Nursing and Health Sciences - Working Groups

The key objectives of the Athena Swan working group are:

• To encourage and support a flexible workplace and foster a workplace culture that recognises and celebrates diversity and equity.
• To proactively attract and retain women in academic and professional positions, particularly in senior leadership roles.
• Improve on gender balance and promote gender equity amongst our staff and student cohorts.

Spaces such as the parenting rooms meet the university priority areas for Athena Swan by addressing the ‘flexible workplaces’.

We are pleased to share the Athena Swan action plan.

Group lead: Yvonne Parry

Since 2006, Reconciliation Action Plans (RAPs) have enabled organisations to sustainably and strategically take meaningful action to advance reconciliation.

Flinders University first developed a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) in 2020 committing to engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, students, staff and the community, knowledge systems and perspectives.

The CNHS RAP Action Plan has a central objective to raise awareness among staff and students about cultural and social issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People and the job of reconciliation that we as the descendants of the colonisers have to do. The CNHS RAP works to:

·         Ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander strategies and cultural perspectives are embedded within our college.

·         Respond to the deliverables in the Flinders University RAP. The deliverables are measured and reported annually to the Office of Indigenous           Strategy and Engagement. 

·         Host events for staff and students, especially around National Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC week.

·         Celebrate significant dates on the First Nations calendar.

·         Promote social responsibility and accountability, underpinned by truth telling, mutual respect and understanding.

As a working group we look forward to working with the college community to achieve these goals and embed reconciliation processes and practices into our teaching, learning and research.

Many active members, both permanent and casual staff, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal, from many disciplines and levels across the College, are all contributing to activating the college reconciliation action plan.

If you would like to join the RAP Working Group, please contact Nina Sivertsen.

In February 2016, Universities Australia began the Respect. Now. Always. This world-first, sector-wide program aims to prevent sexual violence in university communities and improve how universities respond to and support those who have been affected. It builds on work done by individual universities in Australia over many years to develop policies, reporting procedures and support services.

Flinders University is part of this initiative and is committed to reduce sexual harassment and sexual assault under the Respect. Now. Always. campaign.

The main objectives of Respect. Now. Always (RNA) CNHS working group are:

• Raising awareness through education, training for staff and students and campaigning.
• Building a strong network by connecting staff, student leaders and students through face-to-face events, in-person training, collaborating, and opportunities to campaign, volunteer and join working groups.
• Increase visibility through promotional material (posters, signage), increased and direct access to resources, support services and reporting/security information.
• Creating a safe environment through access to and adequate presence of security, well-lit and direct access to key services and areas.

We are pleased to share the RNA action plan.

If you would like to join the RNA Working Group, please contact Rowaida Sleem or Kiara Roscio

The Sustainability and Health Working Group is a new group formed in 2023.  It aims to increase awareness and education around sustainable practices and links to health (recognising that CNHS are training future health practitioners).

The CNHS Sustainability and Health Action Plan identified three focus areas that will aim to reduce CNHS’s negative impact on climate change. Focus areas include sustainable recycling and food waste practices, improving and utilising the Sturt Community Garden, and curriculum exploration regarding the effects of climate change on health

We value your feedback or suggestions.

If you would like to join the Sustainability and Health Working Group, please contact Carolyn Dent (Course Coordinator, Bachelor of Human Nutrition)

• Identify stakeholder influence and importance across research, education and practice
• Develop a targeted Strategic Partnership Engagement Strategy
• Deepen our current industry partnerships in health and education by meeting their needs around research, workforce and education

We are pleased to share the partnerships action plan.

Group lead: Lucy Chipchase

The Your Voice Survey is an employee engagement survey conducted every two years at Flinders University.

Your Voice gives staff an opportunity to have their say on a range of topics such as job satisfaction, supervision, teamwork, communication, efficiency, as well as local management and College and university leadership. 

The College of Nursing and Health Sciences (CNHS) 2024 Survey Results and All CNHS Communication can be viewed here.

In response to the 2022 the Your Voice survey results, the Your Voice Working Group (a sub working group of the People & Infrastructure Committee) developed an Action Plan 2022-2024 and effectively implemented initiatives in response to the 2022 Survey Results.

The Action Plan 2022-2024 addressed 3 priority areas:

• Managing workload & wellbeing
• Supporting growth & development
• Improving processes and systems

The working groups progress updates can be viewed here.

The Your Voice Working Group will begin its next phase of the action planning process and working to develop action plans that respond to specific results and address key areas for focus in 2024-2026.

If you're interested in getting more involved, you can join the Your Voice Working Group by contacting the Chair Kelly Walewicz (Senior People & Culture Business Partner).