Darebin Welcoming Cities Community Reference Group

four people around a table talking and shaking hands

Facilitating and monitoring Council’s progress toward the principles and criteria across the six categories of the Welcoming Cities Standard.

Purpose

The purpose of this Committee is to provide advice and recommendations (where appropriate) to Council in relation to:

  • Achieving the principles and criteria in the Welcoming Cities Standard, including providing advice on the development for a Welcoming City Plan that further embeds Council’s anti-racism stance and commitment.
  • Identifying opportunities for collaboration and partnership development to support newly arrived/migrant communities.
  • Share information around work and projects that contribute to a sense of inclusion and improve a sense of belonging and inclusion in the Darebin community.
  • Facilitate a whole-of-community approach to building social and cultural inclusion, economic engagement and civic participation.
  • Provide a platform for individuals or community groups to raise issues of inclusion, social cohesion or experiences of race-based discrimination issues.
  • Support broader projects that promote best practice in creating a welcoming city and seek to pilot innovative projects as appropriate.
  • Identify and provide recommendations back to Council as appropriate.

The Committee shall have regard to and act in accordance with Council’s strategic objectives and priorities. Specifically, the Committee will have regard to the following strategies, plans, frameworks, policies and plans:

  • Community Vision
  • Council Plan 2021-2025
  • Towards Equality: Equity, Inclusion and Human Rights Framework 2019-2029
  • Statement of Commitment to Traditional Owners and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People

Specific Council strategies, frameworks, plans and policies relevant to this Reference Group:

  • Darebin Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Action Plan 2017-2021.
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment Strategy and Action Plan 2017-2027.
  • Gender Equity and Preventing Violence Against Women Action Plan 2019-2023

Terms of reference

Composition and membership

This Committee comprises of Councillor(s) appointed by Council annually and a Council Officer nominated by the Chief Executive Officer (both non-voting) and any other persons, and representatives of organisations as determined by resolution of Council and as specified in Appendix A of terms of Reference.

Specified members of Committees (excluding Councillors) shall be appointed to this Committee. Maximum number of Reference Group can be 14 (excluding Council Officers).

Membership of Darebin Welcoming Cities Reference Group will include representatives with:

  • Expertise in matters relating to the experience of migration/migrants, and/or racism/race-based discrimination.
  • Interest in developing partnership responses with the local community to enhance a sense of welcome, inclusion and belonging.
  • Commitment to integrated collaborative planning and community participation in strategies and projects that improve levels of community welcome, inclusion and belonging in Darebin.

All appointments will be for an initial period of 2 years with the option for a further maximum period through to the 30 June in the year following each General Election upon re- application.

A Councillor shall be the Chairperson of the Reference Group.

Presently, Committee comprises of the following Councillors/members:

Nominated Councillors

  • Cr. Gaetano Greco (Chair)
  • Cr. Ruth Jelley (Proxy)

Members

This Committee comprises of the following members

Ginta Melbalds, Hugh Morris-Dalton, John Zika, Margaret Anne Learmonth, Ponniah Anandajayasekeram (Ananda), Rosa Vasseghi

  • In addition to 6 Community Members the WCCRC also comprises a representative from the Darebin Ethnic Communities Council, Darebin Aboriginal Advisory Committee and Darebin Interfaith Council, 3 representatives from community and migrant support agencies in the City of Darebin including AMES, Spectrum Migrant Resource Centre and the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Committee ( VEOHRC) and a Traditional Owner representative from the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation.

Meetings

Meetings of this committee will be held quarterly unless determined by the Committee Chair and Council Officer in order to allow for the timely consideration and provision of advice to Council on particular, time-sensitive matters from time to time.

Committees may, with the approval of the relevant General Manager, meet more frequently on a limited and specific basis (if required).

The meetings will be closed to the public.

More Information

Multicultural and Diversity Project Officer
Email: Diversity@darebin.vic.gov.au

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