The Victorian Transport Portfolio Aboriginal Cultural Safety Framework
Victorian Department of Transport
Who funded the project
Karabena was engaged by the Victorian Department of Transport (the Department) to develop an Aboriginal Cultural Safety Framework (the Framework) for the entire Victorian Transport Portfolio (the Portfolio), consisting of more than 30 separate and variably interconnected agencies.
Karabena undertook the following activities to inform the development of the Framework:
A review of existing literature
An audit of Portfolio policies made available to us, and the legislative context within which the Framework must sit
Co-designed consultation guides with the Department’s Aboriginal Self Determination Review Board
Survey of staff across the Portfolio
A workshop with Traditional Owners
Interviews with First Nations staff of all levels, and non-Indigenous executive staff across the Portfolio
Drawing from the above activities, Karabena delivered the following outputs for the Department’s review and consideration in informing the principles of the Framework:
Literature Review report
Policy Audit report
Consultation Plan
A report on survey outcomes
A report on the qualitative review of interviews
An outline of the Framework
The Aboriginal Cultural Safety Framework
Summary
The aim of the project was to develop an Aboriginal Cultural Safety Framework for the entire Victorian Transport Portfolio, under the oversight of the Department’s Aboriginal Self Determination and Reform Branch (ASDRB).
The framework seeks to:
Promote the Department’s, and the Transport Portfolio’s, commitment to providing a culturally safe environment for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, including employees and community.
Identify purpose, vision, and guiding principles to underpin the framework.
Determine key thematic/focus areas that contribute to the fundamental changes required for the Department and the Transport Portfolio to build on the fundamentals of being a culturally responsive and inclusive department; and
Contribute to supporting the interests and aspirations of Victoria’s Traditional Owners and Aboriginal Victorian communities.
Project Aims
To develop the Aboriginal Cultural Safety Framework, the following approach was taken:
Co-developed the project methodology with the ASDRB
Conducted an audit of relevant policies and practices made available to us from across the Portfolio
Delivered an Audit Report to the ASDRB for their consideration of directions for the framework
Undertook a survey of staff across the Portfolio
Conducted semi-structured interviews with First Nations, non-Indigenous and Executive staff across the Portfolio
Facilitated a workshop with Traditional Owner groups
Delivered a thematic analysis of consultation outcomes and a draft outline of the framework, including strategic directions for the consideration of the ASDRB
Delivered the framework that responded to the project aims, informed by the audit and consultations.
Methodologies
In the undertaking of this project, Karabena delivered the following outputs to the Department’s ASDRB:
Literature review and policy audit report
Thematic analysis of consultation outcomes
Cultural Safety Framework
Outputs