Diversity and inclusion - Social Futures

Diversity and inclusion in the workplace creates an environment where all people can feel accepted and valued. When people feel accepted and valued, they have a stronger sense of wellbeing and are more engaged within their community and workplace.

Diversity refers to the characteristics that make people unique
Inclusion refers to the behaviors and cultural norms that make people feel welcome
Belonging refers to an individual sense of acceptance

At Social Futures we celebrate diversity and foster an environment that is welcoming for people from all cultural backgrounds. On Monday 4 December 2023, we launched our Disability Inclusion Action Plan Jan 2024 – Dec 2026. This plan is Social Futures’ roadmap towards accessibility and inclusion for our staff, participants, stakeholders and the communities we serve. It will help guide our strategy, planning and activities, ensuring a focus on inclusion and accessibility for everyone.

Our plan covers four main action goals.

People. We want to attract, support, value and retain employees living with disability.
Places. We want to create places and spaces that are accessible for all.
Community. The people we work with should inform and be able to access our inclusive services and supports.
Culture. We live our value of inclusion by ensuring a welcoming, safe and understanding environment for all.

We are striving towards our Rainbow Tick and have adopted the acronym LGBTIQSB+. The SB refers to Sistergirls and Brotherboys which is an inclusive reference to the First Nations LGBTIQSB+ community. You can view our video here about our commitment to diversity and celebrating Sistergirls and Brotherboys.

Social Futures is committed to ensuring all our services are welcoming, sensitive, safe and tailored to the needs of people who are Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Trans and Gender Diverse, Intersex, Queer, Sistergirl and Brotherboy. We understand that the LGBTIQSB+ community is diverse, evolving and embraces people whose identities intersect with other communities that also face marginalization. We use the plus “+” symbol to represent others in community including Asexual, Pansexual and other members of the Queer community.

Social Futures’ services address the needs of children, youth, families, and seniors and people facing complex challenges with disability, housing, homelessness, mental health, and wellbeing.

With all our services you can expect from us respect, freedom from discrimination, maintenance of your dignity and the right to privacy and confidentiality. We recognize the unique circumstances, strengths, needs and risks you may be facing and continue to advocate for inclusion of the LGBTIQSB+ community.

Our offices are wheelchair accessible and most have accessible toilets and parking. You can view accessibility details for each office on our locations page here.

We acknowledge the Traditional Elders as the true Custodians of the lands where we live and work. We are committed to Reconciliation and Closing the Gap and you can learn more about this on our Reconciliation Action Plan page here