Highlights across our work

We assisted older people to take part in the things that are meaningful and purposeful to them via different supports in different places – at home, in the community or in residential care. At our Clifton Hill Residential Aged Care Facility, up to 110 older people – many from backgrounds of disadvantage – had a place to call home and enjoyed our welcoming communal spaces, nutritional meals prepared by an onsite chef, and making connections with other residents and the broader community. Our social hubs were also another way for older people to make friends and boost their wellbeing, with recreational activity programs offered in five locations across Melbourne.

BSL has been working hard to ensure the learnings and improvements from the Royal Commission into Aged Care are implemented across our aged care services.  In our residential care services, we’ve supported our residents through a change in funding models  and taken part in new reporting to government to ensure we are meeting our obligations. This includes improved processes for gaining direct resident feedback on how we can improve and ensuring we have the right qualified staff to maintain quality outcomes.  Across community aged care, we’ve also made changes to the way we communicate service fees and get direct feedback on service quality. We will continue to grow and reshape our services to better meet the needs of older people in our communities.

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In February 2023 we were delighted to finally mark the official launch of our BSL Clifton Hill Residential Aged Care Facility by the Federal Assistant Minister for Aged Care, The Hon Ged Kearney. The state-of-the-art facility started welcoming residents back in March 2020 and was designed to support older people’s wellbeing by providing quality accommodation and 24/7 nursing support.

It was an honour to have Wurundjeri Elder, Uncle Bill Nicholson, perform the Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony, with the Assistant Minister giving an inspiring speech about BSL’s longstanding achievements in aged care, and outlining the government’s agenda for aged care reform. The day was a true celebration of the many people involved in bringing this residence to life, and we look forward to it being an important part of our community for years to come.

During Intergenerational Week in April, students from the local primary school visited residents in our Clifton Hill Residential Aged Care Facility. As a special treat, our team organised a petting zoo to come along, which was enjoyed by the school kids and older residents alike.

These celebrations came on the back of regular visits from Clifton Hill Primary School students to the residence throughout the year. Through these visits, older people and school students have been able to learn and share new things, make friends of different ages, and get involved with their community.

BSL’s Critical Interim Support program provides immediate case management services to help vulnerable and socially isolated older people in Melbourne with limited or no supports, and who may experience deep socioeconomic disadvantage.

Demand for the program has been strong, highlighting the need for the initiative across our communities. Since 1 September 2022 to 31 August 2023 we’ve worked with 119 people, bringing the total number of people we’ve supported to 268 across the three years we’ve delivered the program. With our well-established partner networks and community connections, most referrals have come from aged care assessment teams, hospitals and health professionals. We are also working closely with Carer Finders providers as they support people needing mostly navigation and connection, while we focus on those who also need intensive case management support.

Of the 87 people who have been provided with support:

50 were discharged from our program and now receive a Home Care Package

7 were supported to transition to residential aged care

27 were referred to specialist supports, such as elder abuse and substance supports, or reconnected with family and friends

In September, we were one of only 100 invitees asked to take part in the federal government’s Jobs and Skills Summit in Canberra. To bring the wisdom of lived experience into the room, we supported two of our participants, Nathan Carolus and Shaima Hussain, to share their stories courageously with all attendees, and to speak privately with Australia’s Prime Minister and Treasurer.

Our Executive Director, Travers McLeod, also helped advocate for change by speaking on building better pathways for economic and social participation. These presentations, along with the research and policy work we brought to the summit, have helped spark government action to open up more training and jobs opportunities for more people.  

Federal Budget outcomes following summit and other advocacy:

In January 2023, we hosted the Workforce Australia Employment Parliamentary Committee to visit and meet participants of our SEED (Sustaining Economic Empowerment and Dignity) project in Seymour, a BSL initiative giving local women free support to get ahead financially.

The committee’s experiences hearing first-hand about the positive impact of this voluntary employment engagement program, combined with our submission highlighting the shortcomings of existing compliance program ParentsNext, helped pave the way for a new direction in getting people back to work. In an example of our advocacy in action, the federal government has now decided to abolish ParentsNext in 2024 and replace it with a voluntary program – supporting our long-term goal to empower people to join the workforce with confidence.

