Diversity and Inclusion Steering Committee
Creating culturally safe and inclusive workplaces in the Victorian water sector
Celebrating National Reconciliation Week Victorian water corporations are working to develop their knowledge of Aboriginal culture and make sure they are culturally safe and inclusive by using cultural awareness training and other actions detailed in their Reconciliation Action Plans and/or Diversity & Inclusion strategies and plans. Several water corporations use cultural awareness training to help…
Read MoreIncreasing Aboriginal inclusion in the Victorian water sector
Several water corporations, including Barwon Water, Gippsland Water, Yarra Valley Water, East Gippsland Water, Goulburn Valley Water, Coliban Water, Lower Murray Water, Central Highlands Water, South East Water, Melbourne Water and Westernport Water, have committed to sponsoring Aboriginal people in their vocational education by providing internal traineeships and/or supporting students to attain formal qualifications. Sam…
Read MoreIncorporating Traditional Owner ecological knowledge and cultural values in Victorian waterways
Victorian Traditional Owners have managed land and water sustainably for thousands of generations. The Victorian water sector is working with Traditional Owner groups across the state to incorporate their ecological knowledge and cultural values in water planning and management. Aboriginal Waterway Assessments (AWA) are an important tool to help incorporate traditional ecological knowledge into water…
Read MoreIDAHOBIT
Join Pride in Water to celebrate IDAHOBIT and LGBTIQ+ inclusion in the water industry International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia & Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) celebrates LGBTIQ+ people globally, and raises awareness for the work still needed to support the LGBTIQ+ community. On IDAHOBIT (May 17), people all over the world stand against discrimination in support of…
Read MoreEver heard of Ellen Swallow Richards?
You might never have heard of Ellen Swallow Richards, but her work in water quality analysis and sanitation engineering was both pioneering and game changing. Discover the true story of this amazing woman in Tanya Ha’s latest article. Read more
Read MoreIncreased representation and opportunities
Many Victorian water corporations have established traineeships or internships to encourage and support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people into water sector jobs. While there is still more work to be done, increased representation on water corporation boards is providing greater visibility of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people within the industry, and leadership cultural…
Read MoreCreating an Inclusive Environment
The focus for industry action is on creating safe and inclusive workplaces that make employees feel confident and comfortable to identify as LGBTIQ+. Water corporations are doing this through a combination of awareness training, celebration days, and executive sponsorship. All 19 water corporations supported the launch of the Pride in Water network. The value of…
Read MoreFlexible workplaces supporting parents and carers
The link between having caring responsibilities and having flexible work arrangements is not always clearly identified. However all Victorian water corporations have established policies and procedures around parental or carers’ leave which is a relevant indicator of industry progress. In addition, some water corporations have specific programs in place to support employees on extended carers’…
Read MoreMore focus needed to reach targets
Despite the progress that has been achieved to date, we know that a more dedicated focus is needed if the industry is to reach the 10% collective target for disability. Work is progressing through VicWater to set up ‘WaterAble’, a network for people with disabilities and their allies to promote and support disability inclusion and…
Read MorePride in Water at Midsumma
Celebrating LGBTIQ+ inclusion in the water industry On Sunday 2 February we joined around 60 people in the first industry-wide contingent at the 25th annual Midsumma Pride March in St Kilda. With our brand new Pride in Water t-shirts and banner, you can see we made quite a splash! The Pride in Water network is…
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