Athena SWAN Institution Application · SAGE-Athena SWAN program in 2016, formalised accountability for gender equity, diversity and inclusivity. We have explored qualitative and quantitative

Athena SWAN Institution Application

Bronze Award

Bronze Award

Name of institution: Telethon Kids Institute

Date of application: 31st July 2019

Award Level: Bronze

Date joined Athena SWAN: 2015

Contact for application: Associate Professor Deborah Strickland

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: (08) 6319 1528

Telethon Kids Institute Athena Swan Bronze Application Page 2 of 89

COMPLETING THE FORM

Please refer to the SAGE Athena SWAN Charter Bronze Institutional Award Handbook when

completing this application form.

Do not remove the headers or instructions. Each section begins on a new page.

WORD COUNT

The overall word limit for applications are shown in the following table.

There are no specific word limits for the individual sections, and you may distribute words over each of the sections as appropriate. Please state how many words you have used in each section. Please refer to page 11 of the handbook for inclusions and exclusions regarding word limit.

We have provided the following recommended word counts as a guide.

Word limit 11,000

Recommended word count

1.Letter of endorsement 500

2.Description of the institution 500

3. Self-assessment process 1,000

4. Picture of the institution 2,000

5. Supporting and advancing women’s careers 5,000

6. Supporting transgender people 500

7. Intersectionality 500

8. Indigenous Australians 500

9. Further information 500

10. Action plan N/A

ATHENA SWAN BRONZE INSTITUTION AWARDS

Recognise a solid foundation for eliminating gender bias and developing an inclusive culture that values all staff. This includes:

an assessment of gender equality in the institution, including quantitative (staff data) and qualitative (policies, practices, systems and arrangements) evidence and identifying both challenges and opportunities

a four-year plan that builds on this assessment, information on activities that are already in place and what has been learned from these

the development of an organisational structure, including a self-assessment team, to carry proposed actions forward.


Glossary of Terms

ACCARE Advising Research and Evaluation

AECDS Aboriginal Employment and Career Development Strategy

CI Chief Investigator

EAP Employee Assistance Program

EMCR Early/Mid-Career Researcher

GEDIC Gender Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity Committee

GPS Growth Performance Support (Annual Performance Appraisal)

ILT Institute Leadership Team

IMT Institute Management Team

KARDU Kulunga Aboriginal Research Development Unit

LMS Learning Management System

LGBTQI+ Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans, Queer, Intersex plus all non-binary and gender diverse

groups

MCC Male Champions of Change

MRI Medical Research Institute

RFA Research Focus Area

SAGE Science Australia Gender Equity

SAT Self-Assessment Team

SLG Student Leadership Group

STEMM Science Technology Engineering Mathematics and Medicine

TGD Trans and Gender Diverse


1. LETTER OF ENDORSEMENT FROM THE VICE CHANCELLOR/DIRECTOR

Recommended word count: 500 words

Actual word count: 861

Refer to Page 17 of the Handbook

As Executive Director of Telethon Kids Institute, I am delighted to present you with our SAGE Athena SWAN Bronze Award application. I look forward to implementing our Action Plan, and to seeing the positive results this will bring not only to our staff, but to improve the research we conduct for the benefit of the health and wellbeing of children and families.

Telethon Kids is founded on a tradition of equity, diversity and inclusion. For the first 22 of our 29-year history, we were led by founding Director Fiona Stanley, one of Australia’s great scientists. When I arrived seven years ago from the Menzies School of Health Research, an organisation that focused on gender and ethnic diversity under my Directorship, I saw the opportunities to build on Fiona’s legacy and cement Telethon Kids as one of the best child health research organisations in the world.

With a women-majority workforce, we could only achieve our potential if all staff were able to reach their own. This meant understanding how we could better support women in our world of science and translation. We have come a long way, and the Athena SWAN process has highlighted that there is still more to do.

I have championed the importance of diversity and inclusion and ensured they were enshrined in our current strategic plan. One of my first actions was to ensure our decision-making structures had appropriate gender membership. The majority of our management committees have at least 50% women and the Board has four women out of nine Directors, including the Chair.

I have personally directed the Athena SWAN process be a top priority, even in a time of immense change. During the time of preparation of this application, we have also completed the construction of, and move to, our new facility, completed our first strategic plan, undergone a whole-of-Institute International Scientific Review and developed and implemented a new strategic plan. I made a strong personal commitment that gender equity was at the top of my priorities, and could not allow our Athena SWAN application to wait. I provided additional resourcing to the Self-Assessment Team to ensure they could collect and analyse our data, undertake consultations, develop our Action Plan and prepare this application. All of this has happened under my direction, and with the leadership of one of my most senior woman scientists, Associate Professor Deborah Strickland.

Under my leadership, we have taken great strides to address gender equity. We have improved the flexibility of our working conditions, giving managers more ability to hire staff part-time and to provide flexible working hours and locations. We ensured all Institute staff could take WA Public Holidays in addition to the end of year shutdown, without having to take annual leave. We instigated an application to the QEII Trust to ensure primary carers would be granted a parking permit. This now applies to all health care and research workers on campus. We created a series of internal funding schemes for new research, travel to conferences, professional development, and scholarships and fellowships deliberately structured to encourage applications from women.

The Athena SWAN application has been overseen by our highest management committee, the Institute Leadership Team (ILT). The SAT is representative of all sections of the Institute and reports regularly to the ILT, who have discussed the data and Action Plan at length. I keep the whole Institute informed on the progress of our application at my regular Director’s Morning Teas, Video Updates, and All-Staff Emails. Our application should be seen as coming from all of us at Telethon Kids Institute.

We strive for a positive and inclusive culture, and check on this through our annual Engagement Survey which includes questions fundamental to gender equity- management, supervision, opportunities for professional development, promotion and working conditions. We have found issues with job


security for EMCRs, leadership development training, and flexibility of working conditions particularly for women, leading to specific interventions. I am most proud of a Supporting Emerging Research Leaders scheme we introduced - a competitive process for EMCRs for salary underwriting and discretionary research funding. All five successful applicants were women and the strength of our EMCR workforce is highlighted by the fact that three of the past four winners of the prestigious WA Premier’s Science Award for Early Career Scientist of the Year have been women researchers from Telethon Kids Institute.

While we have many things to be proud of, I am very aware that we still have a way to go. Some areas that stand out to me include: the ability for women to gain promotion to Levels D and E; representation of women in laboratory science which is less than in other areas; and we have not established sufficient funding support for women who balance work and family life.

This is why the process of preparing this application for Bronze status has been so important for me, and for the Institute. Our gender equality action plan provides an excellent blueprint for supporting women in science at Telethon Kids Institute into the future.

I confirm that the information presented in the application (including qualitative and quantitative data) is an honest, accurate and true representation of the Institute. Yours sincerely,

Professor Jonathan Carapetis, AM Executive Director Telethon Kids Institute


2. DESCRIPTION OF THE INSTITUTION

Recommended word count: 500 words Actual word count: 704 words Refer to Page 17 of the Handbook

Please provide a brief description of the institution, including any relevant contextual information.

This should include:

I. information on where the institution is in the Athena SWAN process; that is, an indication of how

the institution is progressing in their journey to improve gender equity, diversity, and inclusion

II. inform on its teaching and research focus

III. the number of staff; present data for academic, professional and support staff separately

IV. the total number of departments and total number of students

V. list and sizes of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM) department;

present data for academic, and professional and support staff separately

The Telethon Kids Institute (the Institute) was established in 1990. Led by Professor Fiona Stanley as director for 22 years, the Institute has a proud history of women in leadership roles and commitment to Aboriginal Health Research. Since appointment in 2012, leadership under Professor Jonathan Carapetis has further elevated the Institute’s commitment to Aboriginal Health, and in joining the SAGE-Athena SWAN program in 2016, formalised accountability for gender equity, diversity and inclusivity. We have explored qualitative and quantitative data of whole of organisational leadership, culture, policies, and career metrics. The rigour of this process has identified systemic data gaps, policy inadequacies and less than optimal experiences and outcomes for women researchers over the career pipeline. We have taken progressively more substantive actions (Figures 2.1, 3.2), and recognise that continuation of our commitment to the Athena SWAN process is imperative to developing a high performing workforce and future success.

Following extensive ‘Scientific’ and ‘Aboriginal Health objectives and platforms’ reviews, and development of a new 5-year Strategic Plan in 2018/19, the Institute will take opportunities to incorporate Athena SWAN principles into any resultant Institutional changes. The Institute acknowledges the long-term commitment of sustained leadership and organisational effort that will be required to embed gender equity, diversity and inclusiveness as every-day practice, internally and more broadly within the University and Medical research sectors (Actions 2.1 and 2.2).

Action 2.1 GEDIC Chair to lead formalisation of our regional networks at the state level,

including:

group members, meeting schedule and purpose.

identify state level funding opportunities for supporting women in research

initiatives. Finalise the regional committee. As an example, we will host a Girls in

STEMM (see Figure 3.1) by December 2020.

Action 2.2 Include progress on gender equity initiatives (as per Athena Swan Action Plan) in

Institute Director’s key performance indicators that are reported to the Board

annually. Identify leading indicators of closing the gaps identified in the submission.

Effective July 2020.

The Institute’s mission is to be a leading child health medical research institute, focusing on innovative discoveries and translation leading to improvements in disease diagnosis, treatment, cure and prevention. Since August 2018, the Institute is headquartered in the new Perth Children’s Hospital,


Western Australia, with additional offices including CliniKids (Perth), Telethon Kids Kimberley (Broome), and the Fraser Mustard Centre (Adelaide). The annual budget of the Institute is ~$70 million (2018).

The Institute’s organisational structure is outlined in Figure 2.2, and includes high-level management committees. All research conducted at the Institute has a STEMM focus and is organised into four key Research Focus Areas (RFAs-Figure 2.3): (1) Brain and Behaviour, (2) Chronic and Severe Diseases, (3) Early Environment, and (4) Aboriginal Health. The first three each contain Thematic Research Programs housing all research teams working at the Institute. Nine men and eight women hold RFA/Program Head positions (Table 2.1, Figure 2.3). There are 46 research teams, with 28 men and 29 women holding Team Heads roles (Table 2.1, Figures 2.2, 2.3; noting some teams have joint Heads). The Aboriginal Health RFA ensures that in strategy and practice the lens of Aboriginal health sits across all Institute research.


Figure 2.1 Key Telethon Kids Institute Organisational Initiatives


Figure 2.2 Organisational Structure of the Telethon Kids Institute


Figure 2.3 Research Focus Areas

Telethon Kids Institute Athena SWAN Bronze Application Page 11 of 89

Currently the Institute had a total headcount of 727: 128 students (18%), 131 professional staff (18%) and 466 researcher staff (64%) (Figure 2.4). Currently, ~79% of all Institute staff are women. One individual identifies as non-binary. Within Professional Services, 70% of employees are women; 70% of team leader positions are also held by women. (Figure 2.2, Table 2.1). Students: Telethon Kids is not an enrolling Institution, but hosts and actively supports Honours, Masters, and PhD students (>75% total students) from local, national and international universities. 76% of students are women). The Institute has formal affiliation agreements with The University of Western Australia and Curtin University. Table 2.1: RFA and Professional Services Staff Numbers

Research Focus

Area

No. %

Women

Head Professional Services No. %

women

Head

Executive Director 1 0% M Corporate Governance & Strategy (inc

Risk & Compliance and Legal &

Contracts)

9 100% W

Deputy Director 1 0% M Communications 18 94% W

Aboriginal Health 1 0% M Stakeholder Engagement 1 100% W

Brain & Behaviour M Development 7 85% M

Development &

Education

50 88% W Facilities 6 33% M

Disability 79 94% M Finance 12 83% W

Mental Health &

Youth

24% 79% W Information Technology 9 44% M

Population Health 26 73% M People & Culture 13 92% W

Chronic & Severe

Diseases

W Procurement 3 100% W

Cancer 54 68% M Innovation & Commercialisation 2 50% W

Diabetes & Obesity 30 90% W Research Development 7 71% W

Genetics & Rare

Diseases

11 82% M Research Governance & Platforms 39 56% W

Respiratory Health 64 73% M Grand Total 126 70%

Early Environment W

Immunity &

Inflammation

28 69% M

Infections &

Vaccines

72 86% W

Neonatal Health &

Development

TBC New

Team

M

Other

KARDU 6 66% M

Telethon Kids

Kimberley

3 66% W

Students 128 76% N/A

Grand Total 578 81%


Figure 2.4: Total Telethon Kids Institute Headcount, 2019

Professional Services Research Students

18%

64%

18%


3. THE SELF-ASSESSMENT PROCESS

Recommended word count: 1000 words Actual word count: 928 words


Describe the self-assessment process. This should include:

(i) A description of the self-assessment team

A ‘Women in Research’ advisory/support group was established at the Institute in 2010. Existing independently of the organisational structure, implementation of effective change was difficult, notwithstanding some pivotal achievements such as acquisition of a parental room. The Self-Assessment Team (SAT) was formed by strategically re-defining group purpose, membership diversity, operational level, integration into the organisational structure, and alignment with leadership.

In 2015/16, Institute staff self-nominated to form a 12-member SAT, meeting quarterly to plan timelines and group activities. In 2017, committee membership was reviewed, existing members given opportunity to re-new or step down, and new members selected to reflect staff diversity by role, research discipline, career stage, length of service at the Institute, gender, ethnic/cultural background, caring responsibilities, sexual orientation, and life experiences. Broad staff representation on the SAT created opportunities for Institute-wide engagement, socialisation, communication, and elevation of the importance of the work. Currently the SAT comprises 19 actively contributing members (1 non-binary person, 11 women and 7 men (Table 3.1). Table 3.1 Overview of current SAT Members

Name Gender

SAT role Institute position

Background experience Institute Role

Career Stage

SAT Tenure

Woman or Man (W/M/NB)

A, P, RS* E, M, L**

Assoc. Prof Deborah Strickland (W)

Co-chair from 2017. Supporting women’s careers Focus groups Board/Staff briefings ILT reports

ILT Member. Research Focus Area Head: Early Environment Team Head: Experimental Immunology

Women in senior leadership; Career breaks; maternity leave; part time work, child/elder caring responsibilities. Organisational leadership. Aboriginal career development committee. Member student council

A M,L 2016 – Present

Mr. Ben Andrews (M)

Co-chair from 2018. Focus groups Board/ILT/all staff briefings

Manager: Leadership & Organisational Development

Aboriginal career development committee Organisational psychology Member student council

PS L 2016 – Present

Professor Jonathan Carapetis (M)

SAT member Institute Director Team Head: Strep A & Rheumatic Heart disease

Gender equity/male champions of change national leadership. Organisational leadership.

A L 2018- present

Mr. David Stroud (M)

Program Manager Program Manager

Workforce strategy, strategic workforce planning and analytics

PS N/A 2018- present


Dr Shelley Gorman (W)

Supporting Women’s Careers & Intersectionality sub-committees.

Program Head: Diabetes and Obesity

Carer; maternity leave; part time/flexible work; internal review committees. EMCR council.

