Increase First Nations representation amongst DTF employees.
Provide great opportunities for First Nations employees at DTF to stay and grow.
Make DTF a more culturally safe place to work to attract and retain First Nations employees.
Focus Area 1: Increasing entry‑level career pathways
Outcome: More First Peoples join DTF through entry-level programs that lead to ongoing employment.
This will contribute to objective 1: Increase First Nations representation amongst DTF employees.
These actions seek to improve attraction and recruitment of First Peoples through existing entry level career pathways, by improving engagement with First Peoples and developing departmental policies that enhance recruitment of Aboriginal employees to help ensure that DTF has a workforce that reflects the diversity of the community it serves.
| Action | Target | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| 1.1 Develop a DTF Aboriginal Special Measures – junior positions policy to improve opportunities to recruit Aboriginal employees | Greater awareness and use of DTF special measures roles by teams seeking to recruit First Peoples | Q2 2026 |
| 1.2 Engage Aboriginal student centres to promote DTF graduate and internship programs, and mentoring opportunities | Aboriginal students are aware of opportunities at DTF as a result of tailored promotional materials and events | Q1 2026 (ongoing) |
| 1.3 Encourage DTF teams to express interest in recruiting graduates through the Aboriginal Graduate Program pathway | Increase in the number of DTF teams participating in the graduate program pathway | Q1 2026 – For 2026 Graduate Program intake (ongoing) |
| 1.4 Develop Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander specific marketing and promotional material | Material developed and used widely to increase outreach, including through Aboriginal organisations and DTF promotional events | Q2 2026 |
| 1.5 Advertise DTF positions through Aboriginal employee networks and jobs boards | DTF Hiring managers regularly advertise positions through Aboriginal employee networks and jobs boards | Q3 2026 (ongoing) |
Focus Area 2: Fostering career growth and mobility
Outcome: First Nations employees develop skills and capability to progress meaningful careers and strengthen community capacity.
This will contribute to objectives 2 and 3: Provide greater opportunities for First Nations employees at DTF to stay and grow and make DTF a more culturally safe place to work to attract and retain First Nations employees.
These actions seek to improve retention of First Nations’ employees by supporting staff connection and experience and providing access to career development opportunities, ensuring staff have genuinely equal opportunities and inclusion in the Department.
| Action | Target | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| 2.1 Assign new junior Aboriginal employees with an informal workplace buddy to assist them to settle into the workplace more comfortably | All new Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander staff allocated a buddy at the same/similar classification | Q1 2026 (ongoing) |
| 2.2 Encourage DTF staff participation in VPS‑wide career development and coaching opportunities | Increased DTF staff participation in career development and coaching opportunities | Q1 2026 (ongoing) |
Focus Area 3: Supporting the leadership pipeline
Outcome: Emerging leaders have access to effective, impactful and culturally appropriate leadership development that supports career progression.
This will contribute to objectives 1 and 2: Increase First Nations representation amongst DTF employees and provide greater opportunities for First Nations employees at DTF to stay and grow.
These actions seek to improve the leadership pipeline by supporting recruitment of First Nations’ leaders and supporting retention of emerging leaders through access to leadership development and career progression opportunities. This supports our goal of inclusion and equal opportunity of First Nations employees, and strengthening the diversity of our leadership cohort.
| Action | Target | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| 3.1 Develop an Aboriginal special measures policy to improve opportunities to recruit Aboriginal leaders | Greater use of special measures roles by teams seeking to recruit First Peoples | Q2 2026 |
| 3.2 Support emerging leaders to participate in the Barring Djinang Leadership Program | DTF Aboriginal employees are supported to participate in the Program | Q1 2026 (ongoing) |
Focus Area 4: Connecting and sharing
Outcome: First Nations employees have opportunities to connect with colleagues across the public sector. This includes increased visibility of events, learning and development opportunities and job opportunities.
This will contribute to objective 3: Make DTF a more culturally safe place to work to attract and retain First Nations employees.
These actions seek to continue to improve retention of First Nations’ employees by supporting connection with VPS colleagues, promoting access to learning and career development and raising awareness of events of cultural significance, as well as improving the whole-of-DTF's understanding and valuing of Aboriginal cultures.
| Action | Target | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| 4.1 Continue to promote events of significance including Reconciliation Week, Victorian Aboriginal Remembrance Service and NAIDOC Week | Increased awareness of, and participation in, events of significance | Q1 2026 (ongoing) |
| 4.2 Encourage anyone opening forums, events and large meetings to start with a meaningful Acknowledgement of Country | Acknowledgement of Country at every DTF forum, event and large meeting | Q1 2026 (ongoing) |
| 4.3 Promote and support uptake of career development opportunities available through Nyanak Lotjpa - the VPS-wide Aboriginal Staff Network | Increased awareness and uptake of Nyanak Lotjpa learnings and opportunities | Q1 2026 (ongoing) |
| 4.4 Actively participate in the Aboriginal Employment Community of Practice to improve awareness of VPS-wide developments | DTF attendance at all Community of Practice meetings | Q1 2026 (ongoing) |
Focus Area 5: Strengthening cultural capability
Outcome: Increased cultural capability leads to more culturally safe workplaces and better attraction and retention of First Peoples employees.
This will contribute to objective 3: Make DTF a more culturally safe place to work to attract and retain First Nations employees.
These actions seek to improve retention of First Peoples through strengthened cultural capability and a more culturally safe workplace, supporting inclusion for First Nations employees. These actions also aim to support all DTF employees to value and celebrate Aboriginal culture.
| Action | Target | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| 5.1 Support DTF employees to undertake Cultural Safety and Self-determination training | Increased numbers of DTF employees undertake Cultural Safety and Self-determination Training | Q3 2026 |
| 5.2 Promote volunteering opportunities within the Aboriginal community | Increased awareness/uptake of volunteering opportunities | Q1 2026 (ongoing) |
| 5.3 Connect First Peoples staff to existing First Peoples staff networks | Increased First Peoples staff awareness of networks, and departmental support to join networks and attend events | Q1 2026 (ongoing) |
| 5.4 Establish a senior champion within each DTF Group who can assist Directors/Managers with the implementation of the Action Plan | Senior champions are established in every DTF group | Q1 2026 |
| 5.5 Develop a First Peoples Writing Style Guide for the development of all written material | DTF material uses appropriate and consistent language | Q2 2026 |
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