Reconciliation Action Plan

Prepared by the EPIC Employment Service RAP Working Group, including; Daniel GriffithsMark McCabeDonna ReevesSkye ClarkClinton NagleMatt Clark Paul HineRose McCarthyKarlee PasqualiniNicholas SmithRoss BaileyAnn Jack Darren WalkerJock McNamaraAnn StoddartSharon BrownCornelis PleyJason Kostal Helen HaidleSuzie RollsJane EdwardsDavid Law

Contents CEO Message Our RAP Journey Message from EPIC Employees Our Partnerships/current activities Action Plan Commitment Relationships Respect Opportunities Tracking progress EPIC Employment Service Inc (EPIC) respectfully acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land and pays respect to elders both past and present. We recognise the diverse language groups, kinship structures and customs of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia. EPIC is committed to working in partnership with Indigenous communities to meet the social and economical wellbeing and needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

CEO Message I am pleased to present the EPIC Employment Service (EPIC) Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) for For the past 24 years EPIC has been supporting the people we serve make positive changes in their lives. Our guiding vision is to provide care, kindness and quality services to all people especially those who are vulnerable and have barriers to employment. Our mission has been to enable people to achieve social and economic participation in their community. As CEO, my vision is that EPIC not only continues to engage with the many diverse communities in which we operate, but that we make a difference in the lives of people. EPIC’s RAP is a key strategy of our commitment to the reconciliation journey within Australia and to making a difference in the lives of First Nation Peoples who are vulnerable and/or encounter barriers to employment. As part of this Plan we aim to work towards building stronger relationships, respect and opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Our organisation believes in the Reconciliation Australia vision where everyone wakes to a reconciled, just and equitable Australia. I look forward to making our Plan a reality through the respect, acknowledgement of histories, cultures, education and increased understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This Plan acknowledges our achievements to date as well as sets new goals and deliverables to support and further achieve reconciliation within our workplace and the communities in which we serve. I personally look forward to being a part of the reconciliation journey, to celebrate diversity in all forms and demonstrate our commitment to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through our RAP contributing to greater prosperity within Australia. At EPIC we are proud to engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and we remain committed to investing in future initiatives that support Australia’s First Nation Peoples. Bill Gamack Chief Executive Officer 11 March 2014

Our RAP Journey The original idea for developing an EPIC Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) started in 2010 when there was a request from EPIC staff for personal development opportunities in cultural awareness. There was a feeling from management that EPIC should engage in something more substantial than short courses and develop an organisational wide approach. An Indigenous staff member commenced some research and found that the best practice model used by Reconciliation Australia was the RAP. There is also an expectation on EPIC, as part of our government funding, that there are strategies in place for positive engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and EPIC believes that this can be further developed through the RAP. EPIC Senior Management worked through the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to ensure that the Board of Management endorsed the development of the RAP and the progress of the RAP was presented to the Board as part of the regular monthly report by the CEO. EPIC’s first task was to create a RAP Working Group. Our goal was to ensure that the working group had representation from a cross section of the organisation. The Continuous Improvement, Risk and Quality (CIRQ) Manager and Employment Support Services (ESS) Manager invited all of EPIC to be a part of the RAP journey and received expressions of interest to join the RAP Working Group. Subsequently, the ESS Manager has presented the RAP progress to the Leadership Group at the annual planning meeting and the CIRQ Manager continues to invite people to be involved through a presentation at the regular organisational induction days for new staff. It was our hope that the working group be representative of a broad cross-section of the Australian community, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander employees, from a number of different programs. The working group holds representatives from leadership and operational staff from across our regional offices, two members of the senior leadership group and a representative from Human Resources.

Message from EPIC Employees “The R.A.P will help bridge the gap between Australian and Indigenous culture and to better the understanding of Indigenous culture across the organisation to assist both staff and participants” “This is an exciting time to be in the organisation - undertaking the RAP and how it aligns as part of the organisation vision and mission” “This process will assist with the understanding of the rules and culture of participants and may also assist employers with their understanding” “The R.A.P will help local Indigenous population use the prior skills and experience learnt from life experience with the EPIC framework to best assist participants” “I would like to see services improve for Aboriginal young people that are lost and become part of their community and finding employment”

