A good organisational culture respects and assists diverse outlooks, backgrounds and skills. Diversity is the quality of being different and individual, encasing culture, disability, sexuality, religion, gender, age and language.
A diverse workplace preserves the principles of equal opportunity, social justice, access and equity. It is free from discrimination and harassment.
Access and Equity is about removing barriers and opening up opportunities. Social justice is the principle of equality and fairness between all human beings.
It must be noted Australian state and federal laws make it illegal for any organisation or individual not to embrace diversity in the workplace.
In the community service sector we will come in contact with many various and diverse clients and co- workers.
As a Buddhist I do not celebrate Christian holidays, I take into account that to many of my clients and co- workers Christmas and Easter has a very important meaning and reverence , I do not take offence to anyone wishing me season’s greetings and I do reciprocate these greetings out of respect for their beliefs.
I believe we as community service workers have an obligation to acknowledge The Aboriginal and Torrens Straits Islanders as the Caretakers of the Australian land and their past and present links to the land.
We as community workers need to accept without challenging and being judgemental choices made by all clients.
We need to accept that clients will have different priorities and values in their home environment than our own.
Community workers need to support all clients to access resources regardless of gender, age, race, language, religion, sexuality, culture or disability.
All clients have the right to be assisted in addressing any disparity of their rights. As Community Workers we are charged to