A M 2016-present

Dr Matt Cooper (M)

Supporting Women’s Careers sub-committee

Manager: Biometrics, Research Platforms

Flexible work (paternal); job sharing; recent experience of recruitment & induction

A, RS E 2017-present

Dr Tim Rosenow (M)

SAT member Early Career Fellow: Respiratory Health

Flexible work, dual positions as clinician/researcher. Represents early career researchers

A E 2016-present

Dr Jonatan Leffler (M)

Picture of the Institute sub-committee.

Senior Research Officer: Immunity and Inflammation

Part time work; international relocation; recent experience of promotions process, represents early/mid-career researchers

A E 2017-present

Dr Paula Wyndow (W)

Supporting Women’s Careers & Self -Assessment Process sub-committees.

Senior Research Officer: Aboriginal Maternal Health & Early Child Development

Maternity leave; return to work; Part time work. Indigenous research.

A M 2016-present

Mr. Glenn Pearson (M)

Indigenous Australians sub-committee

Research Focus Area Head: Aboriginal Health

Organisational/national leadership: diversity & inclusion Indigenous Australians.

A L 2017-present

Dr Kiah Evans (W)


Program Manager: Disability

Flexible work; job sharing; career transition, maternity y leave and return to work.

A M 2017-present

Ms. Danielle Darragh (W)


Program Manager: Infections and Vaccines

Maternity leave; Part time/flexible work; job sharing; career breaks; recent experience of promotions process

A M 2017-present

Ms. Young Chae (W)

SAT member: Compiled HR data

Payroll Business Partner

Part time / flexible work, job sharing; career breaks; recent experience of recruitment & promotions

PS M 2017-present

Dr Ashleigh Lin (W)

Intersectionality & Transgender sub-committees

Program Head: Mental Health & Youth; Career Development Fellow

Recent experience of recruitment, induction and promotions process, intersectionality

A M 2017-present

Mx. Dani Wright Toussaint (NB)

Supporting transgender sub-committee

Project Coordinator:

Transgender & Intersectionality. Carer, casual staff

A E 2018-present

Dr Tracey Wilkinson (W)

Picture of the Institute sub- committee.

Research and Development Manager: Commercialisation & Partnerships

Maternity leave, Part time/flexible work, job sharing, career breaks, change in career from researcher, recent

RS M 2018-present


(ii) An account of the self-assessment process

SAT sub-committees were initially tasked with

extracting data from our HR system, and other electronic and/or written records,

raising awareness of SAGE-Athena SWAN principles,

identification/implementation of SAGE related activities. Figure 3.1 summarises major

milestones achieved to date.

During quantitative data collection (2017/18), the SAT identified significant deficiencies in the Institute’s

systems for reporting reliable, accurate and detailed workforce data metrics.

In response, we have funded, implemented and customised a new HR data collection platform called

Discover. Initial testing, and bespoke addition of gender/diversity/inclusivity relevant data capture

fields, indicate this will be a valuable resource for provision of evidence-based workforce data to

support future decision-making. (Action 3.1).

During 2018/19, SAT working sub-committees were established, corresponding to different sections of

the SAGE application, for data analysis, connecting/meeting as required. The full SAT has met every two

months, and in 2018/19 held two workshops to discuss progress of data analysis/interpretation, identify

critical missing gaps for further data capture, strategies for leadership, engagement and communication

(Figure 3.2) of the program Institute-wide, and development of a gender equity (GE)-survey (2018). This

enabled a systematic approach to identifying common themes of concern, linking sections of the

application, and discussing strategies for development of an integrated action plan.

experience of recruitment and promotions process

Ms. Sahani Burah (W)

Supporting and Advancing Women’s Careers Sub-Committee; Compiled HR/L&OD Data

Coordinator: Leadership & Organisational Development

Member student council, member early career council.

PS E 2016 – Present

Ms. Cristin Taylor (W)

Communications Senior Communications Officer

Maternity leave, part time work, Professional staff.

PS M 2016-early 2019

Ms. Cherie Hardingham-Braid (W)

Communications Strategic Communications Specialist

Maternity leave, part time work, Professional staff.

PS M 2019-present

* A = Academic; P = Professional; RS = Research services ** E = Early; M = Mid; L = Leadership


Figure 3.1 Activities towards improving gender equity, diversity and inclusivity


Figure 3.2: Overview of Communication Strategies

Qualitative data collection largely occurred during 2018/2019:

Open forums/Q&A panels: total 5 held; attendance >150 each event; Focus groups: held by Career level, open to all staff; Level A (poor attendance, n=5); Level B

(n=10), Level C (n=14), Level D/E (n=5); GE survey (respondents=203, 30% staff, 2018); One-on-one feedback sessions (requested by 28 staff across levels A-E, 2019); Suggestion boxes (>60 suggestions submitted); and

Engagement surveys (initiated in 2015 prior to Athena Swan).

Qualitative information combined with four years of workforce data, integrated into Sections 4/5 has informed the submission. Updates to ILT were provided as a standing item at monthly meetings, noting that the Executive Director

and two members of the ILT are SAT members. Other ILT members linked with SAT working sub-

committees, meeting as required. All ILT members participated in two strategy planning sessions for

data discussion, action plan development, and a framework for next steps. Board updates/discussions

were held annually (through SAT chairs). ILT and Board feedback were provided to the SAT during

regular meetings. Initial all staff communication was to raise awareness, followed by progressive

updates (refer Figure 3.2). Four SAT workshops were held to develop an integrated action plan. ILT

provided feedback, support and endorsement for the action plan.


Of note: The Institute moved to new premises in 2018, causing significant strain and disruption to all

Institute activities, including continuity of SAT work. Due to these circumstances, the Institute applied

for and was granted a time extension to align with Cohort 3 participation instead of Cohort 2.

(iii) Plans for the future of the Self-Assessment Team

The Institute’s commitment to improving gender equity, diversity and inclusivity is embedded in our

new 5-year strategic plan (2019-2023). The SAT work and staff/student consultation have identified

ongoing areas for development and helped map an action plan. The future of the SAT is under review

(Action 3.2), with plans to rebadge as the Gender Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity Council (GEDIC),

maintaining high-level status, directly reporting to the ILT, 2-monthly. The terms of reference will cover

responsibility for implementation of the action plan and monitoring, measuring, defining, and reporting

progress and outcomes. Additional roles of the Council will include maintaining engagement, leadership,

commitment, communication and ensuring application of an appropriate lens on Institute policies,

processes and activities. GEDIC membership will be considered high profile. To minimise impact on

members’ workloads, positions will be for two years. We will establish an Equity and Diversity Officer

role (Action 3.3). Further resourcing for the Action Plan will come via the Institute’s central budget.

Action 3.1 GEDI data strategy. Fully implemented by December 2020.

Establish a checkpoint system to ensure key indicators of gender equity, diversity and inclusivity are included in our customised LMS. Aim is to ensure capture of key relevant employee metrics to provide a snapshot of career progress, such as onboarding, promotions, remuneration and exit to support individual career discussions.

Monitor that data fields and data extraction meet reporting requirements.

Gender Equity Diversity Inclusivity Officer (GEDI) (Action 3.3) to provide analysis and report in conjunction with P&C of key gender equity metric to the new GEDI Council (Action 3.2 below). This will be used to inform whole of organisation data-driven decision making. End target is bi-annual Institute performance checks reported to the ILT and IMT. To foster greater accountability data will be shared with all team heads from January 2021.

When areas of systemic gender equity issues are identified they will be flagged by GEDIC and raised formally with the ILT with recommendations.

Note: This action item is relevant for multiple data collection fields and will be referred to throughout the submission. Action 3.2 In 2019, transform the SAT into the GEDIC. Establish the membership, budget (50K/annum

endorsed by ILT), terms of reference, and formalise roles and duties. First meeting by close of Q4:2019. First report on progress against Athena Swan action plan commitments by June 2020.

Action 3.3 Establish the first Gender Equity, Diversity Inclusivity Officer role at the Institute. Major

1.0 FTE role will be co-supervised by a professional services staff member and senior researcher (level C or above, 0.2FTE) to maintain crucial links with whole of organisation engagement and communication. Establishment, selection and onboarding of both roles by June 2020. Investment endorsed by ILT.

Action 3.4 Executive Director to lead regular targeted communications with managers to ensure

greater accountability for upholding and supporting key gender diversity and inclusivity

decisions and initiatives. To begin with mandatory discussions with all team heads.

December 2019 (and repeated as our ongoing data monitoring indicates as necessary).


4. A PICTURE OF THE INSTITUTION

Recommended word count: 2000 words Actual word count: 1635 Refer to Pages 19-20 of the Handbook

4.1 Academic and research staff data

(i) Academic and research staff by grade and gender

Figure 4.1 shows numerical and proportional head counts for all research staff 2016-2019 (including part-time/casual staff) by gender and level (defined in Table 4.1). Increasing staff numbers have been predominantly Level-A women. For all years, women representation exceeds men for levels-A, B, C and D, with near equivalent gender balance at level-E, noting the decrease (47.4% to 42.1%) since 2016 reflects very small changes in numbers. The overall striking difference between women and men, is the extremely high proportions of women at levels-A/B, reducing with increasing seniority compared to low numbers of men at levels-A/B, with increasing proportions across the career pipeline. Although it is gratifying to note the Institute appears to be an attractive employer for level-A-C women, actions are needed to achieve greater gender balance and improved support across the career pipeline (discussed below and Section 5).

Table 4.1: Definitions of Research Staff Levels

Level Title Example Position

A Research assistant/Research Officer Research assistant/Early career postdoc

B Senior Research Officer/Research Fellow Mid-career postdoc

C Senior Research Fellow Team Head

D Principal Research Fellow Senior Researcher/Associate Professor

E Senior Principal Research Fellow Professor

Figure 4.1: Numerical and Proportional Research staff headcount at Telethon Kids Institute by gender

and level, 2016-2019

Headcount Level A Level B Level C Level D Level E

women 136 117 51 12 9

men 33 36 21 7 10

81.3%75.5%

70.3%61.1%

47.4%18.7%24.5%

29.7%38.9%

52.6%

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%2016 - All Research Staff Women

Men



women 183 124 63 10 9

men 32 32 27 7 10


women 191 109 67 9 7

men 30 32 18 4 8


women 200 126 69 10 7

men 39 32 24 5 9

diversify our gender

At Telethon Kids, research teams are housed within our RFA/thematic programs structure (Figure 2.3). Research undertaken at the Institute falls into three major areas: Population Health, Clinical Research, and Basic Science (44%, 34% and 22% of research staff respectively). Teams working within these different research areas are distributed widely across RFAs (Figure 4.2). To explore in deeper context if gender bias exists within our Institute beyond the basics of our (research) organisational structure, we manually collated data from 2018/19 mapping staff against area of research.

85.7%79.3%

69.8%58.8%

47.4%14.3%20.7%

30.2%41.2%

52.6%

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

2017 - All Research Staff Wom…Men

86.6%79.5% 76.6%

68.8%

44.4%13.4%20.5% 23.4%

31.3%

55.6%

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%2018 - All Research Staff Wom…

Men

83.5% 80.0%74.1%

64.7%

42.1%16.5% 20.0%25.9%

35.3%

57.9%

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%2019 - All Research Staff Women

Men


Figure 4.2: Visualisation map of the areas of research that the teams undertake within the RFA structure as shown in Figure 2.3

Data in Figure 4.3 shows that Population Health and Clinical Research staff profiles generally mirror all staff data. Of note, Population Health has higher proportions of women through to level-D; changes in proportion at level-E 2018-2019 reflect an increase of one man. For Clinical Research, meaningful analysis at level-D is not possible (n=0 or 1); there is gender balance at level-E. For Basic Science, high proportions of women researchers at level-A decrease steadily with progressive level steps. Increased proportions of level-B women 2018-2019 potentially reflect positive impacts of ongoing promotions actions, Section 5.1. Small numbers at levels-D/E make it challenging to accurately determine gender under/over representation. A broader action of the Institute will be to determine appropriate benchmarks and defined targets for gender splits by level. This will inform measures of success of our Action Plan (Action 4.1) Figure 4.3: Numerical and Proportional head count of Researchers at Telethon Kids Institute by gender, level, and type of research undertaken, 2018/19


women 93 37 23 7 3

men 11 6 5 1 2

90.0% 87.0%

80.0%

87.5%

60.0%

10.0% 13.0%20.0%

12.5%

40.0%

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%2018 - Population Health Wome

n



women 91 44 18 8 3

men 7 4 8 3 3

Headcount A B C D E

women 43 37 15 0 3

men 5 7 1 1 3


women 42 36 14 0 2

men 4 7 0 0 3

92.9%91.7%

69.2%

72.7%

50.0%

7.1% 8.3%

30.8%27.3%

50.0%

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%2019 - Population Health Women

Men

89.8%

84.8%

94.1%

0%

50.0%

10.2%15.2%

5.9%

100.0%

50.0%

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

125% 2018 - Clinical Research Women

Men

91.3%

83.7%

100.0%

0.0%

40.0%8.7%

16.3%

0%

0.0%

60.0%

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

125%2019 - Clinical Research Women

Men



women 35 13 13 1 1

men 10 12 9 1 2


women 44 17 14 1 1

men 17 11 11 1 2

Cumulatively, these data raise concerns as to how the lack of progress of women through the higher levels of the career pipeline for our staff can be addressed at an Institute level. These issues were also prominent in our qualitative data. Staff reflected that career stages are commonly associated with different contextual life situations, issues, and requirements for support needs. We used workforce data, focus groups and one-on-one discussions to develop a more in-depth understanding of our workforce. We have learnt that Level-A staff (~85% women, Figure 4.2) are a highly transitory population: <three years mean length of employment (men and women, Figure 4.6), with high proportions working part-time (Figure 4.7). Many are also PhD candidates, working short-term prior to or post PhD, or as research assistants not interested in traditional academic oriented careers. As such Level-A staff are not broadly representative of the typical early career researcher aiming to progress through the career pipeline. The collection of more detailed data (ambitions, requirements, contextual circumstance) will help to develop strategic targets to improve support of this diverse group, and reduce the risk of loss of unique skills, perspectives and value (Action 4.2).

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At level-B/C, the most pressing and frustrating issues faced by women are the difficulties of combining a progressive research career with having children. Staff expressed negative perceptions around remuneration, lost productivity, long-term career break impact, travel, loss of momentum, workload to rebuild, and child caring responsibilities. This is discussed further in relation to promotion, FTE, workload and caring responsibilities in Section 5. Level-D/E women researchers were most concerned with extreme workload and responsibilities, elderly caring responsibilities, and perceptions around fair remuneration. We will continue to gather and analyse internal data to inform progressive actions. (Action 4.2). Figure 4.6: Mean length of employment of Research staff by gender and level

Figure 4.7: Part-Time, Full-Time and Casual Staff by Gender, 2019

Undoubtedly, issues relating to career progression are complex with many contributing factors, some beyond Institute control. Our data suggest that we are an attractive destination for women research staff, and that we are not heavily dominated by men, even at higher levels. But equally, we have uncovered some potentially remediable concerns that are hampering career progression of women who wish to advance to higher academic levels.

