ANMF (Vic Branch) offices Traditional Owners map
As reported in late 2023, the Branch’s Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) has been endorsed by Reconciliation Australia, the independent, not-for-profit organisation responsible for building and promoting reconciliation between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians.
The endorsement means that the work of the Reflect RAP is now well and truly underway, with the Branch expected to deliver on our Reflect RAP targets by December 2024.
These targets are grouped under four categories:
- Relationships
- Respect
- Opportunities
- Governance.
Among the deliverables within these four categories, the Branch is currently working on establishing and strengthening mutually beneficial relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders and organisations – including through participating in and celebrating National Reconciliation Week and, later in the year, NAIDOC Week – and demonstrating respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples by observing cultural protocols.
As part of the work towards the latter, we have produced an educational map for staff highlighting the Traditional Lands on which our offices across the state are located, and prompts to ensure our staff open meetings with an appropriate Acknowledgement of Country.
These resources are designed to help ANMF staff actively engage in and promote amongst our membership respect for First Nations cultures, and share the knowledge gained with members. Sharing knowledge and promoting reconciliation is another of our deliverables.
The Reflect RAP is the first step in the RAP journey. We are aiming to achieve our targets by the end of 2024 so that we can be ready to move onto the next step: an Innovate RAP.
The RAP Framework
Reconciliation Australia’s RAP Framework provides organisations with a structured approach to turn good intentions into action and to support the national reconciliation movement. The framework includes four RAP types: Reflect, Innovate, Stretch and Elevate.
Reflect: Building strong foundations
A Reflect RAP helps prepare an organisation to engage in reconciliation meaningfully. Committing to a Reflect RAP starts with engaging staff and leaders in understanding the importance of reconciliation. It includes developing relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders, and scoping where an organisation can best have impact in its sphere of influence.
A Reflect RAP is implemented over 12 – 18 months.
Innovate: Implementing change
An Innovate RAP outlines actions for achieving our vision for reconciliation. Innovate RAP commitments, when we reach that point, will allow the Branch to gain a deeper understanding of our sphere of influence, and establish the best approaches to advance reconciliation.
An Innovate RAP focuses on strengthening relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and piloting strategies for further reconciliation commitments and to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
An Innovate RAP is implemented over two years.
Stretch RAP: Reconciliation leadership
A Stretch RAP is best suited to organisations that demonstrate strong meaningful engagement with internal and external Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders. These organisations need to have established a very strong approach towards advancing reconciliation internally and within the organisation’s sphere of influence. The Stretch RAP requires organisations to embed reconciliation initiatives into business strategies, so they become ‘business as usual’.
A Stretch RAP spans a three-year period and is focused on high-impact commitments based on defined measurable targets and goals. An organisation must have successfully completed an Innovate RAP at least to be able to begin a Stretch RAP.
Elevate RAP: Transformational change
Elevate RAP organisations have a strong strategic relationship with Reconciliation Australia and actively champion initiatives to uphold the self-determination of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and drive systemic and transformational change.
Elevate RAP organisations have a proven track record of embedding effective RAP initiatives in their organisation through Stretch RAPs and are ready to take on leadership to advance national reconciliation. They must demonstrate high accountability measures including independent assessment of their activities.
Elevate RAPs are implemented over a three-year term.
