Natalija Nesvadba (she/her) currently works as the National Diversity and Inclusion Manager at Regis Aged Care, bringing over two decades of dedicated experience to her field. With a career spanning health, aged care and disability services, Natalija is recognised for her unwavering commitment to fostering equitable and culturally responsive care. As a first-generation migrant and former refugee, Natalija channels her lived experience and understanding of marginalised communities into powerful advocacy and service improvements. She is a recipient of various awards including the Refugee Advocacy Award from the Victorian Government.
Leading with hearts and minds: Regis’ whole of organisation approach to diversity and inclusion
Precis
Australia’s aged care system is at a pivotal moment—tasked with delivering care that is not only high-quality and rights-based, but also inclusive of the richly diverse identities, histories and lived experiences of older people. At Regis, we have responded to this challenge by embedding diversity and inclusion across all levels – from frontline care to governance.
Our Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) strategy is grounded in the understanding that inclusive care must be both person-centred and culturally safe. This means recognising that older people from diverse backgrounds, including Frist Nations, CALD and LGBTI communities, have unique needs shaped by a lifetime of experiences, which can include trauma, discrimination or systemic exclusion. Our approach is informed by the Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards, the new Aged Care Act and feedback from residents, clients, families and employees.
Key initiatives include:
– A person-centred care approach that integrates D&I, culturally safe, trauma-aware and healing-informed care.
– A D&I data strategy that enables us to better understand and support our diverse residents, clients and employees.
– Workforce development programs that build cultural competence, including targeted education on D&I, and plain language, relational communication.
– Inclusive leadership development which equips leaders with skills and knowledge to create inclusive environments and support our people.
– A new events framework that enables meaningful celebrations and observances across the organisation and locally. This initiative supports cultural expression, strengthens community connection, and ensures that events reflect the values and identities of those who live and work at Regis.
This presentation will share our journey highlighting the practical tools, frameworks, and lessons learned in translating inclusive policy into everyday practice. We will explore the challenges and successes of building a culture of belonging and offer actionable insights for providers seeking to embed D&I into aged care delivery. By centring lived experience and fostering inclusive relationships, we aim to ensure aged care in Australia is not only equitable, but deeply respectful of every individual’s story.