The Institute has implemented a range of initiatives (Figures 4.8, 4.9) to date to support career progression of women, including those working part-time.

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Figure 4.8: Overview of support initiatives at the Telethon Institute

Figure 4.9: Overview of training support at Telethon Kids Institute


The Institute has invested significant financial support and time to develop Momentum, a new tool to measure and track research impact (Action 4.3). Extended discussion of these and how leadership, recruitment, promotions and workload impact on the career pipeline is described in further detail in Section 5. Action 4.1 Define Institute appropriate gender splits for each level and leadership roles. Develop

strategies to diversify recruitment (including of men at level A/B) of researchers at the Institute. Strategies to be implemented by December 2020, with first report to ILT on progress by June 2021.

Action 4.2: Conduct additional investigation and gather further data to develop a detailed

understanding of the ambitions and needs of our people, at each level, by gender. The overall aim is to create career storyboards for each individual over their career at the Institute. December 2021, with mid milestone report to GEDIC in December 2020. This action item bears relevance to Action 3.1 above.

Action 4.3 Encourage, promote and train staff in using the Momentum platform for improved

capture of career research impacts. Linked to Action 4.2. December 2021. Together Actions 4.2 and 4.3 will capture workforce data and career impact metrics of researchers providing a wealth of career-related data for use by both the Institute and the individual. Monitor the researcher use of Momentum.

(ii) Academic and research staff on fixed-term, open-ended/permanent and casual contracts by

gender

Telethon Kids is largely dependent on grant or donor funding. Proportions of men and women working on casual contracts are comparable, and most frequent at Level-A. No level-D/E staff are employed casually (Figure 4.7). We do not fully understand the reasons underlying use of casual contracts or the impact on staff (Action 4.4).

The majority of men and women researchers are employed on fixed-term contracts, which have

historically been for 12 months’ duration. A concern expressed by all staff was that contracts

could/should more appropriately align with funding terms. In 2017 the ILT endorsed support for this.

We are aware of inconsistencies, but do not know if there is a gender bias. We will monitor this more

closely (Action 3.1), and encourage contracts to align with funding terms (Action 4.5).

Refer to Action 3.1 – Monitor contract length in relation to contract funding term. See Action 4.5 following identification of discrepancies. Action 4.4: Conduct an audit on the use and impact on staff of casual employment commencing

with Level A. Results to be reported by June 2020 to IMT and ILT, with first audit to be conducted on level A in June 2020.

Action 4.5 Executive Director facilitated discussions on current best practice initiatives at the

Institute. Including, expectations of contract lengths to align with funding terms. Jul-Sep 2020, for reporting on lessons learnt and recommendations through to ILT by December 2020.


Our GE-survey indicated that staff want the Institute to increase efforts to suitably employ individuals

into alternative roles following expiration of contracts/funding. We are aware of the challenges

researchers face in securing ongoing funding, and have assisted in transitioning eight staff members

(five women, three men) during 2015-2018, mostly from researcher to program manager/technical

specialist appointments. We also support technical specialists transitioning to researcher roles after

successfully obtaining funding. The Institute will review current mechanisms for identifying such

opportunities (Action 4.6).

Action 4.6 Review current mechanisms for assistance of researchers whose contracts are ending with other internal opportunities relevant to their skillset. June 2020

(iii) Academic staff by contract function and gender: research-only, research and teaching, and

teaching-only

Telethon Kids is a research-only institution, and as such teaching at the Institute is restricted to the supervision of research students. As a significant contributor to total workload, we are committed to collecting data on supervisory loads (relevant to Action 3.1).

Refer to Action 3.1 Data collection to include supervisory loads.

(iv) Academic leavers by grade and gender

Over a four-year period (2015-2018) there were 356 leavers. Highest exit numbers were level-A women. When considering exit rates (proportional by level), men generally leave at higher rates, Figure 4.10. Notable exceptions were spikes in women leaving the Institute at levels-D(n=2) and E(n=2) in 2017, and level-C(n=15) in 2018.

Figure 4.10: Exit rates of researchers at Telethon Kids Institute, 2015-2018, by gender and level.

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Our engagement survey indicates that 70% of respondents would like to be at the Institute in 2 years’ time. We do not have cross referenced exit survey data by individual to identify reasons for exit, Action 4.7. Action 4.7 Conduct further analysis into exit survey data disaggregated by gender to

understand why women (and other staff) are leaving and compare to industry norms. For completion by December 2019, with recommendations incorporated into Institute policies and practice by July 2020.

(v) Equal pay audits/reviews

We examined mean annual FTE salary rates for women compared to men researchers at the same level for 2016-2018, Figure 4.11. At Level-A/B a pay gap of <2% was identified in any year. At level-C, women were slightly disadvantaged with pay gaps of 3%, 5% and 4% for 2016/17/18 respectively. At Level-D the pay gap was 12.8%, 17.2% and 12.9% for 2016/17/18 respectively. Improvements were seen for level-E women, with the pay gap reducing from 18.5% in 2017 to 8.7% in 2018. A caveat to interpretation is the low numbers of staff at senior levels, however we believe that pay equity is an issue of importance, (Action 4.8).

Figure 4.11: Percentage difference from salary of men at same career stage

We additionally analysed mean annual FTE salary of women compared to men at same level by area of research work for 2018/19.

For Population Health, there is significant variability at levels-A to C. Pay gaps were identified for women at level-D (14.1% and 27.3% for 2018/19) and level-E (16.7% in 2018 reducing to 8.8% in 2019). For Clinical Research, men were disadvantaged at levels-A and C in 2018, with no clear pay gap in 2019. At level-E, women are disadvantaged, with pay gaps of 15.8% in 2018 increasing to 20.5% in 2019. To put this in further context, women working across different types of research generally have comparable FTE salary rates, the pay gap is entirely attributable to higher salary-scales for level-D/E men in Clinical Research and Population Health. This is the first time we have considered our salary data in this way, and while staff numbers are low and differences potentially reflect specialised natures of individualised positions, we will look in further detail (Action 4.8). Within Basic Science, women are overall slightly advantaged.


Within Professional Services, at a level by level analysis, some anomalies exist at senior levels with women having higher annual FTE salary compared to men, and compared to women researchers at the same level. A caveat is the very small staff numbers and individualised natures of roles, with only one individual in each role. (Action 4.8). Figure 4.12: Proportional difference in mean annual FTE annual salary of women compared to men, by level and type of research undertaken.

Action 4.8: Conduct an independent pay review in the 2020 financial year, for action by Institute from June 2021.

Our GE-survey indicated that staff perception on remuneration (Figure 4.13) was in some instances disparate to the workforce data, which we have committed to discuss at an all-staff forum (Action 4.9). A significant number of both men and women did-not-agree that compensation was fair compared to others, and that salary reflects experience and skills. Women in particular did-not-agree there was like-for-like gender remuneration. Particularly low agreement (<50%) was expressed by level B (<50%), Population Health researchers (~50%), and Professional Services staff (~50%).


Figure 4.13: Response to remuneration based questions in the GEDI survey 2018

For further insight, remuneration was raised during focus groups. Of concern, some women expressed that their workload was inappropriate for their part-time status, with demands for excessive out of hours/weekend work (unpaid), which was impacting upon child-caring responsibilities and overall wellbeing. Actions around this are relevant to Actions 4.2, 4.3 and 4.5 and career support (Section 5). A general issue raised was that workload totality, to be competitive in the industry, was overwhelming excessive and disproportionate to remuneration. (Action 4.9)

Action 4.9 All staff feedback forum on the Athena Swan application to be led by the Institute Director, for December 2019. Yearly forums for communication of updates, progress and implementation of the Action plan. December 2019.


5. SUPPORTING AND ADVANCING WOMEN’S CAREERS

Recommended word count: 5000 words Actual word count: 5703

Refer to Pages 21-25 of the Handbook

5.1 Key career transition points: academic staff (pages 21-22 of the Handbook)

(i) Recruitment

Institute Staff positions are typically filled through internal/external advertisements, short-listing and selection. The Institute encourages flexible selection processes (interview times/communication modes). Detailed Institute recruitment data by gender and level has not been systematically collected (Action 3.1). SAT members undertook manual data compilation (2016-2018), which was only sufficiently detailed to analyse all research staff combined, levels A-D (Figure 5.1).

New positions were substantially filled by level-A/B women, consistent with Section 4. Recruitment of women at levels-C (except for 2017) and D also show consistently strong trends, showing women perform well in obtaining advertised appointments. Our gender equity survey indicated agreement that

recruitment is based on role competency (men:91% and women:80%)

interview panels consisted of a diverse group (73%: men and 60%: women). Available data indicate that panels were generally small (2-3) with at least one woman member. We will more carefully monitor selection panels and gather staff consultation to further understand staff perception (Action 5.1).

Action 5.1 Monitor recruitment/selection panel membership to improve staff perception of promotions process. Outcomes and report to GEDIC annually. First report to be generated by June 2020.

Figure 5.1: Institute new starters by gender, academic level and year

Likely graduate pools filling level A positions are ~80% women for Population Health/Clinical Research and ~55% for Basic Science, potentially a leading contributor to over-representation of women at this career stage. Across Professional Services positions we also note occupational inequities for


overrepresentation of women at the lower levels of the organisation (e.g. Animal Technician, Research Technician, or Administrative roles). The Institute will increase efforts to attract men into our workforce at levels-A/B. (Action 4.1).

Staff appointments (commonly levels-D-E) can occur via approaches initiated by individuals, or by the Institute. During 2016-18, seven new Team Heads (three women) were recruited via these mechanisms. We will closely monitor these recruitment avenues and report to the GEDIC (Action 5.2, 5.3).

The Institute has already:

Overhauled policies/processes using an Athena SWAN lens to streamline/standardise recruitment and held training events to promote aligning behaviours;

included specific data capture fields (advertisement/shortlists/selection) in Discover (Action 3.1);

Incorporated a detailed GEDI statement in all our job advertisements. Action 5.2: Develop a toolkit for a systematic approach to executive recruitment through non-

standard advertising means, to be inclusive of GEDI considerations. Ensure that these individuals are included in our data capture. Relevant to Actions 3.1 and 4.3 for data capture. First report by December 2020.

Action 5.3: A broad action for the Institute (detailed further in Section 5) is to consider talent

identification and succession planning for Institute early mid-career researchers as alternative to external recruitment. Initially we will work with women in Basic Science due to the more rapid decline in proportions from level A across the career pipeline. GEDIC will be tasked with developing a talent identification program, including mentoring, and establish targets with findings reported to the ILT by July 2020.

We acknowledge that further work is needed to more specifically address issues faced by other underrepresented groups during recruitment, short-listing and selection process, and we will monitor our data capture (Action 3.1/5.1) to examine how our processes impact experiences of minority groups. This will be reported to the GEDIC to inform their decision-making (refer to Sections 6,7 and 8).

(ii) Induction

The Institute has implemented mandatory induction. All induction policies/processes have been updated, and are available via intranet. Induction includes a tour and face-to-face information sessions delivered by Professional Services teams and, as appropriate to work, platforms and technical specialists. A detailed behavioural expectations framework is included as a key induction component. Standard employment information, details of where to find intranet resources, occupational safety and health requirements, and support services available through our employee assistance program is provided to all staff.

We will review the new induction process and measure effectiveness of delivering essential information through staff feedback and via our annual survey (Actions 3.1 and 5.4). Following completion of induction, staff sign-off is required and information entered into Discover. As a secondary strategy, all new staff are under 6-month probation requiring manager/HR sign off, providing further opportunity to check completion of induction. We will monitor this (Action 3.1).

Refer to Action 3.1 – Ensure that all staff have completed all requirements for induction.

Action 5.4: Obtain staff feedback on the induction process regarding effectiveness of delivering the information and content for ease of use. June 2020.


(iii) Promotion

In 2014, Telethon Kids initiated an all staff annual Growth Performance Strategy (GPS, Figure 5.2),

tethered to our promotions process. The Institute developed separate key performance metric

frameworks for Professional, Researcher, Program Manager and Technical Specialist staff (reflecting

different roles/ outcome measures) appropriate to career level, to assist in the GPS, discussed further

in Section 5.2.

For promotion, individuals complete a GPS and a standardised application, which is reviewed at formal

panel meetings held for each level. Panel recommendations and comments are discussed at ILT, with

outcomes and feedback delivered independently to applicants by senior Institute researchers, who were

members of the panel.

Figure 5.2: Overview of the Institute’s promotion process

Women applying for promotion within the Program manager stream, Table 5.1, perform exceptionally

well, with 92% of total applications successful. Professional services staff, not shown, submitted 2

applications, 1 woman/1 man- both successful. For Researchers (Table 5.2) 89% (8/9) and 57.9% (11/19)

of applications submitted by men and women respectively were successful. This parallels data from our

GE-survey that a) 63 % v 79% and b) 63% v 78% of women versus men respectively, agree that men and

women have a) same opportunities and b) same chance for promotion.


Table 5.1: Numbers and outcomes of promotion applications at the Institute for Program Mangers,

2016-2019

Table 5.2: Numbers and outcomes of promotion applications at the Institute for Researchers, 2016-2019


Low numbers and success rate for women seeking promotion from levels-A to B, and B to C, are

concerning. (Action 5.5). Several reasons potentially underlie this: low confidence to apply or in

preparation of the application, lack of managerial support, or no interest in pursuing career progression.

In 2019 we developed and widely communicated a “tips and tricks” information package offering

mentoring advice/review and added specific sections to the application to improve clarity for panel

deliberations in relation to career disruption and relative-to-opportunity. Increased success by women

researchers in achieving promotions 2019 (Table 5.3) may indicate positive impact of these changes.

Following promotion to level-C, individuals are eligible to apply for Team Head positions, initiated

through RFA Heads/Deputy Director, followed by formal ILT discussions. The Institute has near gender

equity for Team Heads (28M/29W, Section 2).

The low number of applications for level-C-D promotion highlights a potential pressure point in the

career pipeline. Numbers applying for promotion from level D to E are reasonably low, as expected at

this most senior level.

Low numbers of promotion applications made meaningful analysis and interpretation of part/full-time

work status difficult. However, our GE-survey data (Figure 5.4) shows a concerning staff perception that

promotions panels make assumptions based on mental health, full/part-time work status, pregnancy,

family responsibilities and age. From initial focus group discussions, we learnt that these responses did

not always reflect personal experience, but incorporated the perceived experience of colleagues. During

discussions, some staff also identified that the existing feedback process could be improved. We will

hold targeted further staff discussions to identify mechanisms to address the negative perceptions.

(Action 5.6).

Figure 5.4 Gender equity survey feedback on promotions


(iv) Higher Education Research Data Collection (HERDC)

Institute participation in HERDC data collection processes is not required, and in lieu, we have used

NHMRC grant funding data. Figure 5.5 shows that more men than women submitted NHMRC project

grant applications as CIA 2016-2018. Of all grants funded for all years combined, one had no women

CI’s.

