Organisational healing and culture change through reflective practice

The recommendation

Ambulance Victoria, as part of the new prevention plan called for in Recommendation 3, should:

design and implement a cross-organisation program of structured, facilitated reflections on the findings of this review, including the key drivers of harm and inequality
ensure this process is victim and trauma-informed, aware of power imbalances and seeks to create safe spaces and practices for reflection and discussion
enable expression of the range of positive and negative experiences of Ambulance Victoria’s workforce
consider models such as ‘roadshows’ across different geographic areas, functions and staff representative groups
be informed by research and models on organisational healing and cultural change
reiterate the Board’s and the CEO’s commitment to change to address the review’s findings and to implement the review’s recommendations.

Design and implement a program of structured, facilitated reflections on review findings, informed by the considerations detailed by the Commission

In November 2021, AV’s Executive Committee and Senior Leadership Team reflected on the findings and recommendations in Volume 1 of the final report of the Victorian Equal Opportunity & Human Rights Commission. This enabled those leaders to listen and connect with the experiences of AV’s workforce, and to consider how AV would respond to the findings and recommendations, including the expectations of leaders.
In mid-2022, AV engaged an independent expert to develop a framework to support regular and ongoing reflective practice at a Board and organisational level.
On 8 September 2022, the independent expert commenced a series of reflective practice workshops with AV’s Board, to enable reflection on the key drivers of unlawful and harmful workplace conduct in AV, sense-making related to the Commission’s findings and ownership of new ways of working to ensure a safe, fair and inclusive organisation going forward.
Going forward, AV will use the framework developed by the independent expert to ensure alignment between reflective practice undertaken at a Board and organisational level. AV will also consider how to use the framework to embed reflective practice into our program of work to implement the Commission’s recommendations once key staff are recruited.
Safe Fair Inclusive: Your AV Roadmap 2022-27 includes statements of commitment to create a safe, fair and inclusive organisation from the Board, the CEO and each member of the Executive Committee.

The Executive Committee and over 60 senior leaders participated in reflective practice workshops following the release of Volume 1 of the final report of the Victorian Equal Opportunity & Human Rights Commission in late 2021. This enabled those leaders to listen and connect with the experiences of AV’s workforce.
In mid-2022, AV engaged an expert to develop a framework to support regular and ongoing reflective practice at a Board and organisational level, to enable reflection on the key drivers of unlawful and harmful workplace conduct in AV, sense-making related to the Commission’s findings and ownership of new ways of working to ensure a safe, fair and inclusive organisation going forward.
In addition to starting work to deliver the framework, the consultant is preparing to facilitate a number of individual discussions and joint Board workshops to enable reflective practice. Planning will commence once key staff are recruited to enable a broader roll-out of workshops, guided by AV’s forthcoming reflective practice framework.
Safe Fair Inclusive: Your AV Roadmap 2022-27 includes statements of commitment to create a safe, fair and inclusive organisation from the Board, the CEO and each member of the Executive Committee.

FY23 Q4