What are Reconciliation Action Plans

A RAP is a strategic document with practical plans for action. It units out how an organisation is committing to contribute to reconciliation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

The RAP Program helps advance the 5 dimensions of reconciliation by supporting organisations to develop respectful relationships and create meaningful opportunities with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

RAPs are making a distinction across Australia in workplaces, universities, schools, authorities and community organisations. This collective action is creating the suitable environment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to access sustainable employment and enterprise opportunities.

Over a hundred and twenty NFPs throughout Australia already have a RAP – however that leaves many 1000’s that are still to take this step. Take a look at all the organisations presently implementing their RAPs and helping drive change throughout all sectors and regions of Australia.

Why develop a RAP?

RAPs provide a structured, nationally recognised, tried and tested model to your workplace to formalise commitments to reconciliation. They help to foster a community of shared worth, goals and a typical language when it involves reconciliation.

By growing a RAP, your organisation can flip good intentions into positive actions and be a part of the collective motion for reconciliation. This means your NFP shall be part of the steps forward — actively helping to build higher trust, lower prejudice, and elevated pride in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Discovering the RAP that’s right on your organisation.

There are four types of RAPs for workplaces: Reflect, Innovate, Stretch or Elevate. This implies that there’s a RAP designed to suit your organisation at every stage of its reconciliation journey.

Mirror RAP – Scoping reconciliation

A Replicate RAP clearly sets out the steps your organisation will take to scope and develop relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders, decide in your vision for reconciliation and explore your sphere of influence, earlier than committing to particular actions or initiatives.

An Innovate RAP outlines actions that work towards achieving your organisation’s distinctive vision for reconciliation. Commitments in this RAP permit your NFP to be aspirational and innovative to assist your organisation achieve a deeper understanding of its sphere of affect, and set up one of the best approach to advance reconciliation.

Elevate RAP – Leadership in reconciliation

Elevate RAP organisations have a robust strategic relationship with Reconciliation Australia and actively champion initiatives to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and create societal change. Organisations are additionally required to have greater transparency and accountability via independent evaluation of their activities.

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How you can create a Reconciliation Action Plan

Reconciliation Action Plans are about taking good intent and turning it into action.

The Black Lives Matter protests which have erupted across the globe have caused quite a lot of Australians to rethink the issues affecting Indigenous communities.

The health, wealth and employment gaps between Indigenous Australians and the remainder of the population are well known, however the protests created new urgency to do something about them.

In July, the Australian authorities unveiled new Shut the Gap targets together with reducing Indigenous incarceration rates.

For organisations that feel the urgency act there’s one obvious solution – a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).

In 2006, Reconciliation Australia introduced RAPs as a way for organisations to include strategic reconciliation initiatives as part of their business plans. The goal of a RAP is to create meaningful opportunities in your organisation to actively support and recognise Indigenous Australians. Like many initiatives, reconciliation is a process that may evolve as you and your organisation begin to take action.

RAPs are broken down into 4 maturity levels that mirror where organisations are of their reconciliation journey. They’re: Reflect, Innovate, Stretch and Elevate. Each has a corresponding RAP type organisations can pursue. For example, the Innovate stage is for organisations that already understand where they can improve on Indigenous points and have begun taking action to actively address them.

Step one for all organisations is to find out its maturity level. “Contact the RAP workforce at Reconciliation Australia and discover out which degree you’ll start at,” says Anthony. “The RAP crew will ship you a template that will define what you have to do. There are some basic obligatory actions required by Reconciliation Australia such as celebrating national Reconciliation Day and increasing knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. After that, it’s in regards to the changes you possibly can make.”

Because quite a lot of organisations will start on the Replicate stage, this guide will define the pillars you must establish to start your reconciliation journey.

Research

This is the place it all begins.

It could actually help to look into why RAPs are so vital as well as the current issues facing Indigenous people. Reports comparable to Close the Gap can provide context to your RAP and might provide help to with the next step.

Safe assist

Part of a successful RAP is establishing help for reconciliation initiatives throughout your entire organisation. In most cases this needs to start at the top.

“Most frequently I discover that if people are presented with the info, they beautiful quickly get on board with eager to be a part of the reconciliation movement,”

“Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons are three per cent of the population. They’ll’t do the heavy lifting when it comes to change and infrastructure change, societal change, or altering attitudes.

“RAPs are a way of stepping in and making significant change.”

Over 1,000 organisations have formalised RAPs, and their implementation has had a real impact on improving employee understanding of Indigenous points, the Reconciliation Australia 2018 RAP Impact report found. This can have a circulation-on effect. It makes employees more engaged with their community and so they typically select to donate to, or volunteer with, Indigenous organisations as a result.

A RAP also solidifies your organisation’s commitment to creating a culturally safe work setting, which expands your recruiting pool by making your workplace a more attractive employer to Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander employees.

Establish a working group

The following step is to kind a working group that may oversee your complete RAP process. This group will need to be made up of assorted representatives from all sectors of your organisation.

The group is in charge of planning and implementing the RAP, so it will need to consist of members who have some actual energy to make modifications in the organisation, and members who understand it from a coverage and culture perspective.

Lastly, for the RAP to be really successful, you’ll want involvement from members who work with customers or purchasers, so that folks outside your organisation understand you are trying to make a difference.

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