Noting that large swings and variation in funding success are common, no clear discernible differences

are observed in grant success by gender (Table 5.3). For all grants combined, the success rate has

steadily declined over the reporting period, paralleling reports by NHMRC. Figure 5.6 suggests that over

the last three years, Institute women’s success rates are potentially declining, while men are increasing

relative to average NHMRC success rates.

Figure 5.5: NHMRC Grant Applications by gender, 2016-2018

Table 5.3: Grant Success by Gender

Project grants 2016 2017 2018

Success rate for Women applicants as CIA (total 12) 25% (total 14) 14% (total 11) 0%

Success rate for Men applicants as CIA (total 17) 29% (total 16) 19% (total 15) 27%

All Combined (total 29) 28% (total 30) 17% (total 26) 15%

Action 5.5 Develop a strategy to address perceived or actual barriers to women applying for a

promotion. Through the talent identification program and career support mechanisms,

increase the number of women progressing through the career pipelines to more senior

levels. We will target 10% increase in the total number of promotions by December

2020.

Action 5.6 Hold focus groups for targeted staff consultation and feedback on the promotions

process and to gauge why more aren’t applying. First promotions round 2020. Also

relevant to Action 4.2.


Figure 5.6: NHMRC project grant success rates for men and women researchers at the Institute compared to NHMRC rates

For fellowships (Table 5.4), application numbers are low and funding results differ greatly, however no

overall clear gender differences are seen in success rates. In 2018 only one fellowship was funded,

representing 8% of applications submitted (less than NHMRC reported success rates), compared to 31%

and 41% for 2016 and 2017 respectively (higher than NHMRC reported success rates).

Table 5.4 Total fellowships and success by gender

Early Career Fellowships 2016 2017 2018

Success rate for Women applicants (total 4) 0% (total 1) 100% (total 2) 0% Success rate for Men applicants (total 5) 20% (total 6) 67% (total 1) 0%

Career development fellowships 2016 2017 2018

Success rate for Women applicants (total1) 0% (total 8) 25% (total 6) 16.7% Success rate for Men applicants (total 2) 50% (total 0) na (total 2) 0%

Research Fellowships 2016 2017 2018 Success rate for Women applicants (total 2) 100% (total 0) na (total 0) na Success rate for Men applicants (total 1) 0% (total 1) 0% (total 0) na Practitioner Fellowships 2016 2017 2018 Success rate for Women applicants (total 0) 0% (total 0) 0% (total 0) 0% Success rate for Men applicants (total 1) 100% (total 1) 0% (total 1) 0% All combined (total 16) 31% (total 16) 41% (total 12) 8%

It is difficult to propose a target for improvement, as this is outside Institute control. However, we

recognise that we can continue efforts to improve our internal support processes to produce the highest

quality applications. We also want to understand better why more Institute women don’t apply. (Action

5.7). We will continue contributing to sector behaviour in grant review processes through investing

efforts into training Institute staff for participation on external review panels, particularly including

consideration of track record relative to opportunity. We will also continue contributing to national

consultation forums across the sector to support GEDI related improvements (Actions 5.8 and 2.1).


Action 5.7 The NHMRC have recently changed all of their funding schemes. A broader action of the Institute will be to evaluate our approach to writing grant applications under the new NHMRC schemes once we have received outcomes from the 2019 rounds. June 2020.

Action 5.8 We will continue investing time and effort into training Institute staff for participation on external review panels, and in national consultation forums across the sector in efforts to support improvements to GEDI more broadly across the sector nationally, particularly including consideration of track record relative to opportunity. June 2020.


5.2 Career development: academic staff (Refer to page 22 of the Handbook)

(i) Training

The Institute prioritises professional development, leadership, training and capability building of all staff/students, supported by a dedicated 1.0 FTE and budget: $582, 566 (1% of total year expenditure) in 2019. Students are allocated annual funding for candidature-related expenses of $1000 and $2000/annum for Honors and PhD/Masters respectively. The Institute has mandatory all staff/student training programs for anti-bullying/harassment, mental health awareness, (Aboriginal) cultural awareness. To date, completion rates have been identified as an issue. They will now be recorded and reported to the GEDIC for action. (Action 3.1). All staff/students are encouraged to attend internal workshops on key areas such as leadership, people management, conflict resolution, scientific writing, and networking skills. The new LMS will be leveraged for systematic collation of administration, co-ordination, and attendance of training (Action 3.1). Since 2017, formal evaluation of all training/workshops by staff/students has enabled a process of continuous improvement. Feedback indicates participants derive high value from the programs, however it is difficult to directly translate impact of attendance on career development and progression. An annual training needs’ analysis enables staff/students to identify key training support required in the next 12 months. All training and development is supplemented by coaching supported by the P&C team. Currently, no formalised policies regarding training exist (Action 5.9).

Leadership/Management Key Leadership training programs (summarised in Figure 4.9) targeting different stages of the career pipeline are facilitated by the Leadership and Organisational Development team and external providers. The Institute runs formal leadership programs (via selection using the GEDI lens), for example Figure 5.6 for the Emerging Leaders Program. For those who don’t get into a formal program, alternative leadership training is provided through a variety of workshops and coaching support open to all staff (the ‘Leadership Series’). For all new and first-time leaders, there will be a mandatory requirement to complete Leadership Essentials training as part of their induction, focusing on leadership in the context of Telethon Kids (commencing 2019).

Refer to Action 3.1 – include data capture on completion rates of all training and professional

development done by staff. Action 5.9 Develop policy on professional development for staff and students to outline

support for equitable access. December 2019.


Figure 5.6 Leadership courses gender breakdown

(ii) Appraisal/development review

A performance appraisal process (GPS) was introduced in 2014 for all staff to discuss performance and

behaviour metrics. It is used for role specific strategic and systematic planning for key performance

indicators/career progression/goals/aspirations/training needs, and supports promotion (Section 5.1)

and salary increment discussions. Through the Athena SWAN process, we have recognised a system

level bias, where performance criteria reflect expectations against full-time 1.0FTE, potentially

contributing to issues predominantly faced by part-time staff. We will amend to provide appropriate

guidance (Action 5.10).

To accommodate staff on parental leave, working off-site, part-time or working on multiple projects, the GPS is conducted over a four-month timeframe (with provision for extension). Completion rates are very high (Figure 5.7). GPS training has been offered yearly, and now is available via Discover. Action 5.10 Add part-time guidance portion into the performance expectations framework and

incorporate into Executive Director discussions. June 2020. Refer to Action 4.5.

Figure 5.7: GPS completion rates, 2016-2018

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The effectiveness of GPS discussions is challenging to accurately assess. Staff feedback has raised some

negative opinions, particularly in relation to career planning and progression. To address this, we will

consider alternative avenues for staff identifying a need for further support, including the ‘Leadership

Essentials’ program. This will be supplemented by Executive Director facilitated discussions (Action 4.5).

GPS is also utilised as a tool for annual salary review. Individuals meeting or exceeding expectations are

eligible for yearly increments. Competitive grant funding doesn’t always cover performance-based

increments (or promotion level increases). To offset this, in 2016 the Institute introduced a “PLUS10”

incentive scheme, involving a documented pre-submission process for critical review and evaluation of

grants. If successful in obtaining external grant funding, the Institute awards an additional ten percent

of the funded sum.

(iii) Support given to academic staff for career progression

The Institute has a range of initiatives (Figure 4.9) and various activities (Figure 4.8) supporting career progression. Mentoring: Formal and informal mentoring programs have existed at the Institute for over a decade, primarily focusing on students and EMCRs. External opportunities have been offered to both staff/students, but uptake has generally been poor. A revised mentoring program is in development for 2020 (Action 5.11).

Action 5.11 Improving mentoring support at Telethon Kids, including: - Development and launch of a revised mentoring program. June 2020 - Training sessions on how to be an effective mentor/mentee. June 2020 - Incorporation of mentoring focus in Leadership Essentials Program. June 2020 - Incorporation grant writing workshops for early mid-career researchers. June 2020

Salary support (all staff): The Institute has a competitive salary support scheme, relative to opportunity and career disruption, linked to the GPS that funds high-achieving researchers who make a strong contribution to the Institute within their field and no longer have current funding. More women have applied for, and been successful in receiving salary support (Figure 5.8). In 2018, $400,000 was allocated for salary support, however only $292, 227 was spent. Staff have expressed views that while this is a fantastic scheme, it precludes individuals who have significant expertise and due to current circumstance are not actively progressing their career. This is relevant to the loss of women at mid-career stages, and significant loss of expertise. We recognise this is a critical area for future consideration. (Action 5.12).

Action 5.12 Review the salary support process and investigate future capacity to support research staff who currently may not be on an upward trajectory and to support those transitioning from career disruption. December 2021.


Figure 5.8: Proportion of successful salary support applications

Fellowships:

Senior Research Fellowships: Competitive scheme, up to 6 concurrent, 5year salary underwriting plus $100,000 annual allowance. In 2016, from 14 applications (5 women/9 men), 5 fellowships were awarded (1 woman/4 men). In 2017, of 3 applications (2 women/1man), 1 fellowship was awarded (1 man). Feedback indicated that women generally felt significantly more intimidated by the extensive process (Action 5.13)

Early/mid-career Fellowships: Competitive scheme, up to 5 concurrent, 2year salary underwriting. In 2017, of 10 applications (all women), 5 fellowships were awarded (Action 5.13)

Philanthropic Fellowships: The Institute has an active and successful Development team, securing considerable annual philanthropic funding for research. To date, data on funding allocation and breakdown by gender is not available (Action 5.14). Funding is often allocated to specific teams based on research priorities or donor’s request.

Student scholarships: Since 2017, a number of top-up awards (valued at up to $83K/annum total) are offered through philanthropic funding to support PhD, Masters and Honors students undertaking research at the Institute. Figures 5.9 shows total numbers of applications and awards, 2017-2018. Numbers are low, but no obvious gender bias exists.

Action 5.13 Complete ongoing review of fellowship scheme at Telethon Kids, including

potential expansion to three tiers, (early, mid and senior career) and allowances at each level. Implementation by December 2021.

Action 5.14 Review allocation of philanthropic funds with a gender lens, at career and

stream level, for the last three years, for reporting and analysis to the ILT By December 2021.

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Figure 5.9: Number and success rates of student scholarship applications at Telethon Kids Institute by gender, 2017-2018

Internal project grants and awards: The Institute provides internal grant opportunities to seed new, or support ongoing research projects, aiming to improve the competitiveness of researchers for external funding.

Collaboration & Excellence and Exchange awards: A total of 79 Collaboration and 15 Excellence and Exchange Awards (Figure 5.10) totaling $204,758 and $223,824 respectively have been awarded during 2015-2018. Gender balance of applications and recipients closely mirrors the organisational gender metrics.

Figure 5.10: Number and success rates of “Exchange and Excellence” and “Collaboration” awards at Telethon Kids Institute by gender, 2015-2018

2017 20180

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“Blue Sky” (Figure 5.11): $200,000 available/year to support new innovative ideas. The total number of applications (65%) and grants awarded (100%) are heavily skewed towards men (Figure 5.11). Women expressed views that the extensive application process “put them off” from applying. We have significantly reviewed and streamlined the application process for 2019 and will monitor outcomes (Action 5.15).

Figure 5.11 Blue Sky Grant by gender, 2015-2018

Working Group grants: $100,000 available/annum. During 2015-2018, women submitted 60%

of grants and received 48% of total grants awarded (Figure 5.12). In 2019, fewer grants (2) of

higher value were awarded, with men receiving both. Low numbers preclude significant

conclusions, and we will monitor 2019 outcomes closely.

Figure 5.12: Number and success rates of “working group grants” at Telethon Kids Institute by gender, 2015-2018

Through these four annual project funding schemes, men at the Institute have received significantly more financial support overall compared to women (Figure 5.13). Given we employ more women than men, this is of concern (Action 5.15).

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Figure 5.13: Total internal funding support by gender

Action 5.15 Ensure gender equity, diversity and inclusivity lens is applied to all internal funding schemes to move towards more equitable distribution of funds. This will be measured by closing the funding gap between men and women by 50%. December 2020.

The Institute also ran a one-off competitive scheme in 2018 called “Think Big”, offering $200,000 plus a 0.5FTE program manager to build new multi-collaborative, multi-platform research projects with potential for future external funding. Two projects have been funded, both led by women as CIA.

Reward and Recognition:

An internal awards program (Kudos) was implemented to recognise staff/student

contributions/achievements, consistent with the Institute's vision and values. Participation rates have

been low (men and women) and a new reward and recognition program is currently being developed

for launch end 2019 (Action 5.16).

Supervisor of the Year:

Supervisor of the Year recognises outstanding supervision and contribution to student life at the Institute. Since implementation of the award in 2011, eight of nine recipients have been women. They receive Institute-wide recognition and $5000.

Overall, we aim to link the training, development, mentoring, grant application and other successes to our online systems. This will help to provide line managers with current information to aid GPS, promotions and salary support processes. The Institute is committed to improving the level of support for researchers across their career journey and better data capture through Discover and Momentum (see actions throughout the application).

2015 2016 2017 20180

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Action 5.16 Develop and launch new reward and recognition program, to increase participation rates by 15% by December 2020. Launch the program by December 2019.


5.3 Flexible working and managing career breaks (Refer to page 23 of the Handbook) Note: Present professional and support staff and academic staff data separately

51% of Institute employees have caring responsibilities for children and/or other family members and 9% belong to the ‘sandwich generation’ (multi-generation caring responsibilities), emphasising the relevance of participation in the Athena SWAN initiative.

Data on flexible working arrangements and parental leave has not been systematically recorded and we undertook manual data gathering and analysis.

(i) Cover and support for maternity and adoption leave: before leave

The Institute has a Parental Leave Procedure and a Toolkit with all policies and procedures relating to parental and other leave, incorporating GEDI best practice, available as an intranet resource. Staff can also discuss specific arrangements with People & Culture.

The Institute annually offers 12 days’ personal leave, which can be taken for caring responsibilities or pregnancy-related events/illnesses.

Adopting parents are entitled to two days’ unpaid leave, however the institute can specify other leave is taken instead (e.g. paid annual leave). During pregnancy, employees (in consultation with line managers) can request a “safe job” transfer. If unavailable, a ‘No Safe Job Leave’ can be taken during the risk period (usual pay rate).

For staff that have utilised parental leave, survey data shows 85% agreed their supervisor was actively supportive. 46% of respondents were not fully aware of leave entitlements, which will be discussed at an Athena Swan debrief forum (See Action 5.5 and Action 5.17).

(ii) Cover and support for maternity and adoption leave: during leave

Staff are entitled to 12 weeks full-pay (or pro-rata variations, as regularly approved), as part of their 12-months parental leave entitlement, extendable by up to 12 months (unpaid). Entitlements extend to parents adopting and fathers nominating as the primary carer. Employees can salary-package the taxable 18 weeks of parental leave payments provided by the Australian Government Paid Parental Scheme (2011).

During 2015-2017, 47 employees took parental leave: 3 men, 44 women (3 having two parental leave periods). Of employees taking parental leave, 55% and 45% were Professional and Research staff respectively.

