Interrelate’s Diversity and Inclusion Strategy has been developed in partnership with our staff. It demonstrates our commitment to action, focusing on Recruitment, Working Arrangements, Workplace Culture, Leadership and Communication.

Through this strategy we commit to taking up our social responsibility to make a positive contribution to social inclusion outcomes for the community in which we work and serve. To achieve excellence in the provision of services, we require a workforce that reflects the Australian community that we serve, a workplace which is inclusive and empowers everyone to contribute their best and services that are appropriate and accessible to a diverse community. Diversity in our workforce and appropriateness and accessibility of service delivery is not just a ‘nice to have’, it’s a business imperative and it’s everyone’s responsibility.

Innovation and adaptability is essential for our ongoing relevance as a service provider and diversity is central to this, it brings forth new and better ways of doing things, helps us to harness the benefits of knowledge and improve the efficiency and quality of our services. When we value diversity and inclusion in our workforce and services we see many benefits to our staff, services and the communities we serve and it is this potential we want to unleash through this plan.

What do we mean by diversity?
The concept of diversity encompasses acceptance and respect. It means understanding that everyone is unique and is about recognising and valuing our individual differences. It is about understanding and acknowledging that what is considered different is shaped by our context and our own social norms and is not fixed or permanent. The dimensions that diversity may refer to include, but are not limited to, gender; language; ethnicity; religious belief; cultural background; sexual orientation; age; family responsibilities; education; socioeconomic background; occupational status; disability.

What do we mean by inclusion?
Inclusion is the achievement of an environment in which all individuals are treated fairly and respectfully, have equal access to opportunities and resources, and can contribute fully to the organisation’s success. It is about giving equal access and chances, and getting rid of discrimination and intolerance, by removing the barriers that create undue effort and separation. It enables everyone to participate equally, confidently, and independently in workplace activities and opportunities. Find more tips on how we foster an accessible environment and empower outcomes for clients with disability.
 

Diversity and Inclusion

We acknowledge the Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first inhabitants of the nation and the traditional custodians of the lands where we work, learn and live. Interrelates vision for reconciliation is to recognise, respect and value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ cultures, history, needs and to celebrate their contributions and achievements. With this knowledge, we aim to ensure that all our services can enhance the wellbeing, safety and resilience of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, families and communities. We recognise that the Intergenerational trauma that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experience as a result of colonisation continues to be passed from generation to generation with devastating effects and we understand that addressing this trauma is central to healing for Indigenous people.

Download - Reconciliation Action Plan
DownloadAboriginal Employment Strategy



Australia has a culturally diverse population, and Interrelate services need to be inclusive of all families who are part of our multicultural society. The term “culturally and linguistically diverse” (CALD) is commonly used to describe people who have a cultural heritage different from that of most people from the dominant Anglo Australian culture. Interrelate is committed to build an effective organisation that is safe, responsive and culturally appropriate in meeting the needs of CALD staff, individuals, families and communities, by supporting the strengths that reside in those communities. To do this we need to recognise that people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds are all unique. There are many different cultural and ethnic groups, considerable diversity within each of these groups, as well as many other factors which affect each person’s identity, including people who may have a bicultural or multicultural heritage. It also requires the organisation to acknowledge and respect the individual rights of these individuals to practice their faith, cultural practices and customs and to embrace what makes us unique. 

Even though there is an increasing acceptance of LGBTI people in society and greater visibility in the media and public life, many LGBTI people still experience discrimination, harassment and violence at work, school and in social situations. Interrelate is committed to providing safe, accessible, inclusive, respectful and meaningful services to enhance the wellbeing of the LGBTI persons. Interrelate will address the discriminatory, attitudinal and social barriers affecting LGBTI individuals, families and communities. Interrelate acknowledges the historical and current human rights abuses against LGBTI people. As relationship experts we will stand alongside our LGBTI communities to address discrimination and promote respect and equity for ALL families. 