In June 2023 the Victorian Minister for Women, The Hon Natalie Hutchins, launched a report using Seymour as a case study that highlights how women's economic security is deeply affected by where they live, and how they're connected. It provides insights about adopting a gender lens and flipping the narrative from focusing on disadvantage to building opportunity. There was strong interest in how this research approach could be used to investigate circumstances in other towns and regions.

In April 2023, the first report of the federal government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee was released and included some crucial recommendations ahead of the May Federal Budget. With our Executive Director an appointed member of the committee, BSL’s insights and research informed a range of recommendations to help people afford the basics of life, overcome barriers to employment and inclusion, and get local support where they need it. We also enabled the committee to hear directly from people about their lived experience, such as the choices they faced between paying for medicine or electricity bills. The report and our advocacy through various media were critical in elevating the conversation across Australia and supporting better outcomes for people living in poverty, including an increase to the JobSeeker rate in the Federal Budget.

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We were invited to join with early childhood experts, academics, government and other community organisations to share our collective vision for change at the federal government’s Early Years Summit in Canberra, in February 2023. Recognising that strong and secure childhood experiences are a launchpad for better lives, we took the opportunity to contribute our knowledge of what’s needed to ensure every child in Australia has the best possible start. A particular focus was bringing to the table our expertise in working with children and families experiencing disadvantage, and what it will take to get the right support to those who need it most. The insights shared will contribute to the government’s Early Years Strategy, set to be released later in 2023.

As part of its commitment to lifting student outcomes across Australia’s schools, the Australian Government is leading a review to inform the next National School Reform Agreement (NSRA). In recognition of BSL’s expertise across policy and research as well as on-the-ground service delivery, our Executive Director was appointed in May 2023 to join the Reference Group providing advice to guide the review. Reform priorities will be advised later in 2023. The next NSRA will be agreed in 2024, following collaboration and consultation across the country, including with communities experiencing disadvantage.

In June we held our first ever three-day expo at Victoria’s Parliament House. Attendees, including government ministers, shadow ministers, backbenchers and the public, came to the iconic Queen’s Hall to learn about our programs and services across all life stages. This was also the first week Parliament House had been open to the public since COVID-19 restrictions ceased. We hosted a series of events including panel discussions on social procurement with civil engineering company Fulton Hogan, and with the Grattan Institute and the Victorian Council of Social Service about how we can partner together and with government for a poverty-free Victoria.

Another highlight was ministers launching reports from our Social Policy and Research Centre (SPARC) – the first on user experiences of digital platforms in the NDIS market, and the second on creating opportunity through initiatives like our women’s economic security projects in Seymour (SEED). This was a successful week in our policy and advocacy work, and we look forward to building on the opportunities created by the expo to work with government in continuing to drive lasting change and reshape our communities for the better.

A major achievement was the return of our Tucker Oration in May, celebrating the legacy of BSL’s founder, Father Gerard Tucker. Our chaplain Reverend Dr Michelle Trebilcock spoke on the topic of Faith and Justice in a Secular Age, challenging everyone to continue to put people at the centre with grace and humility.

BSL took over leadership of the Anglicare Australia Chaplains and Parish Partnership Network in 2022, focusing on supporting collaborations and conversations across all the Anglicare Australia agencies nationwide. This peer network opens opportunities to learn from one another, grow best practice, and learn more about other initiatives that help drive change.

We’ve also been working closely with parishes in Melbourne to assist their partners in getting involved in the social justice space, through the Diocese and Parish Partnerships program. Our focus is on supporting parishes working with grassroots groups to set up initiatives for change in their own patch.

As well as our regular BSL site visits, workshops and pastoral care, we also held many special events to bring people together. In October 2022 we celebrated the animals in our lives at our annual ‘Blessing of the Pets’ event, where staff brought their furry friends along. We also held ‘Eggster’ interfaith services across our aged care and community hub centres in April, inviting people to share their stories through the symbolism of the egg.  

Other highlights included our weekly church services attended by over 20 people each week at Clifton Hill Residential Aged Care Facility, creating important opportunities for communal reflection. We also held a commemorative service for Anzac Day and a memorial service honouring lost loved ones for All Saints' Day in November, along with other events at Banksia Carrum Downs and Frankston.