See Action 4.9 All staff Athena Swan forum to include awareness raising of parental and other

leave entitlements.

See Action 5.5 Include overview of all leave entitlements in induction process. June 2020.

Action 5.17 Develop and post Parental Leave data collection tool, to be completed by all

persons taking Parental Leave or Partner Leave, to document both intentions and

desires relating to return date, return FTE capacity, changes to role, career

progression etc. December 2019.


Staff can access up to 10 paid Keeping in Touch Days to facilitate connection to, and transitioning back to work. Only three women accessed this, ranging from 6 -71.5 hours, with all affirming the considerable value of this scheme. The Institute believes that more people could benefit from this. We will firstly target understanding the reasons for relatively low uptake, and additionally revise details to enable maximum flexibility and choice in ways employees can utilise the leave (Action 5.18).

(iii) Cover and support for maternity and adoption leave: returning to work

The Institute supports flexible and/or part-time working arrangements for caring responsibilities. A parenting room is available at the Institute for breastfeeding, and paid parking is available for primary carers. To assist in transitioning back to work after parental leave, employees can request returning to a different FTE allocation, see below.

Text responses in the GE-survey highlighted positive and negative opinions regarding support for returning-to work-post-parental leave. 31% of respondents said the Institute did not provide support to help staff transition between parenting and work roles, indicating that an organisation-wide approach has not yet been achieved. We need to drill down further on these comments and identify what further support mechanisms are required (Action 5.18 and Action 5.19).

(iv) Maternity return rate

During 2015-2017, of the 44 employees accessing Parental Leave, the majority [34, (77%)] returned to work (noting 3 were still on leave at the time of data availability). Of these, 26 (76%) returned at a reduced FTE, from mean 0.9FTE pre-leave to mean 0.5FTE on return-to-work. The remaining 24% returned to same FTE positions, ranging from 0.2FTE to 1.0FTE. These observations are broadly consistent with the GE-survey results where 74% of respondents agreed that employees were able to return to their previous jobs on reduced hours after parental leave. There were no recorded notes on reasons for departure (Action 4.7).

To look at length of parental leave, we manually extracted available data from HR records (Action 3.1). While numbers are low, Figure 5.14 shows that staff take varied amounts of parental leave, with a trend for mid-career/senior researchers to take less time, potentially suggesting pressure to return to work with increasing seniority. This will be further explored in focus groups and in more depth for professional services staff (Action 5.18).

Action 5.18 Hold focus groups to ascertain attitudes and expectations regarding parental leave.

June 2020. Including:

- Utilising Keeping in Touch Days

- Staff support to transition from parental leave back to work

.


Figure 5.14: Time taken for paternity leave by Professional and Research staff at Telethon Kids, 2015-2017

(v) Paternity, Shared Parental, Adoption and Parental Leave Uptake Where an employee is not the primary carer of a new child (birth/adoption/placement), they are entitled to 10 working days paid leave. This leave can be taken at employee discretion, in discussion with line managers, at any time within 12 months following birth/adoption. 13 employees took Partner’s Leave, with 11 (85%) taking the full allocation. During 2015-2017, 3 male employees took Parental Leave as primary carer (full entitlements). All returned to work, with one reducing FTE. Employees that are married or in a de facto relationship can take up to 8 weeks’ concurrent unpaid leave, which forms part the employees total parental leave entitlement. The Institute encourages men to take parental leave. Survey comments indicate that staff do not have a full understanding of parental leave entitlements. (Action 4.9)

(vi) Flexible Working

The Institute offers a range of flexible working arrangements to all staff, including: negotiation of hours, part-time work; job sharing; home-based work. Further options, such as purchasing annual leave will be considered. (Action 5.19)

In the GE-survey, 75% of Institute employees expressed views they have good levels of work flexibility. Figure 5.15 shows that men and women are in general agreement, reporting high levels of satisfaction with the level (84%), access to (86%), formal requests for and support to use (82%), flexible working arrangements. These are clear strengths for the Institute.

Action 5.19 Conduct a project to identify and scope options for implementation of a purchased

annual leave arrangement at Telethon Kids. Project by commence in January 2021,

for report by June 2021 to ILT.


However, there were also areas of concern, including:

Consistency of flexible working practices across the Institute (overall 54%): lowest agreement reported by Professional, Basic Science, Level B, part-time, and non-STEMM staff. Focus group discussions highlighted while the majority of staff are satisfied, they are also acutely aware of colleagues with limited opportunities. (Action 5.20)

The use of flexible working arrangements did not reflect promotions (see above).

Figure 5.15: 2018 GE-survey responses (agreement with) questions in relation to work flexibility at Telethon Kids Institute.

(vi) Transition from part-time work back to full-time work

In addition to undertaking a documented annual review (Section 5.2), the GPS framework encourages regular meetings between employees and line managers, providing opportunities for continuous updates/modifications to career goals and identification of training/support required for development, including increases in FTE (Action 5.21).

(vii) Childcare

Employees working at the Institute’s primary site (Perth Children’s Hospital) have access to two childcare facilities in close proximity offering permanent and casual placements: the Children’s Hospital Child Care Centre (ages 0-6) and Altitude Childcare and Kindergarten (ages 0-5). Employees have access to the Health Services Family Associated Out of School Care program, located within the broader QEII

Action 5.20 Hold Focus Groups to drill down further on negative perceptions in relation to work

flexibility held by a minority of staff. June 2021.

Action 5.21 Lodgement and processing of data captured during the GPS forms to be

restructured such that it can facilitate the monitoring and reporting of employee’s

career plans at the Institute level. December 2020.


campus site, providing before/after school care, including pick-up/drop-off to a range of local schools, and vacation care between 6.30am to 6.30pm. A common theme that has emerged through qualitative feedback is the need for “Childcare access for our children when we need to come in for meetings outside our normal work hours”, (Action 5.22).

(ix) Caring Responsibilities The GE-survey revealed considerable variation in satisfaction between day-to-day versus long term elements of caring responsibilities and working at Telethon Kids, Figure 5.16. Employees reported high satisfaction with day-to-day elements of the work environment relative to their caring responsibilities, including their ability to attend one-off caring responsibilities (94%); handle important caring issues (86%); managing work and caring responsibilities (84%). However, employees reported low agreement with the idea that they could advance in their jobs (33%), or that their long-term career progression would be unhindered by refusing a promotion in the short-term (28%) due to caring responsibilities. Women, part-time and Levels B and C employees in particular viewed that caring responsibilities have a bigger impact on career progression and promotion. Figure 5.16: GE-survey responses by gender for caring responsibilities

Of concern is that 6% of respondents felt that they had been discriminated against on the basis of their caring responsibilities. We need to evaluate the context of this further (Action 5.23). The Institute has promoted encouragement of family friendly meeting times between the hours of 9:30 – 3:00pm wherever possible. Anecdotal evidence suggests that not all teams accommodate this. (Action 4.9).

Action 5.23 Hold focus groups to further drill down on the impact of caring responsibilities on

promotion and career progression. Focus groups to be conducted Jul-Sep 2021, for

reporting by December 2021.

Action 5.22 Investigate options for ad hoc, short-stay (<2 hour) access to childcare at the onsite

facilities, for reporting to ILT. December 2021.


5.4 Organisation and culture (Refer to pages 24-25 of the Handbook)

(i) Culture

One of the Institute’s key strategic goals is to be a great place to work. Since 2015 (pre-Athena SWAN) we have been on a conscious journey of cultural change to embed the principles of fairness and equity into how we work and behave. Currently, we have no formal governance framework for gender and equity. (Action 5.24) Mechanisms for measuring culture are outlined in Figure 5.17. (Actions 5.24, 5.25 and 5.26). The Executive Director debriefs survey results to all staff/students. Statistics, but not comments are made available on the intranet, and the data informs planning and initiatives.

Figure 5.17 Mechanisms for staff qualitative data collection

Table 5.4 shows clear improvement from 2015-2017 of key engagement survey metrics, suggesting that the diverse and concerted efforts by Institute leaders and key teams in development and implementation of significant initiatives, as discussed throughout this application, have delivered a positive cultural impact, and validate the work being done. The Institute changed providers in 2017 to enable MRI benchmarking. In 2018 the Athena SWAN GE-survey replaced the engagement survey. Table 5.5 shows preliminary data from the 2019 engagement survey. Table 5.4 Overall Engagement Survey Data

Metric Aon Hewitt Aon Hewitt VOICE Project 2015 2016 2017

Response Rate N/A 60% 65% Engagement Score 44% 51% 78% Effective Leadership 32% 39% 66% High Performance Culture/Organisational Performance 28% 36% 71% Job Satisfaction 77% 77% 82% Organisational Commitment 36% 42% 87% Senior Leadership Communication 30% 38% 63% Supervision (Expectations and Goals) 65% 62% 79% Career Opportunities 24% 38% 43%

Action 5.24 Institute a governance framework around gender and equity. June 2021.


Table 5.5 Preliminary 2019 Engagement Survey Data Metric Result % Improvement on 2017

Engagement 82% +4% Effective Leadership 74% +8% Organisational Performance 79% +8% Job Satisfaction 85% +3% Organisational Commitment 93% +5% Career Opportunities 47% +4% Voice Safety 68% +7%

Key Institutional cultural strengths (GE-survey results, Figure 5.15) include intolerance of sexual

discrimination, gender equity, support for caring responsibilities, co-worker support, and work flexibility

(noting that for a few the later has also been raised as a significant issue).

Areas of development for all staff included promotion processes and job security, and for women in

particular, psychological safety, accountability for behaviours, and remuneration (Figures 5.16, 5.17:

Actions 5.25, 5.26 and 5.27).

Action 5.25 As part of the Institute’s strategy to improve psychological safety, we will complete

mental health awareness training commenced in 2018 with the aim of upskilling staff

to effectively recognise, respond and refer to appropriate support. Target is all part-

time, full-time staff and students. December 2019.

Action 5.26 Establish a fully integrated, streamlined and comprehensive Health and Wellbeing

Strategy for the Institute. June 2020. This will support and guide overall psychological,

physical and emotional wellbeing at work.

Action 5.27 Establish a ‘Women in Research’ leadership forum for women at all stages of their

career to offer a place to safely voice challenges, opportunities and areas for

concern. December 2020.

Figure 5.15 Institute Strengths – All Respondents

0 20 40 60 80 100 120

Gender Equity

Flexibility

Support caring responsiblities

Discrimination (gender)

% Respondents in agreementMen Women


Figure 5.16 – Areas of Development with Gender Disparity

Figure 5.17 Areas of Development – All Respondents

The Institute has targeted and invested significant efforts to date to improve culture, as discussed throughout this application, including: - Building psychological safety - Professional development - Involvement in decision making - Leadership and communication - Supporting career progression - Promotions - Flexibility Focus Groups Focus Group discussions provided an opportunity for staff to confidentiality raise and discuss gender equity and broader concerns, and revealed that while there are a number of overarching concerns for staff (e.g. psychological safety), there are a number of level-specific pressure points, Table 5.7.

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Express views openly

Senior managers support equity

Equal chance for promotion

Committee diversity

Equal pay

Career impact of refusing promotion


0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Encouragement to apply - other internal positions

Promotion assumptions - F/T vs P/T

Promotion assumptions - Mental health

Flexibility applied consistently

Career impact of refusing promotion



Table 5.7 Focus Group Themes by Level

Themes Levels Psychological safety A, B, C

Unsure of ILT members A, B, C

Expectations of part-time workers B, C, D, E

Power balance/visibility of women on ILT B, C

Lack of promotional opportunities B, C

Support for women to stay in research and have a family B, C, D, E

Better funding options for different career stages C, D, E

Greater behavioural accountability D, E

ii) HR policies

Over the last two years a significant review and update of Institutes Policies and Procedures has been undertaken, as discussed elsewhere. However, there is still scope for further amendments. (Action 5.28) A GEDI-updated policy and procedure library is located on our intranet. All new policies are put up for staff consultation. Recent updates and/or additions include:

Antibullying and Harassment Policy

Code of Conduct (introduced 2017/updated 2018)

Gender, Equality, Inclusivity and Diversity Policy (introduced 2017/updated 2018)

Grievance Handling Policy & Procedure

Parental Leave Policy

Recruitment and Selection Policy

Promotion Policy

Managing and Improving Performance and Behaviour Procedure

Action 5.28 Review and update of Vicarious Trauma policy to outline support provide to staff.

December 2019.

iii) Proportion of heads of school/faculty/department by gender As a medical research institute, Telethon Kids’ organisational structure does not include a system of schools/faculties/departments. It is structured on research focus areas and professional services. The breakdown of research and professional teams by gender is provided in Section 2.

iv) Representation of men and women on senior management committees

The Telethon Kids Institute is an independent non-for-profit organisation with a governance framework spanning across three key levels:

The Board

Management Groups

Influential Committees

Figure 5.18 outlines the key decision making bodies and leadership teams.


Figure 5.18 Telethon Kids Institute Committee Map

The Institute’s Board of Directors is comprised of external members and the Executive Director. All Board members give their time voluntarily and bring a diverse range of experience from the business, academic, and community sectors. Specific responsibilities on the Board include:

Chair,

Executive Director,

Non-Executive Directors,

Three Board sub-committees cover specific areas of business: finance; risk and compliance; and remuneration. Table 5.8 outlines historical lack of representation for women at the Board sub-committee level, with significant improvements in recent years, which we will continue to monitor. Of relevance, following retirement of our long-standing and well-respected board Chair Mr John Langoulant, the Institute has appointed the Hon Julie Bishop as incoming Chair. The Institute Leadership and Institute Management teams have 46% and 57% women representation

2019 and are explicitly mandated by the Executive Director to maintain close to gender balance.


Table 5.8. Representation on Board, Board Subcommittees and Institute Leadership Teams

Committee Name 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Chair

% Women % Women % Women % Women % Women (2015 - 2019)

Telethon Kids Institute Board

27 29 10 30 30/40 M, M, M, M, M/W

Board Finance Sub-Committee

0 0 0 25 25 M, M, M, M, M

Board Risk and Compliance Sub-Committee

40 40 50 50 50 M, M, M, W, W

Board Remuneration Sub-Committee

33 33 33 33 33 M, M, M, M, M

Institute Leadership Team

30 44 46 46 46 M, M, M, M, M

Institute Management Team

50 50 50 50 57 M, M, M, M, M

(v) Representation of men and women on influential Institute committees Membership is determined by both position, including ex-officio status, expertise and knowledge. There has been good gender balance across influential committees, Table 5.9. Representation of women in leadership positions on influential committees 2015-2019 was 54.2%. Women make up the majority of membership on community and people-focussed committees (denoted *, Table 5.9), have good overall representation on research services committees (denoted as ^ Table 5.9) with the exception of the Scientific Advisory Council and this is a focal point for improvement in 2020 (Action 5.29). Action 5.29 As it’s in the best interest of the Institute to have diverse representation, we will

capture data on membership across all internal, formal committees. This will

secondarily be important to capture committee workload. December 2020


Table 5.9: Membership of our influential committees between 2015 - 2019

Council/Committee 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Chair

% Women % Women % Women % Women % Women (2015 - 2019) *Aboriginal Consultation Committee for Applied Research and Evaluation

50 50 50 50 56 -

# Animal Ethics Committee 80 70 86 78 77 M, M, M/W, W, W

*Athena SWAN Self-Assessment Team

- 61 61 61 61 -

*Consumer and Community Advisory Group

100 100 100 100 100 W, W, W, W, W

^ Early-Mid Career Researcher Council

63 67 47 63 55 W, W, W, W, M

# IP Commercialisation 50 50 40 50 64 W, M, M, M, M

# Laboratories Advisory Body

55 50 60 50 76 W, W, W, W, W

^ Research Excellence Council

56 46 62 47 50 M, M, W, M, M

^ Scientific Advisory Council

38 38 45 33 29 M, M, M, M, M

^ Student Leadership Group

69 75 61 59 59 M, M, W, W, W

^^Workplace Safety Committee

N/A N/A N/A N/A 77 N/A, N/A, N/A, N/A, W

5.4 (vi) Committee Workload

Currently there is no Institution-wide data collection on committee workload, (Action 5.30) While committees have regular meeting, workloads vary depending on initiatives and time of year. Examination of committee workloads with a gender lens will be a focal point moving forward.

