Page 662 - Week 02 - Thursday, 21 February 2019

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Mr Steel: The answer to the member’s question is as follows:

(1) The Community Services Directorate works with the Canberra Institute of Technology to implement the Work Experience Support Program (WESP). Two WESP intakes are conducted each year with 20 participants in each program. The participants undertake a two week CIT Business Administration course followed by an eight week work placement in the ACT Government.

In the 2nd Work Experience and Support Program (WESP) for 2017-18, after only five weeks into the work placement component of the program, one participant was offered a permanent position. Additionally, nine participants were offered temporary contracts across the ACT Government.

$307,000 has been provided to the Multicultural Employment Service to develop and implement a 12 month individual, case managed employment program for refugees, asylum seekers and people from non-English speaking backgrounds.

(2) The ACT Government has an ACT Public Sector Employment Framework that promotes an inclusive workplace which fosters a culture and environment where employees of all backgrounds are engaged and provided with employment opportunities to better support the diverse community we serve.

(3) The State of the Service Report identified 3,794 (17.9%) of staff were from CALO backgrounds.

Multicultural affairs—translation service
(Question No 2096)

Mrs Kikkert asked the Minister for Multicultural Affairs, upon notice, on 30 November 2018 (redirected to the Minister for Business and Regulatory Services):

Does the ACT Government have any plans to create an opt-out translation service for Access Canberra; if not, why not.

Mr Ramsay: The answer to the member’s question is as follows:

Access Canberra staff in the Contact Centre and Service Centres are well experienced in receiving calls or managing inquiries from our community. If a staff member detects that there are language barriers they actively work to offer support, either through connecting them with another staff member who is proficient in the language preference or specific translation services.

Access Canberra does this in partnership with members of our community in a respectful way so the service provided is tailored to meet their individual needs. Access Canberra advises that no concerns have been raised around how these services are provided.

Access Canberra continues to look at new ways to support information provision and engagement to support our community.


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