About our Multicultural Plan
The purpose of the plan, and the approach we will take in carrying it out.
Purpose
The purpose of this Multicultural Plan (the plan) is to improve how we plan, design and deliver our work to reflect the many cultures, languages and religions of NSW’s people. It establishes a baseline for embedding multicultural inclusion across our core business, including policies, programs, and workforce practices.
As the department’s first Multicultural Plan, it sets the direction to make our approach to multicultural planning and delivery more consistent and coordinated. It supports the department to build its skills, improve access and increase participation over time.
This plan is guided by the Multicultural Outcomes Reporting Framework (MORF) and supports our obligations under the Multicultural NSW Act 2000.
Our approach
This plan will follow a structured and practical approach to make our work more inclusive for people from different backgrounds.
It uses evidence and community insights to identify the most important actions. The focus is on considering multicultural needs in core processes, building cultural capability and improving the accessibility of services and programs.
A flexible, outcomes‑focused approach will be used, shown through practical examples of how inclusion is embedded in our work. This approach supports the department to strengthen its ability to respond to the needs of diverse communities over time.
Language
We use a range of terms interchangeably in this plan in reference to cultural diversity, including culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD), multicultural, and people from non-English speaking backgrounds. These terms also include consideration of people who are marginalised by systemic barriers because of cultural, ethnic or racial differences.
Structure
Our plan is structured around 4 themes. Each theme is delivered through 2 types of actions. The first is program and policy actions, which influence the communities and industries we support. The second is workforce actions, which strengthen inclusion within our organisation.
- Program and policy actions aim to improve sectors and services through the department’s programs, funding and regulatory work.
- Workforce actions improve inclusion and accessibility for our employees.
Actions are the responsibility of one division or all divisions. Short-term actions can be completed in 1-2 years, and long-term in 2-3 years. Actions that are ‘ongoing’ would become part of the way we work once set up.
Each theme has defined measures to track progress across both categories. This supports accountability and clear reporting based on outcomes.
Measures match each theme’s aim. This links actions to strategic objectives and improves clarity for communication. Measuring progress in this way means we can use examples of how the theme is being applied in a meaningful way. The structure allows flexibility, with actions evolving over time while themes and measures remain the same.