The Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO) is proud to have been part of the Rethinking Criminal Record Checks Project, a collaborative research project bringing together Aboriginal knowledge, lived experience and research expertise to explore fairer employment pathways for people with criminal records.
Led by RMIT University in partnership with Woor-Dungin, VACCHO and Winda-Mara Aboriginal Corporation, the project was funded by the Victorian Legal Services Board and was officially launched on Monday 24 August at Melbourne Museum.
From research design and yarning through to analysis and resource development, the Project was a sustained collaboration between researchers and Aboriginal people, shaped by their leadership, cultural authority, lived experience and knowledge.
VACCHO acknowledges Uncle Michael “Mookeye” Bell who played a primary and ongoing role throughout the project, bringing his lived experience, knowledge and guidance to the work.
VACCHO was proud to contribute to the project as a case study, sharing the experiences of Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations and the challenges criminal record check requirements can create for both organisations and people seeking employment.
VACCHO has also continued its support of the project by establishing the new Project website, creating a central and accessible home for the project’s research, resources and learnings.
The website will help ensure the work continues to reach employers, organisations, Community and people with lived experience, supporting more informed conversations about criminal record checks and fairer employment practices.
Jim O’Shea, Acting CEO at VACCHO, says criminal record checks can be an important part of some recruitment processes, but they can also create barriers for people whose past mistakes no longer reflect who they are today.
“For people who have taken responsibility for their actions, demonstrated rehabilitation and are working to rebuild their lives, a criminal record should not necessarily become a lifelong barrier to meaningful employment,” said Mr O’Shea.
“VACCHO was incredibly proud to be part of this project and we hope these resources support employers and organisations to think differently about criminal record checks and recognise that a person’s past does not have to define their future.”
The launch marks the culmination of the research project and the beginning of a broader opportunity to apply its findings, resources and insights to employment practices.
The Rethinking Criminal Record Checks Project resources are now available at https://rethinkrecordchecks.org.au
