Focus area 1: Build awareness through access to information

Vision 1: Public sector leaders set the tone

Actions

  1. The Victorian Secretaries Board approves the disability employment action plan to meet targets and publicly commits to delivery
  2. Each Secretary and the Police Commissioner communicates commitments to the organisation and appoints a Deputy who is responsible for driving their organisational commitments and relevant whole-of-government actions
  3. Each Secretary and the Police Commissioner empowers a dedicated capability in each organisation to implement the disability employment action plan
  4. The Victorian Secretaries Board meets regularly to monitor progress, remove barriers and address risks

Outcomes

  • Commitment to the disability employment action plan is demonstrated at the highest level
  • The disability employment action plan is adopted as a component of core business
  • There is clear and transparent accountability for commitments and actions

Vision 2: The public sector is an employer of choice for people with disability

Actions

  1. Implement a strong communications, marketing and engagement plan
    Share employee stories, explain benefits and build community trust in the VPS being a great place for people with disability to workRegularly report progress under the plan and replicate success stories
  2. Develop and implement an online access and inclusion toolkit
    Create an online repository of disability employment action plan resources for existing and prospective employees

Outcomes

  • Increased disability confidence and awareness across the public sector
  • Job seeker information available in accessible format
  • The Victorian community can access reports and view progress against the plan

Vision 3: The workplace culture embraces the contributions and talents of people with disability

Actions

  1. Implement disability awareness and confidence training for all levels of the VPS
    Address barriers to employment related to the lack of disability experience, awareness and confidenceEmpower all employees to identify and challenge negative stereotypes and promote positive attitudes towards people with disability
  2. Partner with and support the Enablers Network to drive cultural change
    Collaborate to foster new thinking and practice to progress our objective of becoming disability-confident
  3. Establish a Disability Employment Community of Practice
    Set up a dedicated network that shares knowledge, experience and resources related to disability employment

Outcomes

  • Employees demonstrate understanding, confidence and capability to employ and support people with disability
  • Workplace expectations of employees with disability are met

 

Focus area 2: Attract and recruit people with disability

Vision 4: Interview and selection approaches result in more people with disability being hired

Actions

  1. Review and refresh recruitment and selection policies
    Revisit the approach to attraction strategies, position descriptions and selection criteria and introduce inclusive measures (for example, explicitly encouraging people with disability to apply)
  2. Scope new recruitment models for candidates who require alternative methods of assessment
    Consider recruitment models such as RecruitAbility, offering a fast track to interview, work experience, role matching to skills and capability (for example, job-carving and job sharing)

Outcomes

  • Increased awareness and understanding of diverse and flexible recruitment and selection options that enable the employment of people with disability
  • Hiring managers and human resources practitioners are confident and empowered to hire candidates with disability
  • Processes and practices are more accessible to candidates with disability, resulting in more people with disability being interviewed and selected

Vision 5: There is a pool of people with disability ready and willing to work in the public sector

Actions

  1. Increase access to the candidate pool by exploring the opportunity for a VPS-wide arrangement with a disability-confident vendor
    Source suitable candidates and ensure recruitment agencies select short-listed candidates through non-discriminatory practices
  2. Explore and scope the development of a VPS disability capability framework
    Outline the knowledge, skills and capabilities to build disability confidence

Outcomes

  • The VPS has access to a wide pool of candidates with disability across all levels
  • Employees with disability receive support from disability employment agencies to ensure success in the workplace
  • There are sufficient candidates to meet the targets

Vision 6: People with disability are employed at all levels

Actions

  1. Ensure equitable access to all roles flex by VPS employees with disability
    Share information, good practice and tools developed by departments
  2. Implement more pathways into the public sector for people with disability
    Introduce a disability pathway for the Graduate Recruitment and Development Scheme
    and scope dedicated pathways to work experience and the Youth Employment Scheme
  3. Implement and expand the commitment to targeted employment programs
    Scale the Department of Health and Human Services RISE Program and the
    Australian Network on Disability Stepping Into Internship program

Outcomes

  • All employees are empowered to identify and challenge negative stereotypes and promote positive attitudes towards disability
  • Employees with disability feel welcome and have the support they need to ensure equal participation in the workplace
  • Candidates with disability are supported into the right roles at the right time
    Employees with disability are in roles that suit their knowledge, skills and expertise

 

Focus area 3: Support employees with disability

Vision 7: People with disability are supported to realise their full potential

Actions

  1. Implement career development opportunities and leadership development pathways
    Focus on all levels for career development and VPS6 employees and above for leadership development
  2. Provide mentoring opportunities for employees with disability at all levels
    Create an opt-in initiative to support the professional development of employees

Outcomes

  • Increased employment of people with disability across all levels of the public sector
  • Increased employee satisfaction and engagement for people with disability
  • The public sector brand is enhanced as an employer of choice

Vision 8: The public sector is a safe and inclusive environment for employees with disability

Actions

  1. Scope the implementation of a workplace adjustment passport and other new initiatives
    Explore potential initiatives including keep in touch days for disability-related leave or donated sick leave
  2. Scope an accessibility reporting tool for VPS employees with disability
    Scope the development of a tool to record and address barriers to participation in the workplace
  3. Ensure employee assistance programs are disability-confident
    Scope the development of key attributes required for a disability-confident employee assistance program

Outcomes

  • People with disability feel confident bringing their whole self to work and have access to the right support and flexibility to perform at their best
  • Increased employment outcomes for people with disability across all levels of the public sector
  • Employment targets are met by VPS departments and Victoria PoliceWorkplace expectations of employees with disability (such as increased workplace engagement and satisfaction) are met

Reviewed 30 August 2022

Published 30 August 2022