LGBTIPreparing our Workforce

Ultimate aim - Apply for the Rainbow Tick

Why?

• Community Care Common Standard - 2.2 Each service user participates in an assessment appropriate to the complexity of their needs and with consideration of their cultural and linguistic diversity. (Although there are multiple standards that this topic falls into ).

• Working in line with HACC Diversity Plan.

• Having a more inclusive service.

What was the situation before we began this journey

• Prior to deciding to take part in the How 2 Training and deciding to apply for the Rainbow tick we presumed we had a professional workforce who were adaptable to most situations, although remembering we have an aging workforce. But, the training identified that LGBTI is a specialist training need and it was identified that clients may be altering themselves or their homes prior to our arrival so they can “fit in” and “not be discriminated against”

Current Workforce

• Our Workforce Ranges from 27 years old to 72 years old

25

35

45

55

65

75Age

Age

AGE BY TEAMS

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

HSS East HSS South HSS Central HSS North PAG Admin Ass DM

20-30

31-40

41-50

51-60

61-70

71-80

What we need to change to support the message

• Addition to Position Descriptions

• Addition to Appraisal Documents

• Addition to Service Contracts and Agreements

• Updated Advertising Images

• Additional Question in Interviews

• Addition to Support Worker Manual specifically relating to Diversity

• Additional Questions on Client Surveys

• Registering documents with Review Dates which will be noted on Internal Audits

• Standard Agenda Item at meetings at all levels

• Changes to Intake introduction to BCC

EMPLOYMENT ADVERTISEMENTS

STATEMENT:Banyule City Council Aged and Disability Services is committed to providing inclusive services.We strive to ensure our services are accessible and the people we deal with are treated with dignity and respect regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, ethnicity and cultural and socio-economic background.

Interview Questions

What are your thoughts on working with

LGBTI clients?

How would you rate your current

knowledge regarding the needs of

LGBTI Clients?

Addition to Contracts where external agencies are used.

Banyule City Council Aged and Disability Services is

committed to providing inclusive services. We strive to

ensure our services are accessible and the people we deal

with are treated with dignity and respect regardless of

gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, ethnicity

and cultural and socio-economic background. The

expectation is all contractors engaged to work for

Banyule Aged and Disability Services will do the same.

The topic of LGBTI was introduced to Support Workers

• WHAT DOES LGBTI MEAN?

• What does Diversity look like

• The overall message – We are all equal but we are not the same.

• Support Workers were asked to fill out a brief confidential survey letting us know how they feel about this topic

Q1 Do you think it is important that our

service is GLBTI inclusive?

HACC STAFF SURVEY RESULT

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Yes No

General Comments

• We understand why we need to do this but we treat everyone with respect.

• We would not treat anyone differently just because they are LGBTI

Posters located at various

HACC sites

Direct Training

• PowerPoint presentation to all HACC Support Workers, which included some statistics, time lines and real stories & practical tips

• Support Workers were then asked to fill out Feedback forms.

• Results from the feedback forms – now we understand why we do need to treat LGBTI people differently but we want training from the LGBTI community

Another Survey post Training

• How would you rate your knowledge about the needs of LGBTI consumers?

• Do you feel we are already providing an inclusive service?

• How would you rate your comfort level in providing services to LGBTI consumers?

• I do not mind LGBTI people but I do not see why we have to do this

• This topic is against my personal belives

DIVERSITY BUTTONS

Once Staff completed the Training

we invited them to take and wear

a Diversity Button on their

lanyards.

We hoped this button may

encourage conversation around

diversity.

Specific Training

Direct training for Senior HACC Staff

Brenda Appleton from Transgender Victoria offered a day training session for senior staff.Sally and Andrew delivered the training. Both are Transgender and spoke of their direct experiences.

Direct Support Workers received training - a 3 hour session from Sally

Feedback from Training

• Very Engaging• Sally was an excellent facilitator• Fantastic Session• Great Training• Learning more about LGBTI was informative• It was great to have the opportunity to ask

questions• I believe I understand the needs of LGBTI

consumers more now• The training as practical and informative

What is the situation now that we have started this journey?

• We have not advertised to our community that we are an LGBTI inclusive service –although hopefully this happen in the near future.

• Our workforce feel confident in talking about LGBTI and being respectful to all individual needs.

What Key Enablers assisted the change

• Buy in from Management – which supported change. Training can be expensive so management support was important to ensure we could meet the needs of the Workforce.

• A general agreement that this was important.

• A sense of pride in the change and work that is being done.

How long has the journey taken so far?

• The Journey is far from over but, so far we have been working towards having an LGBTI inclusive service for 18+ months.

What Next?

• Preparing for the Audit

• We have set up our own internal audit tool specifically relating to the How 2 standards

• Our application for the Rainbow Tick has been lodged