Our News - IPS Management Consultants

Actions Today, Impact Tomorrow: Inclusive Language

19/10/2022

During the Indigenous Business Month 2022, IPS Indigenous Advisory team explored the theme “Actions Today, Impact Tomorrow”. One important action to consider is how incorporating inclusive language contributes to cultural safety in the workplace.

What is Inclusive language?

Inclusive language focuses on a strength-based approach, which uses positive and empowering language to affirm and build on existing strengths to focus on future aspirations. Using inclusive language creates a culturally safe environment by allowing expression of self and culture without fear. This steers away from deficit language, which focuses on perceived differences that renders one group less than another group or assumes a problem

Why is it important?

By using inclusive language, we develop transparent and positive relationships that create a safe space to affirm identity, and celebrate and appreciate diversity.

What does it look like?

Using Inclusive language within the workplace looks like:

Celebrating diversity and the contribution First Nations Peoples bring to the business.
Seeing inclusion and knowing that voices are being heard.
Having a team that supports one another.
Ability to form transparent and positive relationships between staff, clients, and stakeholders.

What does it feel like?

Inclusive language feels like:

A culturally safe environment where there is no fear of being judged.
Being accepted for who you are.
Being in a trusting space amongst others who display reciprocity.
Having the freedom to self-express.
You’re involved, seen, and heard.

Action:

Finding ways to embed inclusive language within daily communication.

Impact:

By using positive and empowering language that includes everyone, we create a culturally safe environment (trusting space) which helps to affirm identity.

Download Your Free Resource:

Inclusive language is an important aspect of cultural safety.
If you’d like to find out more, check out our free resource below.

Inclusive language infographic

Connecting with Aboriginal Procurement Policy Opportunities

14/10/2022

In celebration of Indigenous Business Month, IPS is proud to feature the Aboriginal Business Capability Building program that our team delivers on behalf of the Department of Finance.

The program provides an incredible opportunity to grow the depth and breadth of Aboriginal businesses in regional WA.

Our focus is to assist Aboriginal businesses to be ready to connect and respond to Government tenders from the Aboriginal Procurement Policy.

Our program co-ordinators, Daen Hannan-Murray and Kerrianne Millington facilitate the engagement of this program through a First Nations cultural lens. Both have insight, perspective and lived experience as Aboriginal businesspeople. Both are experts in identifying priorities and advisory outcomes to ensure businesses can respond to growth opportunities when they arise.

In three short months ABCB has assisted eight Aboriginal organisations across WA, whose needs vary in complexity. We look forward to continuing our relationship into the coming months and increasing our assistance to other businesses across WA.

About the ABCB Program

Services Australia Cultural Immersion Program

4/10/2022

IPS Management Consultants recently facilitated a Cultural Immersion workshop for Services Australia's First Nations emerging leaders, as part of the Aspiring Program.

IPS has partnered with Services Australia to design and deliver the Aspiring Program, seeded to grow the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees in leadership positions, through self-development and self-realisation.

IPS Indigenous Advisory Lead Danie Zappa and our Queensland based Senior Consultant, Alana Kennedy, led the first three-day workshop with participants in Cairns earlier this month.

Co-facilitator Alana Kennedy said the content was thought provoking and the participants’ reflections insightful.

“I loved the safe space that was created for people to deeply explore their culture and the context of how that fits into their here and now.
My background in coaching came in handy as I was able to engage with each group to press in and better understand their thinking.”
Alana Kennedy, IPS Indigenous Advisory Senior Consultant

The workshop included a Welcome to Country, Smoking Ceremony and evening Cultural Immersion with Traditional Custodians, the Gimuy-Walubarra Yidi people.

The Aspiring Program is for First Nations employees on the path to management. Content has been developed from the exclusive IPS Leadership Framework, and includes the IPS Walking in Two Worlds program (balancing community and work commitments in a culturally safe workplace).

The Aspiring program, a joint venture between IPS Indigenous Advisory and IPS Organisational Capability service offerings, includes culturally appropriate personal profiling and coaching, co-design and delivery of learning programs including self-paced online learning and three-day immersion workshops.

The diverse range of inspiring and challenging topics are designed with real-world examples and led by IPS facilitators with real-world experience.

Encourage and develop First Nations emerging leaders in your workplace. Contact the IPS team to learn more about our programs.

The Services Australia team pictured with IPS Indigenous Advisory Lead Danie Zappa