That’s a RAP!
On 3 June, the ACA hosted a webinar in collaboration with TheFulcrum.Agency on the importance of Reconciliation Action Plans (RAPs). Emma Brain provides a recap.
The purpose of the discussion was to address how few practices have RAPs and to provide an insight into putting one together. We invited representatives from Reconciliation Australia and small, medium and large practices to share their experience.
For those who missed out, we’re hoping to have a recording of the webinar available soon. In the meantime, here are the top three tips from each panellist on how to put together your first RAP:
Reconciliation Australia
(represented by Christine Dernee)
- Take a strengths-based approach to your RAP and ensure that its objectives respond to the unique qualities of your practice.
- Reach out to Reconciliation Australia and have an open conversation about what is possible for your practice.
- Expect the process of creating your RAP to take at least six months and to include approximately three rounds of feedback from Reconciliation Australia.
Woods Bagot
(large practice represented by Rosina Di Maria)
- Avoid limiting the reconciliation conversation and RAP creation to one office. Instead, share the responsibility across the organisation.
- Have conversations with other like-minded organisations, including clients, about how they approached the creation of their RAPs.
- Be patient. The process involves numerous rounds of feedback with Reconciliation Australia, as well as significant engagement with internal stakeholders including staff and Board.
Breathe Architecture
(medium practice represented by Tahlia Hayes and RAP consultant Viviana Sacchero)
- Consider using an external consultant to help frame your approach and guide the process.
- Engage a First Nations Elder to inform the activities and actions you will pursue as part of your RAP.
- Allocate each section of the RAP to small sub-groups within your practice and use a platform like Slack to communicate with each other.
TheFulcrum.Agency
(small practice represented by Emma Brain)
- Have open conversations with staff at Reconciliation Australia about the capacity of your organisation to deliver your RAP commitments.
- Review the RAPs on Reconciliation Australia’s website to find examples that resonate.
- Have a clear sense of how much money you have in the budget for this initiative – both in terms of the creation of the RAP and in delivery once it’s endorsed.