5.4 (vii) Institutional Policies, Practices and Procedures

All policies, practices and procedures are developed and reviewed with a focus on ensuring they are relevant, equitable and fair to everyone, including recent amendments to key policies explicitly relating to gender equity, diversity and inclusivity (GEDI), anti-bullying, and harassment.

The Telethon Kids Institute Policy Framework is in place, representing and governing the operational structure for describing, ordering, developing and maintaining the Institutes Policies and Procedures. The Corporate Governance team maintain this framework, review and advise of gaps. All policies are developed within the lens of legislative requirements and with the intent of ensuring equity, diversity, inclusivity and fairness to all. All policies are reviewed by the Institute’s Policy Working Group and go out for consultation by Institute staff before approval. 5.4 (viii) Workload model

Telethon Kids does not have a formal workload model as we are not a teaching institution. However, survey and focus group data has highlighted that the impact of high workload expectations affects staff, particularly part-time staff with caring responsibilities, (Action 5.30).


Action 5.30 Review and monitor committee workload/distribution to ensure staff members are

participating equitably. December 2020.

5.4 (ix) Timing of institution meetings and social gatherings

The Institute considers those with caring responsibilities and part-time staff by endeavouring to arrange core meetings between 9.00am and 4pm. Formal leadership programs and Institute training sessions commence from 9:30am, allowing time for school drop off. While encouraged to adhere to meeting friendly times, individual Team meetings are challenging to monitor. However, this has not emerged as a general staff concern.

The Institute also facilitates participation from regional and remote staff via video conferencing or recording of workshops so they can be accessed at times suitable for staff. Community network meetings are held post work after 6.30pm to facilitate child minding responsibilities and personal preferences of the volunteers (often parents). Children can be brought to meetings and babysitters provided as required. 5.4 (x) Visibility of role models

The Institute recognises the importance of visibility of diverse role models. Our Communications team ensures all formal communications pieces and our website appropriately regards gender equity, diversity and inclusivity. The Institute has held two workshops (2017/18) on International Women’s Day to explore ways for women to increase visibility and confidence, which were very well received and each attended by >100 staff. A staff member (woman) was supported to attend the Superstars of STEMM workshop in Brisbane, with a version of this subsequently held at the Institute. In 2019, the Institute was represented at the inaugural L’Oreal UNESCO For Girls In Science program at Curtin University.

L’Oreal UNESCO For Girls in Science program at Curtin University with Dr Asha Bowen (centre)


The Institute endeavours to maintain a gender balanced approach to internal seminar speakers (Figure 5.19). Historically, men have been over-represented as invited speakers and seminar chairs/facilitators to the Institute, with some improvements. However, we need to monitor this more closely. (Action 5.31).

Weekly Institute seminars have been held on Fridays for many years. Staff feedback highlighted that many part-time workers do not work Friday, and we have now moved this seminar program to Wednesdays, when the most people are present at Telethon Kids. Action 5.31 Monitor invited speakers and seminar chairs/facilitators and aim for equal (50/50)

representation from men and women. December 2022.

Figure 5.19: Internal seminars and yearly retreat

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The Institute celebrates successes, contributions and notable achievements of women researchers throughout the year through a range of forums including the Director’s Morning Tea/videos, newsflashes, email updates, social media and via internal television screens. The Institute also celebrates major events including International Women’s day, hosting speakers such as Dame Professor Sally Davies presenting on Women in Health Leadership, and NAIDOC week (with particular relevance to gender in 2018 “Because of Her I Can”). 5.4 (xi) Outreach activities

PhD student Courtney George (centre) with aspiring researchers

The outreach and engagement activities undertaken by Institute staff mainly involve:

Guided Tours of the Institute for mainly Government Dignitaries, Financial Donors and Sponsors,

Collaborators and School groups;

Discover Day – community event (2015-2017) involving 100-150 staff volunteering to help;

Channel 7s Telethon fundraising weekend;

Presentations to school groups;

Work experience placements;

Conference organisation.

Consideration is given to ensure both men and women are represented and involved in outreach activities. Currently there is no formal systematic methodology to capture data on outreach activity participation. (Action 5.32). A new Discovery Centre, aiming to create an interactive space for kids to engage with and learn about our research opened at the Institute in 2019. Several researchers/research areas are featured in this centre, with due consideration given to ensure gender equity diversity and inclusivity of researchers and areas of work are represented. Staff contribution to outreach and engagement activities is formally recognised through our GPS system, communications portals, peer-awards, and thank you social events (BBQ’s, morning teas).


Action 5.32 For all formal outreach activities, we will collect data on volunteers and time

contributed. This will also be used to inform recognition and visibility of role models.

December 2020.

5.4 (xii) Leadership

The Institute Board and Leadership team have made both public and private commitment to the importance of this program, have provided full support and endorsement of our application for the Athena SWAN Bronze award, and have now made equity, inclusivity and diversity a major pillar of the Institute’s strategy and values. This has included an annual financial commitment of $50,000 for the life of the pilot to support initiatives of the program, and the provision of a contracted Program Manager for 2018/19. There has been extensive support from our Communications team, Professional services teams and provision of an internal biostatistics expert.

The Executive Director has explicitly led efforts to address gender imbalances at Board and leadership levels, is a Male Champion of Change, and an Institute SAT member. This involvement will continue post-submission. (Action 5.33). ILT Members have had significant engagement and input into this submission. Action 5.33 Continued involvement of the Executive Director on the GEDIC to support the

implementation of the action plan. December 2022.


6. SUPPORTING TRANSGENDER PEOPLE

Recommended word count: 500 words Actual word count: 318


(i) Current policy and practice

Telethon Kids Institute has begun its evolution towards supporting trans and gender diverse peoples (TGD) and being a more equitable and inclusive working environment. Through our own research, we have had the opportunity to discover the inequities faced by these populations. This has been an ideal impetus to pursue organisational development towards equity and proactive inclusion of TGD people.

To conduct a review of relevant policies, procedures, guides and facilities for supporting TGD people we engaged a non-binary employee. They found that these all comply with the current Australian Sex Discrimination Act and Western Australian Gender Recognition and Equal Opportunities Acts. Minor opportunities for improving the inclusivity of language were identified and suggested changes were made. Institute policies are monitored for effectiveness, gaps and current best practice. This includes a 3-year review date and the provision for policies to be available for ongoing feedback from all Institute staff throughout the development phase and upon completion. Policy Implementation officers, People and Culture, and an Institute Policy Working Group are leaders in these processes.

(ii) Review

Relevant practices such as data collection, amenities, dress code, promoting awareness and visibility were very inclusive for TGD people. Some of these were not consistently or sustainably embedded within policies and procedures. Key areas for improvement that were identified were in relation to policy, recruitment, training, opportunities to promote visibility and awareness, celebrating significant events (e.g. Trans-awareness week) and communication. As the number of TGD employees is small, efforts to obtain data on their experiences in our employee survey were impeded by our commitment to ensuring the anonymity of employees who completed our survey. This highlighted the need to develop specific processes to monitor the impact of our policies for ensuring TGD people are well supported. We also propose the establishment of a TGD Inclusion Team to monitor our progress towards Athena SWAN Silver Accreditation.

(iii) Further work

Our commitment to TGD people is outlined in our action plan.

Action 6.1 Develop a trans and gender diverse policy for the Institute. June 2020. Action 6.2 Review existing policies with a TGD lens and amend accordingly. June 2020. Action 6.3 Promoting/creating awareness for preferred pronouns as part of email signatures.

December 2019. Action 6.4 Promote visibility and awareness of TGD people through our formal communications.

December 2019 Action 6.5 Disseminate Institute language guide to all staff and students. December 2019.


7. INTERSECTIONALITY Recommended word count: 500 words Actual word count: 329



While the Institute’s focus has primarily been on support for gender equity initiatives and Aboriginal health and wellbeing, we acknowledge the need, and are committed to improving how we identify and respond to intersectionality. We currently have very limited understanding of the impact or effectiveness of our policies and practices on the experiences of diverse minority groups and their intersecting identifying characteristics within our work place environment. Over the last two years we have reviewed and updated a number of our policies. Moving forward, in consultation with minority groups, we will develop a statement on intersectionality, and use this as a framework for examining and addressing current and future policies and practices (Action 7.1).

(ii) Review

Our aim will be to raise awareness and understanding of intersectionality through structured Institutional processes, including mandatory training events, policy updates, communications, and future Athena SWAN updates. The Institute believes that a vital component of its equity, diversity and inclusivity action plan will be to collect both quantitative and qualitative data that accurately reflects the nature of any intersectionality issues (Action 7.2). Understanding this will be pivotal to effectively determining and implementing the changes required to ensure under-represented staff and students with intersecting identities only ever experience fair treatment. We will also monitor the inclusion of under-represented staff and students across the training opportunities presented by the Institute for career development, leadership, mentor programs, and participation in EMCR working groups (Action 7.4). We will support the establishment of employee-led groups, including LGBTIQ+ staff representation at committee level. (Action 7.3).

(iii) Further work

We recognise that a significant amount of work lies ahead of us to enable the Institute to effectively address intersectionality in STEMM. We will monitor the awareness levels of staff (for example, through surveys/staff forums) and the impact of our GEDI implementation plans on intersectionality issues faced by minority women (for example, through employee-led focus groups and conversations). This will create opportunities for raising participation, recruitment, promotion, retention, recognition and leadership potential of under-represented groups.


Action 7.1 Develop framework to examine our policies and practices through an intersectionality lens. June 2020.

Action 7.2 Gather voluntary quantitative and qualitative data from gender diverse staff and students to better support policy development and decision making at the Institute. December 2020.

Action 7.3 Ensure key committees and working groups have appropriate voluntary representation from individuals from different intersectional groups. December 2020.

Action 7.4 Monitor participation of underrepresented groups in Institute training and programs. December 2020.


8. INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS Recommended word count: 500 words Actual word count: 490



Telethon Kids has a proud history and strong commitment to Aboriginal health research and to

redressing the gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal health outcomes. This is reflected in our new

Up For The Challenge Strategic Plan (2019 – 2023) and in our ongoing Commitment to Aboriginal

Children and Families Statement.

As outlined in Section 2, Aboriginal Health is overarching across all our research focus areas. We

currently have 20 research projects underway with a specific focus on Aboriginal health, with key areas

including maternal health, youth mental health, skin health, rheumatic heart disease and otitis media

(‘glue’ ear). These projects provide the opportunity to engage Aboriginal people as researchers or

employees.

The Kulunga Aboriginal Research Development Unit (KARDU) is responsible for facilitating research

interest and opportunities that involve Aboriginal families and communities, in addition to building the

capacity and development of Institute researchers working on Aboriginal projects. In addition to our

research in the Perth Metropolitan Region the Institute maintains a presence in the Pilbara and

Kimberley Regions of Western Australia.

(ii) Review

Telethon Kids recognises that it is critical to provide a culturally safe work place for all staff that is

inclusive and respectful of all cultures, with clear understanding and mutual respect. In 2017 the

Institute had cultural awareness training delivered to staff as well as getting researchers onto Nyoongar

Country including a focus on the Nyoongar history and culture. The Institute is currently developing

research standards for conducting research with Aboriginal communities to ensure cultural protocols

are followed and that the research translates and benefits the community (Action 8.1 and 8.2).

The Institute has in place an Aboriginal Employment and Career Development Strategy (2018-2022)

(AECDS). The specific aim of the strategy is to attract Aboriginal staff and students, build their capacity

and retain them through providing career pathways and support. A key component of this will be

developing a cultural security framework that sits alongside cultural awareness training (Action 8.3 and

8.4). The strategy initially commenced in 2013 and was subsequently linked with the SAGE Athena SWAN

Pilot, with both programs receiving a combined $50, 000 per annum each for the life of the pilot.

Unfortunately, the first iteration of the strategy did not successfully accomplish the strategic targets, so

it was revised and relaunched with additional resourcing.

Currently 3.8% of staff and 2.88% of students are Aboriginal. The Institute seeks to increase these

numbers by 1% per year for the life of the strategy. This will be achieved through stronger and more

effective communication with community members, in addition to the implementation of the action


items below (in conjunction with the existing strategy) which will support the Institute to continue to

be a culturally secure place for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to work and conduct

research.

(iii) Further work

Further work to support the attraction, capacity building and career pathway development of Aboriginal staff and students, in addition to providing a culturally secure environment and research practices is outlined below.

Action 8.1 Completion and adoption of Research Standards for Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing Research. December 2019

Action 8.2 Training for all researchers on the Research Standards. December 2020.

Action 8.3 Implementation of mandatory (Aboriginal) cultural awareness training for all staff. December 2021.

Action 8.4 Development and implementation of Aboriginal cultural security framework. December 2021.


9. FURTHER INFORMATION Recommended word count: 500 words Actual word count: 0


Please comment here on any other elements that are relevant to the application.

N/A


10. ACTION PLAN Refer to Pages 28-29 of the Handbook

The action plan should present prioritised actions to address the issues identified in this application.

Telethon Kids Institute – Athena Swan Bronze Accreditation Action Plan

Key

High Priority

Medium Priority

Scheduled

Major Themes Action

No. Priority

Level Proposed Action Rationale Who Timeline Budget

Measure of Success

Advocacy Action

2.1

GEDIC Chair to lead formalisation of our regional networks at the state level including:

There is an ongoing need to affect change at the industry level regarding gender equity. The continuation and expansion of regional networks will assist with coordinating and advocating for change at a macro level.

GEDIC Chair Dec-20 Existing

resources

Commencement of regional meetings

post AS submission


Advocacy Action 2.1.1

Group members, meeting schedule and purpose

As above. GEDIC Chair Dec-20

Advocacy Action 2.1.2

Finalise the regional committee. As an example, we will host a Girls in STEMM (see Figure 3.1) by December 2020.