In collaboration with other local ministers, our chaplaincy team supported an event in April to mark the first ever 8-hour day march and strike held back in April 1856 – beginning a movement advocating for fair working hours and conditions. Held at the Victorian State Library, we heard powerful speeches from esteemed panellists across different industries, including Dr Mark Zirnsak (Uniting Vic.Tas), Patty Kinnersly (Our Watch), Emma Dawson (Per Capita Australia), and Dr Jeff Sparrow (The University of Melbourne), facilitated by Melbourne’s Deputy Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece. We then marched alongside academics, government officials, and workers’ rights representatives to the 8-hour day monument opposite Victorian Trades Hall, as part of our longer-term strategy to raise the public conversation about decent and secure work with a liveable wage for all.

HIPPY (Home Interaction Program for Parents and Youngsters) is a free two-year early-learning program – and in 2023 we celebrate turning 25! HIPPY is now in over 100 Australian communities experiencing high disadvantage, helping give parents and carers the confidence and tools to get their children ready for a great start to school and engage in learning. The program also employs tutors who have been parent participants in HIPPY themselves, setting them up with skills and opportunities for work.

In another key achievement, our funding was extended by the Commonwealth Department of Social Services to continue to deliver HIPPY across Australia, including in First Nations communities. We’ve since been transitioning the program to focus more on younger ages at 3 and 4 years, recognising this critical period of development and supporting families to get connected earlier with children’s services.

We worked with Monterey Secondary College in Frankston North to deliver an Engagement Program – a targeted, local community initiative to support disengaged students to have better education outcomes and avoid entering the youth justice system. Through flexible support delivered directly on the school grounds, we’ve helped students stay connected and overcome barriers to education.

We also supported the Frankston North community through the Enhancement Activities project, working with schools across the region to boost parent involvement and student participation. This initiative has helped improve academic progress, lift attendance, and open opportunities for students and parents alike. By 2025 this program will transition to be managed by the school, which is a great outcome for all involved.

Our Family Learning Support program works with families from diverse backgrounds living in public housing estates across Melbourne’s inner north and west. In partnership with the Victorian Department of Education and local children’s and education services, we helped families overcome barriers to participation through one-on-one home learning sessions, local playgroups, and tailored support to access services.

One of the signature features of our program is our bicultural workforce model, recruiting from the communities we serve to create a culturally safe environment and help boost participation. In Mernda we hosted local State MP for Yan Yean, Lauren Kathage, for her first visit to the Jindi Child and Family Centre. Lauren had the chance to meet parents involved in our playgroup and discuss the key issues impacting local communities, as well as hear about the strengths and aspirations of local families.

We’ve continued to explore new ways for our sector to better support children and families from diverse backgrounds. Since 2001, we’ve been delivering cross-cultural training to early childhood and service providers to help them develop a deep understanding about the cultural and racial dignity of children and families. Over that time, we’ve trained more than 1000 participants across Victoria, helping embed culturally safe practices and make services welcoming places for everyone.

We’ve also worked to improve inclusion by increasing culturally diverse representation in the early childhood workforce, through initiatives such as our Early Years Bicultural Mentorship Pilot. With the pilot supporting bicultural people experiencing disadvantage to take up roles in the early childhood sector, we’ve helped build a more culturally diverse workforce and supported people facing barriers to employment to kickstart their careers.

We helped bring children and their families together at our playgroups across Melbourne, creating a safe space to meet, share and support one another. At our Jindi Family and Community Centre, families took part in activities led by qualified early childhood staff and volunteers and were referred to other early years services for further support where needed.

We also helped people from diverse backgrounds connect through our Family Learning Multicultural Playgroup, assisting parents to support their children’s development in a culturally appropriate environment. As part of our commitment to employing people from the communities we’re working in, several of those who had attended playgroup as parents in the past were given roles as session coordinators, helping many take their first step into a paid job.

We again helped create positive change in the lives of people with disability through both our Local Area Coordination (LAC) and the Early Childhood Approach (ECA) services. These services assisted eligible people with disability to access supports through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), and connected people with disability to other supports and services – even if they weren’t participants in the NDIS. By drawing on people’s strengths and focusing on what was important to them, we helped people with disability build their skills, grow their confidence, and boost their participation across their communities.

