A Resource, not a Threat: Understanding the ACT’s Human Rights Commission
What comes to mind when you hear “Human Rights Commission”? For many Village Managers, it might be complaints, disputes or escalation. But what if it could instead be viewed as another resource in your village management toolkit?
That was one of the key messages from Karen Toohey, ACT Discrimination, Health Services, Disability and Community Services Commissioner, when she joined DCM Institute’s first ACT Lunch & Learn earlier this week.
Karen explained that the ACT Human Rights Commission has a particularly unique role in retirement living. The ACT is one of the few jurisdictions in Australia with a specific complaints jurisdiction relating to retirement villages. Rather than being another formal step in a dispute, the Commission provides what Karen described as a “free, informal, accessible statutory conciliation function for residents and operators.”
The focus is not simply on dealing with complaints. It is about helping people find a way forward while maintaining the relationship between the resident and operator.
“My role is to encourage people to work with the operators to resolve things.”
Remember: it is someone's home
One of the most important insights Karen shared was that retirement villages are different from many other service environments. For residents, this is their home.
That can make raising a concern difficult. A resident may worry about upsetting their relationship with the Village Manager, what other residents might think, or whether their concerns will remain confidential. As Karen explained, “You might see it as a service delivery relationship. But people are really worried about upsetting those relationships.”
This makes the way Village Managers respond to concerns particularly important. Creating an environment where residents feel safe to raise an issue early can prevent a small concern from becoming a much larger dispute.
Communication remains the big one
When asked about the issues that most commonly come across her desk, Karen’s answer was clear:
“Communication is the biggest one.”
It is not simply about communicating more. It is about thinking carefully about what we communicate, how we communicate it and whether it is accessible to the person receiving it.
Karen shared an example of a resident who received a letter from an operator but found it so complicated that she couldn’t understand it. A Commission staff member subsequently worked with the resident and operator to address the issue.
For Village Managers, it is a useful reminder that technically correct communication is not necessarily effective communication. Before sending that next letter or email, consider: Is this easy to understand? Does the resident know what happens next? Have I made it easy for them to ask questions?
Don't self-select out of asking for help
The Commission’s role extends well beyond retirement village complaints. Karen spoke about assisting with matters involving discrimination, health services, disability, vulnerable people, neighbour disputes and external service providers.
Her message to operators was particularly relevant:
“I want people to lean in to the fact that we are a resource for people, not just for individuals and complainants, but for operators and service providers.”
For Village Managers, perhaps the biggest takeaway is that you don’t have to have every answer. Good village management also means knowing when to seek help, when to refer a resident elsewhere and when an external organisation can provide expertise that you cannot.
Sometimes, knowing who can help is just as valuable as knowing how to solve the problem yourself.
Karen also offered to visit ACT villages to talk with operators and residents about the Commission’s role and how it can support their communities.
The challenge for Village Managers is simple: don’t see the Commission as somewhere you go when things have gone wrong. See it as another resource that can help you get things right.
Tag:ACT Human Rights Commission, ACT retirement village complaints, ACT retirement village management, ACT retirement village manager, ACT retirement villages, complaint management, conflict resolution, DCM Institute, Human Rights Commission ACT, resident communication, resident complaints, resident concerns, resident dispute resolution, resident relationships, retirement village communication, retirement village complaints, retirement village compliance, retirement village conciliation, retirement village dispute resolution, retirement village legislation ACT, retirement village management, retirement village professional development, retirement village regulation ACT, village manager professional development, village manager responsibilities, village manager training
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