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal readers.

Other Publications

The following publications while providing valuable strategies and best practice examples also refer to networks and agencies that no longer operate.

The Aboriginal Employment in Practice for the NSW Public Sector Resource Book and Guidelines offer ideas, analysis, strategies and case studies in three key areas which have the potential to improve Aboriginal employment outcomes in NSW:

• Better and accessible services
• Careers
• Partnerships

Good Job – Success with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment Strategies looks at what makes for good practice strategies in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment in the NSW Public Sector.