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A key focus is setting up relationships in local communities that can help promote inclusion, improve accessibility of services, and grow the knowledge base of other providers to better support people with disability. One of the ways we made this happen was through co-location of our services at 19 partner locations such as neighbourhood houses and community health centres, as well as specialist legal, First Nations, and employment services. We’ve also helped strengthen local capacity by collaborating regularly at over 50 network meetings, working groups and communities of practice, finding new ways to achieve more together.

In late 2022 we released our inaugural Disability Action Plan (DAP), setting out a long-term commitment to access and inclusion, and our next steps for creating positive impact for people with disability. The plan was co-authored by Joshua Morgan, BSL’s Diversity and Inclusion Lead, whose lived experience as a blind person brought specialist insights into how we can improve access and inclusion for people with disability across BSL and the broader community.

Our social enterprises have helped make change in ways that match the unique needs of the different communities they serve – ranging from corporate volunteering collaborations, to lending op shop clothes to our David Scott School for students to learn about dressing for job interviews. Creating pathways to participation has been another key focus, with many people getting their start in the workforce through volunteering or employment at our social enterprises. This support includes partnering with students with disability from Melbourne Polytechnic to work in our op shop warehouses, equipping participants with practical, hands-on skills for work and life.

Our Brotherhood Books warehouse receives tens of thousands of donated books every year, but in early 2023 we inadvertently received a piece of long-lost family history. It was a diary written by Digger James Leslie Robinson starting in 1916, which had been mistakenly given to BSL with other books for donation. Thanks to a feature story in The Age, the diary was eventually reunited with its rightful owners, and will be cherished by James’s family for generations to come.

It was another year of milestones for our op shops as we expanded our network, partnering with our communities to bring new stores to new locations. We opened a new store in Mill Park, and our highly successful Grovedale store moved to a bigger location in Belmont where it continues to thrive.

We also welcomed a very special addition in March 2023, when the op shop at St Bartholomew’s Anglican Church, Burnley, began running in partnership with BSL. A smoking ceremony marked the official opening of the destination store, with the historic site featuring an unusual blend of Art Deco influences, beautiful stained-glass windows and a belltower.

We worked to influence policies and practices across the big issues that have the most impact on people facing poverty and disadvantage. Key areas of research and policy focus included climate change and energy equity, economic security and employment to create pathways out of poverty and building inclusive communities where everyone can thrive. By lifting the profile of the challenges that matter, we’ve helped mount the case for practical change that has a real-life impact on people right across Australia.

People experiencing disadvantage are hit hardest by climate change and soaring energy costs – which is why we’ve been helping ease pressures for those impacted most. In 2022 we released our foundational Power Pain report uncovering energy stress in Australia and setting out recommendations for policy change. We engaged with Commonwealth and state governments, and the Essential Service Commission, on the report findings, with the report covered in various media throughout the country, helping lift the conversation on key energy issues and highlighting the growth of ‘energy poverty’.

We were also a community outreach partner in the Victorian Government’s Power Saving Bonus initiative, assisting people without internet access or with language/digital literacy barriers to apply. In April 2023 we were delighted to host a visit and media conference for the Premier of Victoria and the Minister for Energy to mark the milestone of 1 million Victorians claiming the bonus across the life of the program, helping households throughout the state bring their energy bills down.

What we’ve thought about volunteering in the past has changed. Now, people can volunteer in all sorts of ways – and new opportunities are coming all the time. In the past year, our volunteers have contributed their time and expertise across many different roles – including providing professional advice and expertise on our Board, tutoring students, giving older people companionship, and coming alongside our community as business mentors for women from migrant backgrounds.

As well as making a big difference to other people’s lives, getting involved has also had a significant impact on volunteers themselves. A big focus for BSL is equipping people to get ahead, and we’ve continued to support volunteers into different opportunities to gain new skills, grow connections, and use their experience as a pathway into paid employment.

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At BSL, volunteers are an essential part of our team in helping us to shape change. Our volunteers make up nearly 40% of BSL’s workforce and are passionate advocates for doing what’s needed to end poverty and disadvantage in Australia.

