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Building a diverse workforce: Strategies at the organisational and program levelStephanie De Lorenzo & Meni Tsambouniaris
Ethnic Community Services Co-operative
Ethnic Community Services Co-operative
Our vision is that every Australian from a
culturally and linguistically diverse background has
the opportunity to participate fully in
Australian society and receive services that are relevant and appropriate
to their needs.
Ethnic Community Services Co-operativeWhat we do for:Individuals and families•Linking individuals to services•Information and support groups•Individual advocacy
Communities•Community development and capacity building •Providing a workplace where workers and volunteers can learn, innovate and grow
Government and sector support
•Collaborating with our members and other organisations
•Providing specialist advice, information, training and resources to services
•Systemic advocacy
Building a diverse workforce: A case study on ECSCStephanie De Lorenzo
CALD Capacity Building Coordinator
ECSC today: workforce composition
Permanent staff
•Executive Director
•Programs Manager
•6 Project Coordinators
•RTO Coordinator
•16 Project Officers
•4 Admin staff
Casual staff & volunteers
•NSW: ~400 Bicultural Support Workers
•27 Multicultural Respite Workers (Inner West)
•Volunteers/ Student placements
ECSC today: workforce composition
28 languages spoken by the 29 permanent ECSC staff
ECSC today: workforce composition
[100% of casual staff are bilingual or multilingual]
Building a diverse workforce“Our achievements come from
having had strong, consistent and passionate leadership,
a work culture that embraces innovation and flexibility,
and strong and genuine ties with our members and with the communities
that we seek to support.”
Mirella Di GenuaChairperson, ECSC Board of Directors
The ECSC Case Study:1.Organisational culture and values
2.Structure
3.Policies and procedures
4.Recruitment and training
ECSC: Culture and Values
ECSC: structures and practices
• Organisational structure: What does it mean to be incorporated as a Co-operative?
• Polices and procedures
• Governance
• Members and networks
ECSC: staff recruitment and training
• What we look for when we recruit
• Using volunteer and student placement workforce to fill gaps
• How we draft and advertise new positions
• Induction and orientation
• Ongoing support and professional development
• The establishment of our RTO and training program
Building a diverse workforce: A program level case study of Bicultural Support.Meni Tsambouniaris
Bicultural Support Program Coordinator
Bicultural Support - overview
• Bicultural Support is a unique, hands on, human resource.
• We provide eligible early childhood services with access to a qualified bilingual/bicultural workers to enrol, settle and assist with the better inclusion of CALD children.
• For the last 33 years, the Bicultural Support program has facilitated the inclusion of CALD diverse children and families in early childhood services across NSW.
Bicultural Support-An Employment Program• Bicultural Support has approximately 400 casual
Bicultural Support Workers across NSW representing 110 different languages, including Indigenous languages.
• There are 20 regional permanent part time and casual Bicultural Support Consultants.
• The Project is administered by a Full Time Program Co-ordinator, 5 Part Time Project Officers and 2 Accounts/Administrative Officers.
Implementation Of Bicultural Support• Based on a funding formula, Bicultural Support in NSW
places between 65-120 Bicultural Support Workers in the field monthly, each working an average 12 hours per allocated visit.
• Each month, this equates to up to 120 Workers receiving employment, 120 target children receiving support and 120 services receiving 1440 hours of bilingual/bicultural input.
Recruitment Of Bicultural Support WorkersWhen recruiting, Bicultural Support looks for people who:•speak a language other than English
•have a good command of the English language
•have an Indigenous, CALD or refugee background
•have experience and/or qualification in Children’s Services (Cert III minimum)
•hold a current NSW Working With Children Check
The Impact Of Bicultural Support - for Services
• Promoted diversity, acceptance & inclusion for all children in care. Bicultural Support Workers & Consultants are ambassadors for Cultural Competence
• Children struggling with their cultural identity have developed an increased pride in their cultural heritage & self esteem;
• Refugee families have felt an improved sense of security & cultural acceptance at their Service through the presence of Bicultural Support Workers;
• Fostered & adopted children have been given the opportunity to maintain their cultural identity & home languages at the Centres;
• Improved communication between staff & CALD, Indigenous & refugee parents;
• Ensured smooth transition and settling in of CALD, Indigenous & refugee children in care.
The Impact Of Bicultural Support- for WorkersSuccess Stories: Where Are They Now?
Quite often we farewell Bicultural Support Workers from the Program as they move on to bigger and better things including:
•Co-ordinator Migrant Resource Centre
•Family Day Carers, Co-ordinators and Children’s Services Trainers
•Owner/Directors of Child Care Centres
•Project Officers with the Bicultural Support Program
•Community Liaison Officers – Department Of Education
•University Lecturer (UWS)
•Inclusion Support Facilitators
Impact Of Bicultural Support – for the childQuote from a Child – to Their Bicultural Support Worker:
“It is good that you can understand me, because
with the others, I have to talk very slowly so they can
understand…”
Where to From Here?• In NSW Bicultural Support is highly
regarded as a model of good practice, with a pool of Bilingual/Bicultural Workers that can be trained to provide similar support in other sectors.
• ECSC has begun expanding the use of our Bicultural Support Worker pool – including offering for-fee services to non eligible children’s services and early intervention services.
ECSC Staff with Megan Mitchell, National Children’s Commissioner
Building a diverse workforce:Lessons for the disability sectorStephanie De Lorenzo
CALD Capacity Building Coordinator
Lessons for the disability sector• The NDIS should result in an increase in clients –
and an increase in culturally diverse clients.
• Disability sector already familiar with principles of access and equity and human rights.
• To build and harness a diverse workforce you need to do more than just hire some bilingual staff.
• Do you need to make changes to your recruitment processes? Policies and procedures?
• Make use of existing resources
