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16 NOVEMBER 2021

NEWS AT HEALTHWEST

Welcome to HealthWest’s November Update!

Rainbow Lorikeets
Rainbow Lorikeets (Trichoglossus haematodus), Kew, Victoria
Photographer : John Manger, CSIRO Science Image

It was great to receive an enthusiastic response from the membership when we asked for Expressions of Interest for the Workforce Mutuality Accelerator project. We will be reaching out to the nine organisations over the next few weeks to find out more about their workforce mutuality journeys and reasons for selecting the options they have. We are really looking forward to engaging the consultants and shaping the program for early 2022.

Coming soon
As we enter the last few weeks of 2021 we are finalising some important pieces of research. These include:

  • Recruiting for Diversity
  • Evaluation Capacity Building Learning Inquiry and
  • a literature review on Strengthening Health Communication Systems in Melbourne’s West.

The research projects focus on some key elements of the health system that have been highlighted during the pandemic and we believe continued action to strengthen these areas will create a stronger and more equitable health system. Keep your eye out for these reports over the next few months.

HealthWest’s transition to the Western Public Health Unit is still in the planning stage but it is anticipated this will occur by the 1 April 2022. Members should have received an information factsheet providing further information.

Gail O'Donnell
Until next time,

Regards
Gail O’Donnell
Executive Officer
Gail.ODonnell@healthwest.org.au
(03) 9248 9665

PROJECT UPDATES

Workforce Mutuality remains a public health challenge

COVID-19 reminds us why

Prior to COVID-19 the health and community sectors were becoming increasingly aware of the benefits of Workforce Mutuality. Evidence demonstrates diverse and inclusive workplaces are more effective, innovative, efficient and have greater employee satisfaction.

Workforce Mutuality

highlights the importance of having a diverse workforce
which reflects the communities it seeks to reach. 

The experiences of COVID-19 remind us that Workforce Mutuality is an important public health issue in Melbourne’s west. For example, current research around COVID-19 demonstrates people who primarily speak a language other than English at home were more likely to be misinformed. COVID-19 has demonstrated the ongoing challenges of delivering services which are responsive to diverse community needs. We need to continue pursuing Workforce Mutuality so we can deliver better and more equitable services now and into the future.

Why Workforce Mutuality?

Recently HealthWest was invited by the Hush Foundation to share our resources through the Gathering of Kindness event in November. Please watch the short video below created with our friends at Cultural Infusion which talks about the importance of Workforce Mutuality and collecting workforce diversity data.

 

Workforce Mutuality Toolkit

HealthWest have developed organisational Standards for Workforce Mutuality to provide guidance on how organisations can achieve greater workforce diversity, inclusion and mutuality. A toolkit of resources also includes a good practice guide and a self-assessment tool.


Workforce Mutuality toolkit

Download the Workforce Mutuality toolkit

More info:

Tanya Sofra
Strategic Projects Manager
tanya.sofra@healthwest.org.au

Useful links:

Workforce Mutuality project page

Free presentation: Strengthening health communications systems for pandemics and public health emergencies

The Health Literacy Alliance invites you to join us for a free presentation.

Presenter: Dr Anita Trezona

Date: Wednesday 24 November 2021

Time: 1:30-2:00 pm

Location: on Zoom. Link will be emailed when you register

Presentation details

This presentation provides an overview of the findings of a scoping review commissioned by HealthWest. The purpose of the review was to:

  • identify the core elements of coordinated approaches to health communications, and
  • subsequently ensure more responsive and effective communication with culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities during pandemics and public health emergencies.

About the presenter

Anita is the Managing Director of Trezona Consulting Group (TCG), a Melbourne-based consultancy specialising in public health, health systems and social policy across health, community, not-for-profit and government sectors. TCG provides specialist consulting services in evaluation, research, strategy development, and business development capability.

Register (external link)

More info:

Deb Tan
Communications Project Manager
deb.tan@healthwest.org.au

Useful links:

Health Literacy Alliance

Working Together with Men resources

In line with the upcoming 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (25 November to 10 December), here are several resources that may be of interest.

 

Working Together with Men: How to create male allies for gender equity in your community

A resource is for people interested in creating projects that work with men to prevent violence against women in their communities.

This is a grassroots, community mobilisation approach that has been piloted across the west of Melbourne since 2016. We used what we learnt from these pilots to create a project model that can be reproduced anywhere.

This resource can be used as a step-by-step guide for creating your own Working Together with Men project, or to inspire and support projects you may already be running or creating.
 

Principles for being a male ally for gender equity

These 5 principles have 4 main aims or applications:

  • To act as a self-guide and support tool for men interested in becoming allies for gender equity
  • To support women to be able to clearly identify male allies and hold them accountable as men attempt and do this work
  • To support teams, groups and supervisors as reflective discussion questions to collectively work in a gender transformative way
  • The principles can even be used for project and program evaluation.
 

Tips for Allyhood: Working together to end violence against women
 

Tips for Allyhood: Victor’s story
 

Tips for Allyhood: Sonny’s story
 

Tips for Allyhood: Matt’s story
 

Tips for Allyhood: Austin’s story
 

Tips for Allyhood: Matthew’s story

Info from other organisations

Jobs and skills: Emerging economies and pathways to employment for young and old

10am to 12pm, Friday 26 November 2021
Hosted by Metropolitan Partnerships

Be it new skillsets for new economies or addressing gaps in existing or essential workforces, our communities and businesses benefit from clear pathways that lead to jobs and training opportunities.

For many people, we know that access to these pathways can be a challenge.

Let’s talk about emerging and important sectors for the future of metropolitan Melbourne, and jobs and skills for Melburnians.

Join us for a 2-hour online event where you’ll hear a panel of industry leaders and participate in a regionally-based discussion about what this means for your part of Melbourne.

We’ll cover questions such as:

  • What are Melbourne’s economic strengths and drivers?
  • What changes are needed in our workforce profile to support these strengths?
  • How do we make these changes while supporting a diverse workforce and building our resilience?

For more info and to register

HealthWest acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands on which we work, the Wurundjeri, Bunurong, and Wadawurrung peoples of the Kulin Nation, and pay our respects to their cultures and their elders past and present.

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