As above. GEDIC Chair Dec-20

Metrics Action

2.2

Include progress on gender equity initiatives (as per Athena Swan Action Plan) in Institute Director’s key performance indicators that are reported to the Board annually. Identify leading indicators of closing the gaps identified in the submission. Effective July 2020.

Embedding key metrics and success measures into the Executive Director's key performance indicators and into Board reporting improves Institute accountability and will better enable us to drive progress at the most senior governance level of the Institute.

Board Jul-20 No

budget required

Gender Equity KPIs embedded into annual Board

reporting

Data Capture/ Management

Action 3.1

GEDI data strategy. Fully implemented by December 2020. Including:

The strategy will be essential to ensure that we are capturing the right data to help us make effective decisions for the Institute in relation to gender, equity and diversity.

Head People & Culture

Dec-20

Included and fully

expended in 2019

Full implementation of strategy, capture of

GEDI data and formal reporting to

ILT


Action 3.1.1

Establish a checkpoint system to ensure key indicators of gender equity, diversity and inclusivity are included in our customised LMS. Aim is to ensure capture of key relevant employee metrics to provide a snapshot of career progress, such as onboarding, promotions, remuneration and exit to support individual career discussions.

As above. Head People &

Culture Dec-20

Included and fully

expended in 2019

Capture of GEDI-specific data fields



Action 3.1.2

Monitor that data fields and data extraction meet reporting requirements.

As above. Head People & Culture

Ongoing No

budget required

Key gender equity indicators identified


Action 3.1.3

Gender Equity Diversity Inclusivity Officer (GEDI) (Action 3.3) to provide analysis and report in conjunction with P&C of key gender equity metric to the new GEDI Council (Action 3.2 below). This will be used to inform whole of organisation data-driven decision making. End target is bi-annual Institute performance checks reported to the ILT or IMT as appropriate. To foster greater accountability this global data will be shared with all team heads from January 2021.

This reporting will enable whole of organisation data driven decision making. Distribution of this report will enable greater accountability at the Team Head level.

GEDI Officer Jan-21 No

budget required

Bi-annual review and extraction of

data


Action 3.1.4

When areas of systemic gender equity issues are identified, they will be flagged by GEDIC and raised formally with the ILT with recommendations.

As above. GEDI Officer/ GEDIC Chair

Ongoing No

budget required

Bi-annual Institute performance

checks report to IMT/ILT

Governance Action

3.2

In 2019, transform the SAT into the GEDIC. Establish the membership, budget (50K/annum endorsed by ILT), terms of reference, and formalise roles and duties. First meeting by close of Q4:2019. First report on progress against Athena Swan action plan commitments by June 2020.

The evolution of the SAT into the Gender, Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity Council will be essential in driving the Institute's ongoing commitment to the Athena SWAN principles. The GEDIC will be one of the most critical elements in implementing and evaluation our action plan. Ongoing reporting (along with the Executive Director's KPIs

GEDIC Chair Dec-19 $50K

Transformation of SAT into GEDIC and

establishment of budget and governance


and Board reporting) will enable the Institute to track the success of implementing our action plan.

Resourcing Action

3.3

Establish the first Gender Equity, Diversity Inclusivity Officer role at the Institute. Major 1.0 FTE role will be shared by a professional services staff member and senior research (level C or above, 0.2FTE) to maintain crucial links with whole of organisation engagement and communication. Establishment, selection and onboarding of both roles by June 2020. Investment endorsed by ILT.

Establishing the GEDI Officer, with dedicated support from a senior researcher will enable the Institute to effectively implement our action plan and evaluate improvements. The involvement of a senior researcher with dedicated FTE will provide a critical research lens and perspective over the execution of the plan.

Chief Operating Officer & Chief

Financial Officer Jun-20

$130K (estimate)

Establishment of GEDI Officer role

and Senior Researcher FTE

allocation

Governance Action

3.4

A broader action for the Institute is to develop a strategy that supports shifting the culture towards greater accountability for meeting gender equity and diversity decisions that the Institute has made. To begin the Executive Director will lead mandatory discussions with all team heads in upholding and support key gender diversity and inclusivity initiatives. December 2019 (and repeated as our ongoing data monitoring indicates as necessary).

Cultural improvements in equity, diversity and inclusivity are largely driven by those in leadership positions. The Executive Director leading discussions with all team heads will help embed and set expectations regarding equity expectations at the Institute.

Executive Director

Dec-19 No

budget required

100% attendance by all Team Heads


Metrics Action

4.1

Define Institute appropriate gender splits for each level and leadership roles. Develop strategies to diversify recruitment (including of men at level A/B) of researchers at the Institute. Strategies to be implemented by December 2020, with first report to ILT on progress by June 2021.

Identifying what a suitable gender split is for the Institute will be an important step in implementing our action plan. Four out of five Institute staff are women, and this is even more marked at levels A and B. While we cannot control the talent pool that we draw from, this action item will allow us to develop a recruitment strategy to ensure we are "casting the net wide" to attract top candidates of all genders.

ILT Jun-21 Existing

resources

Identified numbers for gender splits

and strategy developed and sign

off by Executive Director

Data Capture/ Management and Comms Engagement

Action 4.2

Conduct additional investigation and gather further data to develop a detailed understanding of the ambitions and needs of our people, at each level, by gender to work towards offering the best support possible. The overall aim is to create career storyboards for each individual over their career at the Institute. December 2021, with mid milestone report to GEDIC in December 2020. This action item bears relevance to Action 3.1 above.

Further efforts to develop a more nuanced understanding of what researchers and those in STEMM disciplines require to support their career path. The requirements at each level and career stage can be quite different. This investigation will enable us to tailor career support more effectively.

GEDI Officer Dec-21 No

budget required

Investigation and data capture completed

Training & Development

Action 4.3

Encourage, promote and train staff in using the Momentum platform for improved capture of career research impacts. Linked to Action 4.2. December 2021. Together Actions 4.2 and

Momentum is a relatively new system at Telethon Kids that is used to capture career research impacts. The data and reporting provided by Momentum will enable the

Impact Solutions Lead

Dec-20

$1,420,124

investment in

Momentu

10% increase in researcher use of

Momentum


4.3 will capture workforce data and career impact metrics of researchers providing a wealth of career-related data for use by both the Institute and the individual. Monitor the researcher use of Momentum.

Institute to inform career-related decision making for staff.

m platform

Data Capture /Management

Action 4.4

Conduct an audit on the use and impact on staff of casual employment commencing with Level A. Results to be reported by June 2020 to IMT and ILT, with first audit to be conducted on level A in June 2020.

A significant portion of our level A workforce are on casual contracts. Further research into the impact of this on both individual and Institute is required to enable to make more informed decisions about our workforce strategy.


Jun-20 Existing

resources Casual audit completed

Leadership/ Governance

Action 4.5

Executive Director facilitated discussions on current best practice initiatives at the Institute. Including, expectations of contract lengths to align with funding terms. For conduct by Executive Directors in Jul-Sep 2020, for reporting on lessons learnt and recommendations through to ILT by December 2020.

While the Institute has made great strides in increasing contract lengths so that they are aligned to the duration of funding, it is still a critical point that needs ongoing reinforcement. Continued improvement in this area will have a positive impact on job security and career prospects at Telethon Kids. The Executive Director is uniquely position to communicate this expectation and drive continued culture change in this area.

Executive Director/ILT

Dec-20 No

budget required

Discussions completed by ED

Analysis & Review

Action 4.6

Review current mechanisms for assistance of researchers whose contracts are ending with other internal opportunities relevant to their skillset. June 2020

This action item will enable us to better support existing staff members by identifying intra-Institute opportunities when one contract ends (for


Jun-20 No

budget required

Review completed and

recommendations agreed


example, due to funding finishing). This initiative will aim to connect staff members with suitable skills with other teams with vacancies.


Action 4.7

Conduct further analysis into exit survey data disaggregated by gender to understand why women (and other staff) are leaving and compare to industry norms. For completion by December 2019, with recommendations incorporated into Institute policies and practice by July 2020.

Existing exit survey data is incomplete and sporadic. An automated online exit form will enable us to gather data on why women (and other staff) are leaving the Institute. We can then compare this data to turnover norms in other medical research institutes to gauge if it is an issue we need to address.

GEDI Officer Jul-20 No

budget required

Revision of Exit Forms and

completed data analysis

Analysis & Review

Action 4.8

Conduct an independent pay review in the 2020 financial year, for action by Institute from June 2021.

Our initial analysis identified some discrepancies in pay equity between men and women at certain levels. An independent pay review will provide us with objective information with which we can review current pay structures.


Jun-21 $10K Independent pay review completed

Communication Action

4.9

All staff feedback forum on the Athena Swan application to be led by the Institute Director, for December 2019. Yearly forums for communication of updates, progress and implementation of the Action plan.

This action item will be a critical milestone in our gender equity, diversity and inclusivity mission. The Executive Director will communicate key findings and outcomes from our submission to all staff and students and will outline the commitment to continued improvement as outlined in this action plan.

Executive Director

Dec-19 No

budget required

Feedback forum completed.

Attendance by 100+ staff and Bronze Award

submission available on

intranet


Governance Action

5.1

Monitor recruitment/selection panel membership to improve staff perception of promotions process. Outcomes and report to GEDIC annually. First report to be generated by June 2020.

Maintaining appropriate diversity and representation on all panels is critical. This action item is to help us track perceptions of representation on promotions, recruitment and other panels through our formal surveys.

Head People & Culture/GEDI

Officer Dec-21

No budget

required

Improved staff perception by 10% via survey metric

Governance Action

5.2

Develop a toolkit that is a systematic approach to executive recruitment through non-standard advertising means, so that it is inclusive of GEDI considerations. Ensure that these individuals are included in our data capture. Relevant to Actions 3.1 and 4.3 for data capture. First report by December 2020.

A number of senior (D and E level) positions are not always filled through traditional means. This action item will enable greater oversight over appointment processes to ensure they are being conducted with a GEDI lens.


Officer Dec-20

Existing resources

Tool developed and initial report

provided

Governance Action

5.3

A broad action for the Institute is to consider talent identification and succession planning for Institute early mid-career researchers as alternative to external recruitment. Initially we will work with women in Basic Science due to the more rapid decline in proportions from level A across the career pipeline. GEDIC to develop talent identification program, including mentoring, and establish targets with findings reported to the ILT by July 2020.

Talent identification and succession planning is an ongoing area for the Institute. This action item, with an initial focus in Basic Science, will allow us to identify and report on upcoming talent to mitigate the decline in this discipline across the career pipeline.

GEDIC Chair/RFA & Program Heads

Jul-20 Existing

resources

Succession planning report delivered to ILT


Analysis & Review

Action 5.4

Obtain staff feedback on the induction process regarding effectiveness of delivering the information and content for ease of use. June 2020.

The induction process has changed significantly since our move to the Perth Children's Hospital in August 2018. This action item will support the evaluation of the new induction process and outline any areas for improvement/consideration.

Talent Business Partner

Jun-20 No

budget required

Reporting outlining induction feedback

with key action items

Analysis & Review

Action 5.5

Develop a strategy to address perceived or actual barriers to women applying for a promotion. Through the talent identification program and career support mechanisms, increase the number of women progressing through the career pipelines to more senior levels. We will target 10% increase in the total number of promotions applications by December 2020.

Anecdotal and focus group feedback highlighted that a number of women researchers at the Institute experience perceived or actual barriers to applying for a promotion. This action item will enable us to gauge the effectiveness of talent identification and supporting mechanisms (e.g. coaching/mentoring) in improving the number and success rate of women applicants for promotion.


budget required

Strategy completed and signed off by

ILT. Implementation

and 10% increase in application for

promotions by women


Action 5.6

Hold focus groups for targeted staff consultation and feedback on the promotions process and to gauge why more aren’t applying. First promotions round 2020. Also relevant to Action 4.2.

This action item will also support the aims of the above. The aim will be to improve the number of women applicants and success rate at the next promotions round.


budget required

Completion of four focus groups by level and report provided Deputy

Director

Leadership/ Analysis &

Review

Action 5.7

The NHMRC have recently changed all their funding schemes. A broader action of the Institute will be to evaluate our approach to writing grant applications under the new NHMRC schemes once we have

NHMRC funding is increasingly competitive. This action item will support our continued evaluation of our grant applications and associated strategy to ensure we remain competitive for funding.

Head Research Development/ RFA Program

Heads

Jun-20 Existing

resources

Grant writing success evaluated,

and recommendations

provided


received outcomes from the 2019 rounds. June 2020.


Action 5.8

We will continue investing time and effort into training Institute staff for participation on external review panels, and in national consultation forums across the sector in efforts to support improvements to GEDI more broadly across the sector nationally, particularly including consideration of track record relative to opportunity. June 2020.

In recognition that some Institute staff sit on key decision making bodies that award grant and scholarship funding, this action item aims to support our broader effort to positively impact the industry by promotion more equitable evaluation processes by panels.

GEDI Officer Jun-20

Existing training budget

resources

First round of external review panel training

completed

Governance Action

5.9

Develop policy on professional development for staff and students to outline support for equitable access. December 2019.

Telethon Kids offers a range of scientific, leadership and people management skills training to all staff and students. Formulation of a policy outlining access to training and professional development support will help ensure equitable access to professional development opportunities.

Manager, Leadership &

Organisational Development

Dec-19 No

budget required

Policy developed and signed off by Policy Committee

Governance Action 5.10

Add part-time guidance portion into the performance expectations framework and incorporate into Executive Director discussions. June 2020.

Feedback from our surveys and focus groups highlighted workload pressures for staff, particularly for those that work part-time. Incorporating guidelines for this into our performance expectations framework will help to ensure reasonable expectations of


Jun-20 No

budget required

Part-time section embedded into

GPS form. Improve favourable

response on Workload survey

metric by 10%


part-time staff to enable maintenance of work/life balance and meeting family requirements.

Staff Support Action 5.11

Improving mentoring support at Telethon Kids, including:

Mentoring remains a critical area for overall professional development. A revised mentoring program, informed by focus groups and other relevant data as outlined above, will enable a more targeted approach for staff support.



Jun-20 Existing

resources Completion of all

sub actions

Staff Support Action 5.11.1

Development and launch of a revised mentoring program. June 2020

As above.



Jun-20 Existing

resources Mentoring program

launched


Action 5.11.2

Training sessions on how to be an effective mentor/mentee. June 2020

The training sessions will upskill both mentors and mentees so that both parties have clear expectations of what can be expected as part of the mentoring relationship. The aim of this is to provide better matches and more effective mentoring relationships.



Jun-20 Existing

resources

First round of training sessions

delivered


Action 5.11.3

Incorporation of mentoring focus in Leadership Essentials Program. June 2020

This sub-action item is to ensure new leaders at Telethon Kids are aware of mentoring options and expectations.



Jun-20 Existing

resources

Leadership Essentials content incorporated and

approved



Action 5.11.4

Incorporation grant writing workshops for early mid-career researchers.