In recognition of the power of volunteering, we’ve been exploring new ways to grow volunteering opportunities. We’re continuing to build on our volunteer engagement strategy to include volunteering across every part of BSL. We want volunteering to remain at the heart of our culture and central to what we do, with everyone who wants to be involved given the opportunity to contribute and be part of advancing BSL’s vision and purpose.

Volunteer contributions vary from serving breakfast to primary school students, teaching computer skills to those experiencing digital disadvantage, tutoring English to migrants and refugees, sharing workforce skills with long-term job seekers, giving advice and guidance to BSL’s research and advocacy efforts, offering companionship to the elderly and so much more.

Why people want to volunteer at BSL*:

*Source: Better Impact Data Management System, survey of active volunteers and applicants across 2022–2023 financial year.

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In May 2023 we celebrated National Volunteer Week, where the theme was ‘The Change Makers’ – a perfect fit for our vision and mission at BSL. Across the week we took part in many different activities and events to honour our volunteers, including flipping pancakes with corporate volunteers from Herbert Smith Freehills at the Fitzroy Breakfast Club, and getting involved in the celebrations across our BSL op shops.

We were also delighted to take the opportunity to present our Years of Service awards to recognise our long-serving volunteers. Janette Goulas was honoured with an award for volunteering in our Bentleigh op shop for 20 years, with 69 other award recipients also recognised – a remarkable achievement!

Our successful Given the Chance program built on its impressive track record, again helping job seekers facing disadvantage get a foothold into paid employment. This year the program celebrated 15 years of partnership with ANZ, with over 370 people offered placements in that time – and around 60% going on to permanent roles. We also grew our national impact by expanding the program beyond Victoria to include New South Wales and Tasmania.

Another major highlight was building on the Given the Chance model to create a specific employment program for people with disability. Known as Chance for All, this pilot program in partnership with ANZ helped people with disability across Victoria and Tasmania find pathways to inclusive, accessible work. 

We assisted people to boost their job prospects and become more financially secure through our financial inclusion programs that work with people on low incomes to enhance their economic security and financial wellbeing. Our BSL Jobs Victoria program again helped thousands of job seekers with multiple barriers to employment to find decent, sustainable work. With our team speaking over 30 languages, we provided intensive support in a culturally appropriate way.

In more recognition of our success working with the most vulnerable job seekers in priority places, we were also granted an extension in funding for our Work and Learning Centres. With a strong partnership model at the core, these centres are setting the benchmark for innovation in job support – positioning us as a trusted voice to help guide government reforms and shape the future of employment services.

After sharing our insights at the federal government’s Jobs and Skills Summit, we were invited to make a submission to guide the development of the government’s Employment White Paper. We took the opportunity to recommend a refocus on improved employment and training services, with a priority to build empowering pathways for participation that shift away from compliance. Our submission drew on the ability and experience of people and teams from right across BSL, highlighting our breadth of knowledge and value in helping set the national agenda. To accompany the submission, our Youth Advisers also prepared a video calling on government to centre young people’s voices, think locally and be bold.

We called for critical reforms as part of the federal government’s Inquiry into Workforce Australia Employment Services, raising our voice to reshape the system to better support people into decent work. This advocacy included making a submission to the inquiry and empowering people with first-hand experiences of employment services to speak directly with members of the Workforce Australia Parliamentary Committee, sharing their stories to help inform the way forward.

This work was on top of our submission to the inquiry looking specifically at ParentsNext as an ineffective and compliance-driven program, and our recommendations for a voluntary employment program instead like BSL’s SEED (Sustaining Economic Empowerment and Dignity) initiative. We also hosted a visit to Seymour for the Parliamentary Committee to hear about the positive impact of SEED directly from participants, helping lay the foundations for the federal government’s decision to abolish ParentsNext.

BSL continues to play a key role in supporting the development and delivery of Education First Youth Foyers, which are integrated learning and accommodation centres that provide young people at risk of homelessness with stable accommodation as a foundation for engagement in education and employment. As part of our focus on evidence-based ways of working, we’ve been partnering with organisations delivering Education First Youth Foyers across Victoria and Tasmania to support the delivery of an evidence-informed model and help ground their work in ‘Advantaged Thinking’ – an approach that builds on and invests in young people’s strengths.

