Recommendation 1: Learning through reflective practice

AV is committed to continual leadership improvement at Board, Executive and Senior Leadership level.

The Executive Committee and over 60 senior leaders participated in reflective practice workshops in late 2021. The sessions were case-study based which enabled leaders to listen and connect with the experiences of AV’s workforce.

In May 2023, the AV Board of Directors completed a series of four reflective practice dialogues, facilitated by an independent expert (Recommendation 41). In parallel, the Executive completed two reflective sessions. These sessions were supported by a reflective practice framework designed by external experts. The framework will ensure alignment between the reflective practice undertaken at a Board and Executive level is delivered across the entire organisation.

The reflective practice sessions have enabled Executives to work with their leadership teams to develop their own commitment statements in relation to the reform program and how they can personally support a safe, fair and inclusive workplace.

The initial reflective practice was an important input to the development of the Your AV Roadmap, and the formation of governance and accountability structures at program commencement.

In April 2024, the Senior Leadership Team of senior corporate and operational managers participated in a full-day workshop to become familiar with the framework and its application. This will help support the workforce to engage in reflective practice discussions and promote an organisation-wide commitment to continual improvement as we implement reforms and share learnings.

The Your AV Steering Committee will progress reflective practice to the workforce following endorsement of the rollout plan.

• In November 2021, AV’s Executive Committee and Senior Leadership Team reflected on the findings and recommendations in Volume 1 of the final report of the Victorian Equal Opportunity & Human Rights Commission. This enabled those leaders to listen and connect with the experiences of AV’s workforce, and to consider how AV would respond to the findings and recommendations, including the expectations of leaders.
• In mid-2022, AV engaged an independent expert to develop a framework to support regular and ongoing reflective practice at a Board and organisational level.
• On 8 September 2022, the independent expert commenced a series of reflective practice workshops with AV’s Board, to enable reflection on the key drivers of unlawful and harmful workplace conduct in AV, sense-making related to the Commission’s findings and ownership of new ways of working to ensure a safe, fair and inclusive organisation going forward.
• Going forward, AV will use the framework developed by the independent expert to ensure alignment between reflective practice undertaken at a Board and organisational level. AV will also consider how to use the framework to embed reflective practice into our program of work to implement the Commission’s recommendations once key staff are recruited.

• The Executive Committee and over 60 senior leaders participated in reflective practice workshops following the release of Volume 1 of the final report of the Victorian Equal Opportunity & Human Rights Commission in late 2021. This enabled those leaders to listen and connect with the experiences of AV’s workforce.
• In mid-2022, AV engaged an expert to develop a framework to support regular and ongoing reflective practice at a Board and organisational level, to enable reflection on the key drivers of unlawful and harmful workplace conduct in AV, sense-making related to the Commission’s findings and ownership of new ways of working to ensure a safe, fair and inclusive organisation going forward. In addition to starting work to deliver the framework, the consultant is preparing to facilitate individual director and joint Board discussions to enable reflective practice. Going forward, AV will use this same framework to ensure alignment between reflective practice undertaken at a Board and organisational level. AV will also consider how to use the framework to embed reflective practice into our program of work to implement the Commission’s recommendations once key staff are recruited.