Excelling: City of Darebin leads the way in welcoming

Published on 07 August 2024

In an Australian first, the Darebin City Council has this week become the first local council to be awarded Welcoming Cities accreditation at the Excelling Level.

Welcoming Cities accreditation recognises the commitment local government organisations make to advancing inclusion in their community.

The recognition of accreditation at the Excelling level highlights Council’s reputation as a sector leader in welcoming and inclusion practice, programs and initiatives.

The Darebin City Council has made that commitment to inclusion through:

• becoming a member of Welcoming Cities in 2017 
• key actions and contributions across all of council
• benchmarking this process and becoming an accredited Welcoming City at the Excelling level, with an overall score of 4.7 out of a possible 5. 

This successful accreditation acknowledges the significant work of Council and the Darebin community to make the City more welcoming and inclusive. Achieving Excelling level both reflects and builds on the City’s commitments to being a welcoming city to all.

These commitments include equitable access to services and facilities, safe and inclusive neighbourhoods, economic development opportunities, and respect for human rights for all people who live in and visit the city. It also provides an opportunity to plan for further improvement and change.

Welcoming Australia's CEO, Aleem Ali, congratulated Darebin City Council, the first to be awarded accreditation at the Excelling level.

He said, “Darebin has a long-term approach to this work. They understand that welcoming and inclusion are about continuous engagement and learning, and we congratulate them on their success. Becoming the first council in Australia to be accredited at the Excelling level underlines their role as a leader in welcoming work in Australia.”

Responding to the accreditation, Darebin City Council Mayor, Councillor Susanne Newton, said,

“I am so proud that Darebin is the first Council in Australia to be awarded ‘Excelling’ status in our Welcoming Cities accreditation. This reflects what I see every day in our community: a place where everyone can find their people, a place to call home and connect with community, whatever their background. This award acknowledges the commitment and significant work of Council and the Darebin community to build a truly inclusive and equitable City. 

We are fortunate in Darebin to be home to people from over 112 countries who speak more than 88 languages, and we are always striving to be a city where everyone feels welcome, respected and empowered to contribute to our wonderful community.”

Welcoming Cities is a national network of cities, shires, towns and municipalities who are committed to an Australia where everyone can belong and participate in social, cultural, economic and civic life. Currently, 87 Local Councils are members of the Welcoming Cities network across Australia, representing almost 50% of Australia’s population.

Learn more about Welcoming Cities 

Learn more about Welcoming Cities Accreditation