Environmental Committee
The Environmental Committee was established with the aim to minimise our environmental footprint by
working with staff and stakeholders to ensure that we have a sustainable future. The committee has staff
representation from each main office and region and meets on a monthly basis via teleconference.
Please refer to the Corporate Social Responsibility section for 2015-16 committee outcomes.
Kutanya
Kutanya, which means ‘all’ or ‘together’ in the Barkindji language, is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
(Aboriginal) Staff Reference Group, which works to strengthen and advance reconciliation both within
Interrelate and the broader community.
Kutanya consists of the CEO, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal staff from across the organisation and meets
bi-monthly. The group brings together expert knowledge and experience to support Aboriginal staff and to
help inform best practice to ensure our service delivery is focused, appropriate and meets the needs of local
Aboriginal communities.
In 2015-16, Kutanya was excited to engage with new Board Director, Paul Newman and to benefit from his vast
experience in Aboriginal engagement. The group participated in a workshop on racism and lateral violence,
which considered the implications for Interrelate and further developed the Aboriginal Supervision Framework.
Their greatest achievement was the development, and subsequent endorsement by Reconciliation Australia,
of Interrelate’s Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) 2016-18 that will guide our work with Aboriginal
children, families and communities over the next two years.
In May, the part-time position of Organisational Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Project Worker was
appointed to assist Kutanya in achieving their strategic deliverables over the next 6 months, which include a
Cultural Induction Training Program, Cultural Audit Tool and increasing the cultural depth of our Aboriginal
Building Connections program.
Watch the Kutanya video at https://youtu.be/RK6AgbQQWkw
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