Almost a year ago, HammondCare formally began its journey towards reconciliation with First Nations people - launching its Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan. As part of this plan, a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) working group was formed with members from across the organisation to guide the process.
Demi, a proud First Nations woman from Darumbal country, in Queensland, is a member of this working group and also works in the Talent Acquisition team, recruiting staff for HammondCare at Home Northern Rivers and Brisbane teams. Recently, Demi shared her experiences and insights with us.
Could you tell us about your background and personal history?
My personal history is a hard one to share as it is very misplaced. My father was unofficially adopted by another Indigenous family. As a result, I don’t share his original surname and my sister and I have never met our biological paternal grandparents.
Despite this my Elders have always been there to guide me with their knowledge and wisdom, they treat me like a daughter. Ours is a foundational culture, not materialistic. Supporting and being there for each other is what matters.
I’ve always lived in Western Sydney – that’s where I feel most at home. And I still live with Mum, she’s someone who inspires me every day. She’s resilient and kind and has taught me a lot about life.
Why did you choose to work with an aged care organisation like HammondCare?
My friend, who works with the HammondCare at Home scheduling team, initially recommended HammondCare as a great place to work. I had some knowledge of aged care through my Nan, who was a care worker in her earlier days. We’d chat about that part of her life a lot, sharing stories of caring for the elderly.
Before joining HammondCare I worked for a not-for-profit Aboriginal organisation, mentoring and recruiting clients, helping them gain employment. It was my way of getting involved in my community – helping my mob. It was eye opening; we helped change business owners’ perceptions of employing Indigenous people.
There were cultural hurdles to manage, such as traditionally our Indigenous clients didn’t look interviewers in the eye out of respect for their elders. We needed to have conversations around that and create a safe space so both parties could achieve what was needed.
At HammondCare I feel I can make a grassroots contribution by providing an authentic voice. This contribution is what motivated me to join the RAP working group in my second week at HammondCare. I can bring first-hand knowledge and understanding of cultural protocols. For example, if we were thinking of asking an Indigenous Elder to speak at one of our RAP events I’d ensure they are from that local area, out of respect.
How would you like to see organisations become more culturally inclusive of First Nations people?
I’d really like to see tailored recruitment processes for Indigenous candidates and promote these roles in the Indigenous community. The hardest thing is getting them through the door – how can we help them with the process? We could also look at partnering with other businesses and organisations to provide Indigenous candidates with incentives, such as help with obtaining a driver’s license.
Aged care is a new community for me – but it’s been great to bring what I already know about supporting people into this role. I’m proud to have made this transition and still remain true to my passion. I look forward to being a part of HammondCare’s reconciliation plan and seeing where it takes us.
Read more about HammondCare's Reconciliation Action Plan.
