Diversity and inclusion

VEC staff alongside Korin Gamadji InstituteDiversity and inclusion are embedded in the values and practices of the VEC. The VEC aims to improve electoral engagement of under-represented communities as well as support the inclusion practices of staff.

This work is achieved through the creation and implementation of inclusion and action plans targeting communities under-represented in enrolling and voting.

Multicultural communities

In the reporting period, the VEC delivered 20 of the total 26 actions in its Multicultural Inclusion Plan, including:

  • running the Active Citizenship Leadership Program for 51 culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) community leaders
  • training 56 CALD community members as democracy ambassadors to deliver voter education sessions
  • creating 3 in-language videos in 25 languages (75 videos in total), including Auslan, to support people with low English proficiency to enrol and vote in the State election
  • sponsoring the Victorian Multicultural Commission’s (VMC’s) Cultural Diversity Week.

People experiencing homelessness or in prison

During 2022–23, the VEC’s Prison and Without a Home Action Plan delivered several key actions, including:

  • visiting 14 prisons across Victoria to help eligible electors to enrol and vote in the State election
  • re-running the ‘MythBusting’ outdoor advertising campaign to address misinformation about electoral engagement for people experiencing homelessness.

People with disabilities

In the final year of its Disability Access and Inclusion Plan, the VEC delivered:

  • significant improvements to physical access for early voting centres for the State election
  • an Easy English guide on disinformation, ‘Sorting fact from fiction’
  • training for 16 democracy ambassadors with lived experience of disability.

Young people

In the reporting period, the VEC’s Young People Inclusion Plan delivered:

  • training for 14 young democracy ambassadors for the State election
  • the DemGraphics social media campaign targeting young people for the State election
  • sponsoring 6 teams for the YMCA Victoria 2023 Youth Parliament.

Aboriginal communities

The VEC is currently developing an Aboriginal Inclusion Plan in consultation with its Aboriginal Advisory Group members, Aboriginal Elders and community leaders.

Work with Aboriginal communities in the reporting period included:

  • hosting culturally safe mobile enrolment and voting sessions at 6 Aboriginal organisations across Victoria for the State election.
  • running an Aboriginal youth leadership camp for 12 young leaders
  • partnering with the Richmond Football Club’s Korin Gamadji Institute to provide opportunities to 75 young people, 5 of whom worked as democracy ambassadors during the State election.
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