In the last year, Anglicare Tasmania ran three Youth to Independence facilities that delivered an Education First Youth Foyer model, with the Tasmanian Government now committing to building two more Youth Foyers in recognition of their success. In Victoria BSL also continued to deliver three Education First Youth Foyers across the state, supporting up to 120 young people at any time to get the help they needed to find their way forward. The Victorian Government has also announced investment in two more Education First Youth Foyers in regional Victoria.

The National Youth Employment Body (NYEB) brings together people and organisations to drive systemic change to enable all young people to achieve meaningful work and build a skilled workforce for employers. At a national level, leaders advocate for reform and change the narrative around young people in Australia. At a local level, employers, young people, the community and skills and training providers collaborate to develop and own solutions that are right for their communities.

In response to Federal Treasury’s call for their insights and ideas, the NYEB and BSL sent collaborative submissions to the White Paper and the House Select Committee on Workforce Australia last year. Our NYEB Youth Advisers prepared a video to accompany the White Paper submission, calling on government to centre young people’s voices, think locally and be bold.

With funding support from the Paul Ramsay Foundation, Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation, Macquarie Group Foundation and Ian Potter Foundation, the NYEB drew on the strength of local expertise in nine youth unemployment hotspots across Australia. These are in Frankston Mornington Peninsula, Hume and Warrnambool Moyne (VIC), Logan-Beaudesert and Gold Coast (QLD), Adelaide – North and South (SA), Greater Darwin (NT), Shoalhaven and Eurobodalla (NSW). At these sites, we supported Community Investment Committees (CICs) that brought together local employers, industry representatives, skills and training providers, young people, and community and government agencies, to create strategies and opportunities to help young people into decent jobs and strengthen the local workforce.

The Gold Coast CIC has been leading efforts to improve employer practice and inspire organisational change for meaningful investment in young people. Its Employer Champion Toolkit was launched in a major event in September 2022 with 117 local and national stakeholders in attendance from employment services, the youth and community sector, education, and all levels of government.

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BSL’s work with young people is grounded in an ‘Advantaged Thinking’ approach, where we build on and invest in the capabilities and aspirations of each young person to help create the life they want. As leaders in this area, we look to shift away from problem-focused thinking and towards a future that invests and believes in young people.

Our Youth Advisers are a perfect example of this theory in action. Over the past year, 13 Youth Advisers have led the way by guiding our work in the youth and employment space and advocating directly with government and other decision makers. In another highlight, our Youth Advisory Group was honoured as a finalist in the 2022 Hume Young Leaders Awards – recognising its achievements supporting young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds to shape their path.

Our Building Youth Pathways program worked with 143 young people to help them reach their career goals and grow their skills for work or further learning. Drawing on our strong partnerships with employers from industries across Victoria, young people were given the chance to experience different career paths, build their community networks, and become work ready. In the past year, 105 young people took up employment opportunities through the program.

A key partnership was with Jayco, a caravanning supplier looking to boost its workforce and fill skills gaps in its team. We collaborated with Jayco in both Frankston and Dandenong to create a training and employment program that works for both young people and the business, supporting young people to get their foot in the door with practical experience and growing the Jayco workforce.

For families facing long-term unemployment or without experience of the Australian work system, it can be hard to know what’s needed to get their kids into work. We’ve helped take down these barriers with our BSL Jobs Victoria First Jobs project – a community-based program supporting young people who have never worked to get their first job. In the past year, 35 young people from diverse backgrounds registered to learn practical skills like creating a resume, applying for jobs, and interview techniques – helping them understand the process and step confidently into the world of work.

Our David Scott School in Frankston delivers an alternative education program in a friendly community setting. It offers the equivalent of years 11 and 12 for young people who have become disengaged from school, to put them on the path to achieving their life goals.

With a history of improving the outcomes of young people experiencing disadvantage through education, we were delighted to welcome Michael Scicluna as the new principal at the start of the 2023 school year. Building on our strong track record of creating a safe and inclusive learning community, Michael is continuing the school’s impact in helping young people reconnect to their education, communities and futures.

