LinkedIn and Campfire X highlight experiences of Indigenous Australians in the workplace
LinkedIn has launched the latest iteration of its #ConversationsForChange campaign, with a new content series created for Reconciliation Week in partnership with Indigenous-led creative consultancy Campfire X.
The three-part series, ‘Change Starts With’, aims to highlight the subtle, everyday moments that can impact Indigenous Australians in the workplace. In doing so, the campaign encourages non-Indigenous Australian to consider how their unconscious biases can make workplaces less culturally safe for Indigenous people.
Video 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5ZZE6K_FPI
Video 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=174nwz_5yo4
Launching in the lead-up to Reconciliation Week, the campaign is set to run for two weeks across LinkedIn and its social channels. The director, on screen talent and broader crew for the series were drawn mostly from the Indigenous community with the help of LinkedIn Changemaker Bianca Hunt from Agent Blak. The music for the series was also composed by Indigenous composer, Tristan Barton.
The campaign was informed by LinkedIn research that revealed 7 in 1 Australian workers want to learn more about Indigenous culture. With this in mind, the campaign was designed to encourage professionals to join the conversation on and off the platform and share what their “change starts with” this Reconciliation Week.
Drawing on the lived experiences of Indigenous Australian professionals, and backed up by research from LinkedIn, the videos uncovers a series of challenges faced and simple actions the broader community can take to help address those changes.
- The first video highlights the issue of “tokenism” with research from LinkedIn suggesting that more than half (55%) of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people have experienced this in the workplace.
- The second video concept was drawn from the insight that almost half (45%) of Australians don’t modify their communications style for different cultures.
- The final video in the series focuses on ‘Sorry Business’, a cultural time of mourning for Indigenous people. This topic was highlighted after research found that 68% of non-Indigenous Australians do not know the term’s meaning.
Peter Kirk, co-founder of Campfire X, said: “While it’s encouraging to see such a large portion of the Australian workforce eager to learn more about Indigenous culture, it’s clear there is still work to be done to ensure Indigenous Australians feel culturally safe and supported at work. This ‘Change Starts With’ campaign created by LinkedIn and Campfire X endeavours to educate Australians on scenarios faced by Indigenous people and how we can all play our part to create change.”
Darain Faraz, international brand marketing director for LinkedIn, said: “Reconciliation Week is an important cultural moment in Australia and one that needs to resonate beyond the Indigenous community to deliver action and change in the workplace. We’re incredibly proud of ‘Change Starts With’, not just because it delivers a complex, nuanced message in a non-patronising way, but because it was made hand in hand with the very community it’s looking to affect. We care deeply about creating equitable opportunities for all of our members, and we’re hopeful that this series will play a small part in driving awareness and respectful conversation on this important topic.”
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