New inclusive plans ready for final feedback from community

Six new plans, strategies, and frameworks designed to create a more inclusive Ballarat community are due for public exhibition following the City of Ballarat’s August council meeting.  

The draft documents include a new Inclusion Framework, Reconciliation Action Plan, Intercultural Plan, Disability Access and Inclusion Plan, LGBTIQA+ Inclusion Plan, and Ageing Well in Ballarat Strategy. 

Council worked with a community panel last year to develop a Community Vision. Through the engagement process to informed that document, it became clear that the community want Ballarat to be an inclusive place. 

In April of this year, the City of Ballarat undertook a comprehensive community engagement project to inform Council’s work in a range of inclusion areas. 

The engagement process was two-phased and attempted to engage the general community and target the specific groups in the community who can face discrimination and exclusion. 

From this feedback, a range of strategic plans and a new framework that outlines how the City of Ballarat will work towards inclusion have now been drafted. 

The documents will be available for four weeks for a final round of community consultation before they are finalised and endorsed by Council.  

City of Ballarat Director Community Wellbeing, Matthew Wilson said the documents will guide the development of more inclusive services, programs and places to ensure a fairer future for all residents.  

“We know that inclusion in community, work, learning and decision-making is vital to good health and general community wellbeing,” he said.  

“These documents are so important to guide us in creating a more inclusive organisation and city for the benefit of all. 

“I encourage all residents to view and give their feedback on these important plans and strategies, so we know we are delivering the services our community needs. 

“There can sometimes be a misconception that inclusion work further segregates community. That is the opposite of our intent with this work. This whole suite of inclusion work is about how we can make our community more inclusive of everyone. It is about removing barriers so that anyone who wants to participate can do so.” 

The documents will be available for public exhibition via City of Ballarat’s online mySay Portal from Thursday 25 August until Wednesday 21 September.  

There will be four community drop-in sessions during the consultation period where residents can speak with City of Ballarat staff and learn more about the documents.  

• Tuesday 30 August, 11am - 1pm, Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council, Barkly Square, Ballarat East  

• Thursday 1 September, 3pm – 4.30pm, Sebastopol Library  

• Thursday 8 September, 3.30pm - 5pm, Ballarat North Community Centre  

• Thursday 15 September, 4.30pm - 6pm, Sebastopol Library