Staff Reference Group


Interrelate aspires to be a collegial and professional workplace that is welcoming and accepting of LGBTIQ staff members and accessible to LGBTIQ individuals, families and communities.

Interrelate is committed to providing accessible, inclusive, respectful and meaningful services to LGBTIQ persons and to providing a safe and inclusive work environment for staff who identify as LGBTIQ.

The LGBTIQ Staff Reference Group has been created to support Interrelate to meet our goal of organisational LGBTIQ inclusiveness including the delivery of culturally safe, accessible, inclusive and respectful services to the LGBTIQ community and staff. 

Interrelate is committed to working together with individuals, their support networks and other organisations to implement LGBTIQ inclusive practice, ensuring access and equity to services for people in the community who identify as LGBTIQ. 

The LGBTIQ Reference Group is representative of LGBTIQ people, ally’s and their families supporting the alignment of our work with accepted good practice. Reference Group members support LGBTIQ initiatives across our regions and contribute to the development of relationships with LGBTIQ networks, services and community groups. The aim is to broaden our connections and help raise awareness of LGBTIQ family and relationship issues both in the general community and among Interrelate staff members.

 



Disability is not restricted to those members of the community who are currently outside or on the fringes of the workforce. It is a normal part of the diversity of the existing workforce for every employer, including Interrelate. We need to consider that effective accommodation of disability has to be seen as part of the expectations of managing our workforce. People with disabilities add to the variety of viewpoints needed to be successful and bring effective solutions to today's professional challenges. The organisation and its work is made stronger when all segments of the population are included in the workforce and in the customer base. We need to understand the potential barriers and the facilitators that affect participation and limit the opportunity for people with a disability to engage in workplace activities.

Interrelate is committed to the attraction, recruitment and retention of people with disability. Our focus will be to provide universal access, remove barriers and learning and career advancement equality. We will implement a number of strategies and policies to encourage job applications from people with disability, andwant to be seen as an employer of choice for people with disability. 

In recent decades, women in Australia have made significant strides towards equality with men. At universities, in workplaces, in boardrooms and in government, a growing number of women have taken on leadership roles, forging pathways for other women and girls to follow.  Despite this progress, women and girls continue to experience inequality and discrimination in many important parts of their lives, which can limit the choices and opportunities available to them. Studies still determine there is an unequal distribution of household chores and caring roles dependent on gender and as a result woman are more impacted by Family / Work conflict. 

Violence against women remains as prevalent as it was twenty years ago. An estimated 1.2 million women in Australia over the age of 15 have experienced domestic or family violence, usually at the hands of a male partner. Almost two-thirds of women affected by domestic and family violence are in some form of paid employment. Given that poverty – or fear of poverty – is a major reason for victims and survivors remaining in violent or abusive relationships, the support and security that a woman receives from an employer can often make the difference. Addressing domestic and family violence as a workplace issue is an important part of ensuring gender equality in the work place.

Interrelate seeks to promote gender equality and counter discrimination, sexual harassment, violence against women and other barriers to gender equality, through the following policies, strategies and practices:

  • Policies - Recruitment, Performance Management, Training and Development, Sexual Harassment, Discrimination, Workplace Complaint Management
  • Strategies - Retention, Promotions, Talent Identification, Succession Planning, Remuneration, Family and Carer Responsibilities Strategy
  • Flexible Working Arrangements Strategy (flexible hours of work, compressed working weeks, TIL, telecommuting, PT work, job share arrangements)
  • Family and Carer Support Mechanisms (breastfeeding facilities, internal support networks for parents, information packs for new parents, referral services for new parents)
  • Family and Domestic Violence Strategy (EAP, staff training, workplace safety planning, paid F&DV Leave, flexible working arrangements, emergency accommodation assistance)
  • Purchased Additional Leave
  • Board – Formal Selection Strategy and targets for representation of women on the Board