Grant writing has been identified both anecdotally and through survey feedback as an area for further support. This action item supports the rollout of targeted training on this to early mid-career researcher.

Head Research Development/



Jun-20 Existing

resources

Completion of first round of grant

writing workshops prior to next

NHMRC grant rounds

Analysis & Review

Action 5.12

Review the salary support process and investigate future capacity to support research staff who currently may not be on an upward trajectory and to support those transitioning from career disruption. December 2021.

Data gathered through the Athena SWAN process indicated that many researchers struggle with funding and sustainability. This action item will support further analysis into how those (most notably at levels B and C) can be better supported post career disruption, when they may no longer be on an upward career trajectory.

GEDI Officer/ILT Dec-21 Existing

resources

Completion of review and

provision of report with

recommendations to ILT

Analysis & Review

Action 5.13

Complete ongoing review of fellowship scheme at Telethon Kids, including potential expansion to three tiers, (early, mid and senior career) and allowances at each level. Implementation by December 2021.

To provide support through salary underwriting in the event of unsuccessful grant applications. 2-year safety net for people at different stage of their career, plus an allowance that can be used for travel etc. Even if they don't need the salary, they will get the allowance. Adding to the existing funding. Post finalisation of the review, the budget line will be amended/adjusted.

Head Research Development/ ILT

Dec-21

The standing fellowship budget

will be amended

post review

Completed review of Fellowship

scheme


Leadership/ Analysis &

Review

Action 5.14

Review allocation of philanthropic funds with a gender lens, at career and stream level, for the last three years, for reporting and analysis to the ILT By December 2021.

This action item will support our monitoring of how philanthropic funds are allocated at Telethon Kids to reduce this gap. However, it should be noted that a number of our philanthropic donations are for specific areas of research and as such cannot be distributed elsewhere.

Head, Development/ GEDI Officer

Dec-21 Existing

resources

Report completed and submitted to

IMT/ILT

Analysis & Review

Action 5.15

Ensure gender equity, diversity and inclusivity lens is applied to all internal funding schemes to move towards more equitable distribution of funds. This will be measured by closing the funding gap between men and women by 50%. December 2020.

Data gathered suggests that men have received more internal funding than women in total dollar value. Similar to the above rationale, this action item is to support review and monitoring of internal funds with a gender lens to reduce this gap.

Head Research Development

Dec-21 Existing

resources

Review complete and summary

report provided to IMT/ILT 2021.

Funding gap closed by 50% by 2022

Staff Support Action 5.16

Develop and launch new reward and recognition program, to increase participation rates by 15% by December 2020. Launch the program by December 2019.

Recognition and acknowledgement of staff contribution is critical. This new program, informed by staff feedback and an internal review, will aim to provide a more targeted and meaningful reward and recognition program for all staff. This initiative is also aimed at continuing to improve our staff engagement.


Organisational Development/RF

A Program Managers

Dec-20 $20K

Program launch and

implementation. 15% increase in

staff participation.


Action 5.17

Develop and post Parental Leave data collection tool, to be completed by all persons taking Parental Leave or Partner Leave, to document both intentions

Through our analysis we've identified that 51% of Institute staff have caring responsibilities, a significant portion of that as parents. This


Dec-19 Existing

resources

Tool developed and initial report

provided


and desires relating to return date, return FTE capacity, changes to role, career progression etc. December 2019.

action item is to support a more streamlined parental leave process and provide clarity for all parties to enable a smooth return to work process.


Action 5.18

Hold focus groups to ascertain attitudes and expectations regarding parental leave. June 2020. Including:

These focus groups will allow us to drill down further on staff expectations regarding parental leave. This will also allow us to clarify the administrative processes and support provided to those taking parental leave.

GEDI Officer Jun-20 Existing

resources

Focus groups completed and

recommendation report provided

Action 5.18.1

Utilising Keeping in Touch Days Key topic for discussion at the above focus groups.

GEDI Officer Jun-20

Action 5.18.2

Staff support to transition from parental leave back to work

Key topic for discussion at the above focus group.

GEDI Officer Jun-20

Analysis & Review

Action 5.19

Conduct a project to identify and scope options for implementation of a purchased annual leave arrangement at Telethon Kids. Project by commence in January 2021, for report by June 2021 to ILT.

Purchased annual leave is one mechanism by which staff can manage their work/life balance more effectively. Whilst any arrangements would be subject to the requirements of the role, the Institute has committed to exploring options regarding implementing this scheme for staff.


Jun-21 Cost

neutral

Report outlining options for

purchased annual leave provided


Action 5.20

Hold Focus Groups to drill down further on negative perceptions in relation to work flexibility held by a minority of staff. June 2021.

Flexible working arrangements were highlighted as a strength for the Institute; however, a minority of survey respondents indicated the perception that flexibility wasn't always equitable across

GEDI Officer Jun-21 No

budget required

Focus group completed and

summary report provided to

IMT/ILT. Target consultation with

5% of staff.


teams. The aim of these focus groups is to gather more information on this topic to inform policy and decision making.


Lodgement and processing of data captured during the GPS forms to be restructured such that it can facilitate the monitoring and reporting of employee’s career plans at the Institute level. June 2020.

Finding avenues to support career progression and planning remains a key goal of the Institute. This action item will enable us to utilise the GPS to better understand people’s aspirations regarding their career and to identify opportunities for the Institute to provide better support.

Head People & Culture/RFA

Heads Dec-20

No budget

required

Update of GPS forms by next GPS

round

Analysis & Review

Action 5.22

Investigate options for ad hoc, short-stay (<2 hour) access to childcare at the onsite facilities, for reporting to ILT. December 2021.

Data analysis has highlighted 51% of staff have caring responsibilities. Investigating options regarding short-stay access to childcare onsite at Perth Children's Hospital will help provide options for staff to attend critical onsite meetings.

GEDI Officer Dec-21

Existing resources

will be utilised for the

investigation aspect

of this action item

Investigation complete and


IMT/ILT


Action 5.23

Hold focus groups to further drill down on the impact of caring responsibilities on promotion and career progression. Focus groups to be conducted Jul-Sep 2021, for reporting by December 2021.

This review process has highlighted the sometimes complex relationship between caring responsibilities, promotional opportunities and career progression. The majority of both men and women respondents to the GE-survey indicated they felt caring responsibilities would impact their career


budget required

Focus group completed and


IMT/ILT. Target consultation with

5% of staff.


progression and promotional opportunity. These focus groups aim to gather more data on the relationship between these three critical aspects.


Institute a governance framework around gender and equity. June 2021

The governance framework will provide an overarching guide to help inform Institute decisions to ensure they are fair and equitable for all staff.

Chief Operating Officer & Chief

Financial Officer Jun-21

Strategic project funds

Implementation of the Governance

framework


As part of the Institute’s strategy to improve psychological safety, we will complete mental health awareness training commenced in 2018 with the aim of upskilling staff to effectively recognise, respond and refer to appropriate support. Target is all part-time, full-time staff and students. December 2019.

2017 marked the first year the Institute measured psychological safety (being able to raise issues or concerns openly). This was identified as an area for ongoing development. One the measures undertaken to support this was to provide mental health awareness training to all staff and students. This action item will support the upskilling of staff to recognise and appropriately support and refer on team members.



Dec-19 $54K

allocated for2019

Completion of training and 95% staff attendance.

Evaluation of psychological

safety as per 2020 engagement survey


Establish a fully integrated, streamlined and comprehensive Health and Wellbeing Strategy for the Institute. December 2020. This will support and guide overall psychological, physical and emotional wellbeing at work.

This strategy will bring together a number of initiatives aimed at supporting staff and students and allow us to implement, coordinate and evaluate strategies aimed at supporting staff wellbeing.


Dec-20

Existing strategic projects funding

Implementation of the strategy and evaluation of all

key initiatives


Leadership/ Staff Support

Action 5.27

Establish a ‘Women in Research’ leadership forum for women at all stages of their career to offer a place to safely voice challenges, opportunities and areas for concern. December 2020.

This forum will provide a vehicle for women in research to constructively raise and address concerns in addition to identifying opportunities to support an equitable culture at Telethon Kids

RFA Heads Dec-20 No

budget required

Implementation of the forum and

membership of 10+ in the first year


Review and update of Vicarious Trauma policy to outline support provide to staff. December 2019.

This action item will allow the Institute to further scaffold the support we provided to staff regarding experience of vicarious trauma in the workplace. This sits alongside and supports other health and wellbeing and psychological safety initiatives.

Head People & Culture/Manager

Leadership & Organisational Development

Dec-19

Budget to be

determined post review

Implementation of updated policy and evaluation/feedbac

k on the effectiveness of

support strategies


As it’s in the best interest of the Institute to have diverse representation, we will capture data on membership across all internal, formal committees. This will secondarily be important to capture committee workload. December 2020

This action item will support the Institute to have a lens on all committees to ensure there is appropriate representation and workload balance.


budget required

All committees have diversity of representation in their membership


Action 5.30

Review and monitor committee workload/distribution to ensure staff members are participating equitably. December 2020.

Anecdotal evidence suggests there are a small number of people that sit across multiple committees. While acknowledge this is a requirement for some roles, this action item will support the review and monitoring of committee workloads to provide data for more equitable membership.


budget required

Staff sitting on four internal

committees or less (unless required)


Leadership/ Advocacy

Action 5.31

Monitor invited speakers and seminar chairs/facilitators and aim for equal (50/50) representation from men and women

This action item will support increased exposure for women in research and assist in ensuring that we move closer to 50/50 representation by 2022.

GEDIC Chair Dec-22 No

budget required

50/50 gender representation of invite speakers by

2022.


Action 5.32

For all formal outreach activities, we will collect data on volunteers and time contributed. This will also be used to inform recognition and visibility of role models. December 2020

This action item will enable further data collection on out of hours volunteering for outreach activities to support recognition and visibility of contributions.


budget required

Formal recognition of staff outreach

activities


Action 5.33

Continued involvement of the Executive Director on the GEDIC to support the implementation of the action plan. December 2022.

The Executive Director's continued involvement in the future GEDIC will be critical to help drive the Institutes equity initiatives.

Executive Director/RFA and Program Heads

Dec-22 No

budget required

Executive Director's

involvement in delivering key

GEDIC initiatives

Governance Action

6.1

Develop a trans and gender diverse policy for the Institute. June 2020.

Telethon Kids has published ground-breaking research on the mental health and care pathways for trans and gender diverse youth via the Trans Pathways project. This action item enables us to ensure that key decisions and strategies at the Institute are made with consideration for trans and gender diverse staff and student.


Officer Jun-20

Existing resources

Policy complete and approved by the Policy Review

Committee

Analysis & Review

Action 6.2

Review existing policies with a TGD lens and amend accordingly. June 2020.

As above this action item will support Telethon Kids' goal to be a workplace inclusive of all. Reviewing our existing policies with this lens will enable us to


Officer Jun-20

Existing resources

Key policies identified and

updated as appropriate


ensure our policies are trans and gender diverse friendly.

Communication & Engagement

Action 6.3

Promoting/creating awareness for preferred pronouns as part of email signatures. December 2019.

This is already an option at Telethon Kids. The aim of this action item would be to raise awareness that all staff can have their preferred pronouns as part of their email signature.

GEDI Officer/ Communications

Team Dec-19

No budget

required

All staff communication

outlining this option


Action 6.4

Promote visibility and awareness of TGD people through our formal communications. December 2019

This action item will support the Institute to celebrate the success of a diverse range of staff and students.

Communications Team

Dec-19 No budget

required

Communications news story on transgender

person/research


Action 6.5

Disseminate Institute language guide to all staff and students. December 2019.

This action item will enable the Institute to ensure all communications are conducted using trans and gender diverse friendly language.

GEDI Officer Dec-19 No budget

required

Guide disseminated to all

relevant staff

Governance Action

7.1

Develop framework to examine our policies and practices through an intersectionality lens. June 2020

Like Action 6.2 above, viewing our policies taking into intersectional perspectives will enable us to ensure our policies are fair and equitable to all.

Company Secretary/GEDI

Officer Jun-20

Existing resources

Framework developed and implemented


Action 7.2

Gather voluntary quantitative and qualitative data from gender diverse staff and students to better support policy development and decision making at the Institute. December 2019.

Our current data on trans and gender diverse staff is very limited. This action item will allow us to capture additional information to identify different avenues to provide support.


budget required

Data fields established and

report produced to inform decision

making



Action 7.3

Ensure key committees and working groups have appropriate voluntary representation from individuals from different intersectional groups, June 2020.

Representation is a critical component of ensuring fair and equitable work practices. This action item will support diverse representation on all of our committees where possible.

GEDI Officer Jun-20 No

budget required

Monitor committee membership for

appropriate representation

Governance Action

7.4

Monitor participation of underrepresented groups in Institute training and programs. December 2020

The Institute wants to ensure fair and equitable access to training opportunities for all staff members. Applying this lens will assist us to identify groups that may experiencing fewer opportunities about training and development.



Dec-20 Existing

resources

Monitor RSVP and attendance and

target key demographics as

required


Action 8.1

Completion and adoption of Research Standards for Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing Research. December 2019

The Research Standards are a critical axis by which the Institute can clarify expectations about how researchers engage, work with and collaborate with Aboriginal community groups in order to conduct research of the highest standard, and wherever possible with clear translational benefits to the Community.

Research Focus Area Head,

Aboriginal Health Dec-19

Existing resources

Research standards developed and approved by ILT


Action 8.2

Training for all researchers on the Research Standards. December 2020.

This action item supports all research staff working with Aboriginal communities or within Aboriginal health research to complete the necessary training to enable collaborative, translation and respectful research practices.



Dec-20 Existing

resources

Training delivered to all researchers

involved in Aboriginal health

research



Action 8.2

Implementation of mandatory (Aboriginal) cultural awareness training for all staff. December 2021.

While the Institute has run cultural awareness training in 2017, this will be the first time we have run organised and systematic training for all staff on Aboriginal culture.

Research Focus Area Head,

Aboriginal Health Dec-21

Existing resources

All Institute staff and students to

complete cultural awareness training

Governance Action

8.4

Develop and implement Aboriginal cultural security framework. December 2021

The cultural security framework aims to provide a culturally and spiritually safe workplace for Aboriginal people to work in at the Institute. The development and implementation of this framework is a key component of the Institute's Aboriginal Employment and Career Development Strategy (2018 - 2021).

Research Focus Area Head, Aboriginal

Health/Manager, Leadership &


Dec-21 Existing

resources

Security framework developed and

embedded


This application was published by SAGE in July 2017. © Copyright, Equality Challenge Unit, 2015. Reproduced by the Australian Academy of Science under licence from Equality Challenge Unit. Athena SWAN® is the registered trademark of, and is used by the Australian Academy of Science under licence from, Equality Challenge Unit. Information contained in this publication is for the use of Athena SWAN Charter member institutions only. Use of this publication and its contents for any other purpose, including copying information in whole or in part, is prohibited.

Documents

Athena SWAN Institution Application · SAGE-Athena SWAN program in 2016, formalised accountability for gender equity, diversity and inclusivity. We have explored qualitative and quantitative