The three-year action plan provides a strategic framework for the delivery of actions to support and promote multicultural communities within Greater Shepparton.
The document will be supported by an Annual Implementation Plan which responds directly to the feedback received from community during consultation for the development of the Plan.
The development of the Plan follows Council noting the success made through the Greater Shepparton Multicultural Strategy 2019-2022 at the December 2022 Council Meeting, and voting to develop a three year Multicultural Action Plan moving forward.
In developing the Plan, community engagement was undertaken from January to March 2023 through a wide range of platforms, including public drop-in sessions, targeted consultation, promotion at major events and an online survey. Through consultation, three key themes emerged:
- Inclusion and Celebration
- Access to Services
- Communication
Mayor, Councillor Shane Sali, said the Plan provides a strategic framework to guide Council’s work with, and for, multicultural communities over the next three years.
“Greater Shepparton has a very large and diverse multicultural community. A total of 17.4 per cent of the population were born overseas and 17.6 percent of the population speak a language other than English at home,” he said.
“The Multicultural Action Plan is vital to assist Council in continuing to promote the diversity of our region, and strengthen the sustainability and culture of communities which call Greater Shepparton home.”
Cr Sali said the three themes each had specific actions assigned to them, which would then be further supported by the Annual Implementation Plan.
“The Implementation Plan will outline the focus of Council’s work from year to year, to positively achieve the goals of the Plan,” he said.
“We are working towards a more engaged community with better services, places and accessible activities for multicultural community members and both of these plans will help Council achieve this.”
The Multicultural Action Plan is available for download below and you can learn more about the Plan on our website.