We believe an enshrined Indigenous Voice to Parliament would create lasting impact for all Australians, which is why we’ve worked hard over the last year to build understanding and support for constitutional change. In late 2022, our Sambell Oration – which throws the spotlight on an important social justice issue affecting Australia – focused on how the Uluru Statement from the Heart was created through extensive consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, with presentations from two of its key architects, Aunty Pat Anderson AO and Professor Megan Davis.

Other ways we supported the initial call for change included appointing a Voice to Parliament Engagement Coordinator, hosting a BSL Talks event to engage multicultural communities, getting involved in the Yes23 campaign and attending their launch event in Adelaide, hosting a briefing by Together Yes on upskilling our staff to run ‘kitchen table conversations’, developing education and awareness resources for staff and program participants, signing the Digital Uluru Statement Canvas, and networking with other changemakers nationwide to amplify our campaign.

Launched in 2021, we’re now entering the final year of our Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) – a dynamic, nationally recognised framework to support our reconciliation journey with Australia’s First Nations people. Over the RAP’s span so far, we’ve been working to support culturally safe services and sites, increase BSL’s growing staff and community awareness of First Nations cultures and issues, lift First Nations representation across our team, and drive long-lasting change that improves outcomes for all First Nations people – now and in generations to come.

Some of our highlights in helping achieve our plan:

• Celebrating National Reconciliation Week – BSL hosted more than six major events encouraging everyone to be a voice for reconciliation, including a barbecue at iconic Charcoal Lane, Fitzroy, and a guided yidaki (didgeridoo) meditation session in our NDIS offices in Preston. All staff attended at least two events internally or externally.
• Starting a BSL First Nations Internship program – supporting opportunities for Indigenous people to contribute and grow their knowledge and skills.
• Creating a specialist role to boost and strengthen BSL’s First Nations workforce – proud Indigenous woman Grace Birch joined the team in February 2023 as BSL’s First Nations Employment Adviser.

In May 2023, we supported Manningham Art Gallery’s Unfinished Business exhibition – an international portrait and story exhibition sharing the experiences of First Nations people with disability. Our First Nations Cultural Ambassador, Uncle John Baxter, was a curator and one of the lead subjects in this piece of work. The exhibition’s personal and complex stories are helping highlight the high rates of disability in Australia’s First Nations communities and raising widespread awareness of the need to advocate for change.

In 2022 we set up a new, dedicated team to focus on promoting diversity, equity and inclusion across BSL. The team has been working towards increasing diversity in the BSL workforce in different ways, including reshaping recruitment practices and supporting managers to be more inclusive. We’ve also been increasing the culture of inclusion by bringing on board a dedicated First Nations Employment Adviser, appointing Jenna Ahmat as the Reconciliation Program Lead, running workshops about inclusion across the organisation, and setting up support groups for diverse staff as a place to share stories, challenges and information.

BSL staff and volunteers got on board and lent their support across many festivals and events this year, helping bring our community together and celebrate the differences that make us great. In February we took part in our first Midsumma Pride March – a kilometre-long parade of allies supporting gender and sexuality diversity. This was followed by a BSL community stall at Victoria’s Pride Festival, where we took the opportunity to talk with hundreds of people about what we do and got involved in the street party with a pop-up op shop and information about all our services.

We also marked Harmony Week in March with a range of activities, recognising the enormous contribution people of all cultures and backgrounds make to the fabric of BSL and the broader community. In May, our disability services team proudly attended the Wyndham City Council’s IDAHOBIT Day event to show support against homophobia, biphobia, interphobia, and transphobia within the local community.

BSL programs on the Frankston Mornington Peninsula (FMP) are part of a network where information about our programs, services and community activities are shared, offering many opportunities to collaborate, learn and connect about crossover issues. The network meets quarterly, and the result has been cross-pollination across our community, youth and inclusion programs, disability services and aged care.

A recent FMP activity was a cultural immersion tour at Willum Warrain, providing the team with an opportunity for increased understanding of First Nation’s culture while sharing stories and experiences with colleagues from different programs. The included a welcoming ceremony and yarning/discussion in the Ngargee area, with storytelling, dance, and learning about the Koorie Bushtucker trail, as well as First Nation’s cultural awareness training on the impacts of colonisation, the stolen generation, treaty and reconciliation.