This is the second of five chapters in the sponsorship toolkit. This chapter and accompanying video will look at:
- your agency’s readiness for sponsorship, including an organisation assessment tool
- understanding some of the experiences of CALD employees that should inform a sponsorship program, including racism and anti-racism
- how you can ensure your agency is ready to successfully run a sponsorship program.
Organisational assessment: Readiness for sponsorship
The maturity of your organisation’s understanding of diversity, equity and inclusion – specifically regarding cultural diversity and racial literacy – impacts the success of a sponsorship program. This readiness assessment will help your organisation determine whether your organisation is ready to start and sustain a program. Sponsorship of culturally diverse employees can also contribute to an organisation’s anti-racism efforts. It is a public, vocal commitment to addressing structural racism and bias in hiring and promotion processes, as well as career development opportunities.
Before taking the organisational readiness assessment, familiarise yourself with the definitions below of racial discrimination, racism and anti-racism.
Definitions of racial discrimination, racism and anti-racism
Racism is the process by which systems and policies, actions and attitudes create inequitable opportunities and outcomes for people based on race.
Racism is any attitude or behaviour that assumes someone is inferior because of their skin colour or race. It can occur at an individual level or at an institutional level. It is also accompanied by the power to discriminate against, oppress or limit the rights of others.
Racism is commonly recognised as stereotypes, judgements, assumptions or slurs directed at groups that are racially marginalised. Racism is anything that upholds, contributes to or mirrors the unjust racialised hierarchies of society.
Racial discrimination is when a person is treated unfairly or less fairly than others because of their race, colour, nationality, descent, or ethnic, ethnoreligious or national origin.
The Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth) (RDA) makes it unlawful to discriminate against a person because of [their] race, colour, descent, national origin or ethnic origin. ‘The RDA protects people from racial discrimination in many areas of public life, including employment, education, getting or using services, renting or buying a house or unit, and accessing public places.
Similarly, the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW) (ADA) makes it unlawful to discriminate on the ground of race in employment, education, providing goods and services, provision of accommodation and other situations.
The RDA and ADA apply in NSW, and both apply to NSW public sector employers and employees. Unlawful racial discrimination can be direct or indirect. Indirect discrimination is when a rule or requirement that applies to everybody unfairly disadvantages people who possess a characteristic protected by NSW law and is not reasonable in the circumstances. Intention or motive is irrelevant. An act can be unlawful racial discrimination even if discrimination is not intended or is not the dominant or substantial reason for an unlawful event.
Anti-racism is a proactive approach that seeks to eliminate racism in all its forms. It involves actively working to challenge and address discriminatory practices, policies and systems that perpetuate racial inequalities.
Anti-racism recognises that racism goes beyond individual acts of prejudice and encompasses structural and systemic factors that disadvantage racial minorities. The primary goal of anti-racism is to promote racial equity and justice by addressing and eradicating racial discrimination and bias at all levels of society.
OPSC Anti-Racism Guide
This guide provides additional information to assist with understanding racism and the impacts on racially marginalised groups. It also include practical guidance on combatting racism, and provides a summary of important legal requirements across the sector.
Organisational readiness assessment tool
The following assessment tool can be used to explore your organisation’s readiness for sponsorship. It provides considerations and indicators for each focus area to support your agency to prepare for sponsorship.
Further resources on anti-racism
- Mind Tribes Anti-Racism Guidance Framework
An evidence based framework for organisations to continue their anti-racism journey.
- ‘Commit to learning’, Racism. It Stops With Me
Guidance from the Australian Human Rights Commission on racism.
- Race Discrimination
Resources and guidance from the Australian Human Rights Commission on Race Discrimination.