Do something positive in your workplace

There are many ways you can do something positive in your workplace, regardless of the type of workplace you work in. You could engage and inform your colleagues about valuing diversity in your workplace, acknowledge the traditional owners of the land you work on when you have a meeting, and when you purchase items for your workplace, try to use Indigenous products when they are available.

Photo by ebby

1. Inform. Talk to your colleagues about Indigenous affairs, racism, Indigenous health crisis, Racism Makes Me Sick campaign, Reconciliation Action Plans, an Indigenous movie/book/album that you have. Try to encourage dialogue and discussion.
2. Engage. Organise a lunch time film viewing of an Indigenous movie that you have enjoyed/found informative. Facilitate a discussion or distribute relevant information after the movie (i.e. a factsheet, a copy of Koori Mail, campaign material).
3. HR. Take a look at your organisation’s human resources policies. Examine hiring practices to ensure equality of opportunity for all. Make suggestions about how these could be improved, particularly to encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment. Talk to likeminded colleagues to build support for change if needed.
4. Training. Suggest cross-cultural training for staff in your organisation – this would be both interesting and useful.
5. RAP it. Propose and lobby to ensure that your organisation completes a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).
6. Statements. Its important that organisational language and practices reflect strong anti-racism policies. Suggest or lead the development of clear policy statements against all forms of racial discrimination and define ways to make them work through cooperation and consensus.
7. Acknowledge. Start acknowledging the country and the traditional owners in all formal gatherings. An Acknowledgement of Country is a way that all people can show respect for Aboriginal culture and heritage and their ongoing relationship with the land.
8. All organisations. If you are a member of a union or another professional organisation, encourage awareness of Indigenous issues at your meetings. Suggestions could include guest speakers, film sessions, and information distribution.
9. Entertain. Employ Indigenous performers ands speakers for your business and community functions.

DO SOMETHING POSITIVE | At Home | At Work | At School | Within your Community | When you Shop

The Racism Makes Me Sick campaign is running in collaboration with The Body Shop, which is promoting the campaign from 21 April – 12 May 2008 as part of their commitment to defending human rights and promoting Reconciliation in Australia.