Partnerships and Current Activities EPIC understands that in order for us to be a successful community organisation that supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people we must develop supportive partnerships and participate in local activities. In the past we actively participated in a number of local activities and events. For example; In Brisbane, Sunshine Coast and Cairns, EPIC has attended and managed an information booth at the TAFE Former Origin Greats (FOGS) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment and Careers Expo. In Central Queensland EPIC delivers employment services in the Woorabinda Community. Relevant staff have taken part in cultural awareness training to qualify for a black card. “For too long services have been coming into our community and telling us what we need. Now we are saying if you want to work in our community, this is what you need to do” - William Sullivan, Woorabinda Council, on the black card. We have also partnered with Kenjarhy Aboriginal Mining Services who specialise in attracting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff to the mining sector in Central Queensland. To date, as a result of this relationship we have placed approximately six Aboriginal and Torres strait Islander jobseekers from the Gold Coast and Brisbane region. In the Cairns area we have established a working relationship with Cairns All Blacks Committee. The All Blacks committee facilitates indigenous sporting events in North Qld. A current service agreement provides mentoring support to a current program participant with physical disability looking to study in the sector. It is anticipated that this ongoing relationship will increase in employment opportunities for local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Relationships Over the next 12 months, EPIC commits to the following actions and deliverables. NumberActionDeliverables 1.1RAP Working Group actively monitors EPIC's RAP development, including implementation of actions, tracking progress and reporting 1.EPIC RAP Working Group will oversee the development, endorsement and launch of the RAP 2.EPIC RAP Working Group will meet at least twice per year to monitor and report on RAP implementation 1.2EPIC to investigate developing external relationships with a greater number of people, organisations and services 1.EPIC will develop a list of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, organisations and stakeholders within our local area or sphere of influence that we can approach to assist us in our understanding of the potential activities in our future RAP. 2.Each EPIC region will develop a specific, localised list of potential and existing relationships and partnerships (as per template provided). 1.3Celebrate National Reconciliation Week (NRW)1.EPIC employees will attend a community event in their region to recognise and celebrate NRW. In some cases there will be multiple events for each region. 1.4EPIC will raise internal awareness of the RAP with all employees1.A presentation on EPIC's RAP commitment will be given to all relevant areas of our business to ensure they have an understanding of how their area can contribute to the RAP. The presentation will be available in hard copy, soft copy, via organisation wide web conferencing and at Leadership Meetings. 2.EPIC will develop a plan that will be implemented throughout the organisation to raise awareness of RAP commitment, particularly with key internal stakeholders.

Respect Over the next 12 months, EPIC commits to the following actions and deliverables. NumberActionDeliverables 2.1 EPIC to investigate cultural development for employees and organisation 1.EPIC will capture baseline data on our employee’s current level of understanding around Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, cultures and contributions. This is to be done through CALD surveys and the outcomes of the surveys will be measured. 2.EPIC will develop a business case for cultural awareness based on the organisation’s core business with findings presented to the HR/Learning and Development area for their input. Employment Consultants will be engaged to deliver cultural awareness training in each region. 2.2Celebrate NAIDOC Week 1.EPIC employees will participate in a community NAIDOC Week event in their region. 2.3Raise internal understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander protocols 1.A plan will be developed to raise awareness within EPIC and to increase the understanding of the meaning and significance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander protocols to all employees, such as ‘Welcome to Country’ and ‘Acknowledgement of Country’.

Opportunity Over the next 12 months, EPIC commits to the following actions and deliverables. NumberActionDeliverables 3.1Consider Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment 1.EPIC will capture baseline data on current Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees to help inform future developments. 2.A business case for an increase in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment within EPIC will be developed. 3.2Consider supplier diversity 1.A business case for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander supplier diversity and how EPIC can develop an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander supplier diversity program will be developed. 2.Investigation will be completed into EPIC becoming a member of Supply Nation as a way to increase the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suppliers of products and services. 3.3Other opportunities for EPIC1.A paper will be presented to the organisation’s RAP Working Group outlining other opportunities identified as a result of consultation with internal and external stakeholders. This paper will assist in defining actions for future RAP development for EPIC.

Tracking Progress Over the next 12 months, EPIC commits to the following actions and deliverables. NumberActionDeliverables 4.1Build support for the EPIC RAP 1.Available resourcing for the EPIC Employment RAP will be defined. 2.EPIC will collect data to measure our progress and successes with cultural awareness and strategy implementation. 3.RAP Impact Measurement Questionnaire on EPIC's achievements will be submitted to Reconciliation Australia. 4.2 RAP Refresh1.EPIC will refresh and launch an updated RAP.

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