What is a RAP?

    The Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) program provides a framework for organisations to support the national reconciliation movement.  

    It includes practical actions that will drive an organisation’s contribution to reconciliation both internally and in the communities in which it operates. 

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

    There are four different types of RAP that a workplace can implement: Reflect, Innovate, Stretch and Elevate. Each type of RAP is designed to suit an organisation at different stages of its reconciliation journey and is symbolised by a unique logo provided to organisations through Reconciliation Australia’s endorsement process. 

    What are the five dimensions of reconciliation?

    As provided by Reconciliation Australia, Reconciliation is centred on five dimensions  

    Unity 

    An Australian society that values and recognises Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and heritage as a proud part of a shared identity. 

    Race Relations 

    All Australians understand and value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous cultures, rights and experiences, which results in stronger relationships based on trust and respect and that are free of racism. 

    Equality and Equity 

    Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples participate equally in a range of life opportunities and the unique rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are recognised and upheld. 

    Institutional Integrity 

    The active support of reconciliation by the nation’s political, business and community structures. 

    Historical Acceptance 

    All Australians understand and accept the wrongs of the past and the impact of these wrongs. Australia makes amends for the wrongs of the past and ensures these wrongs are never repeated. 

    What do RAPs achieve?

    RAPs are a powerful tool for advancing reconciliation. Each year over 100 new organisations join the RAP program, making commitments to advance reconciliation within their sphere of influence. 

    It is through this growing community that the RAP program is able to achieve substantial and sustainable change. In 2017, the RAP community reported: 

    9,579 partnerships between RAP organisations and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and communities. 

    $265,706,519 worth of goods and services procured from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses. 

    24,275 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples employed with RAP organisations. 

    We also know that RAPs help to improve attitudes and perceptions toward reconciliation amongst employees. In 2017, workplaces with a RAP reported: 

    • Higher trust: 77% of employees in RAP organisations have high trust for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, compared with 24% of the broader Australian community. 

    • Lower prejudice: 6% of employees in RAP organisations believe that prejudice between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous Australians is high, compared with 49% of the broader Australian community. 

    • Pride in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures: 77% of employees in RAP organisations are proud of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, compared with 60% of the broader Australian community. 

    For more information about the impact of the RAP program, please read the latest RAP Impact Measurement Report. 

    What are the three pillars of Reconciliation?

    Reconciliation Australia promotes a simple framework of relationships, respect and opportunities for implementing reconciliation action. Through these three core pillars individuals, organisations and communities can turn their good intentions into action. 

    Relationships 

    At the heart of reconciliation is the relationship between the broader Australian community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. To achieve reconciliation, we need to develop strong relationships built on trust and respect, and that are free of racism. 

    Almost all Australians believe the relationship between Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous Australians is important. Yet high levels of racism and low levels of trust between each other prevail. 

    When we get to know each other, attitudes and behaviours toward each other improve. Further, when programs and policies that affect the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are developed and implemented in partnership, better outcomes are achieved. 

    From a human rights perspective, relationships are central to principles of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander self-determination and free, prior and informed consent outlined under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). 

    Respect  

    Understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, rights and experiences underpins progress toward all five dimensions of reconciliation. Without respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of doing things, respectful relationships cannot be built. Without pride in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and heritage, we cannot foster a shared national identity. Without understanding the wrongs of the past, we cannot ensure these wrongs are never repeated.  

    Over a third of Australians are still unsure, or do not accept a number of key facts about Australia’s past institutional prejudices against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Further, the majority of Australians still describe their knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures as low.  

    When individuals, organisations and sectors embed cultural competence into their everyday business, we know that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people face less barriers in terms of accessing health, education and employment opportunities. Crucially, respect for and protection of culture, along with equality and non-discrimination are also fundamental human rights that apply to all peoples, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

    Opportunities  

    Equal participation in a range of life opportunities is crucial for the well-being of all peoples, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.  

    Large and unacceptable gaps between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians exist on all social, health, education and economic indicators.  

    Respectful relationships form the basis for tackling this national challenge. Developing and implementing culturally appropriate, partnership-centered solutions that uphold the unique rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples helps to create the right environment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to participate equally across education, employment and health opportunities.  

    Read more about the attitudes, perceptions and behaviours shaping relationships, respect and opportunities between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous Australians in the Australian Reconciliation Barometer. 

    What are the different types of RAPs? 

    Each of the four RAP types (Reflect, Innovate, Stretch, Elevate) set out the minimum elements required from your organisation to build strong relationships, respect and opportunities within your organisation and community. 

    What is a Reflect RAP? 

    The focus of the Reflect RAP is to lay the foundations for future RAP activities. It’s a way to prepare the organisation internally to move forward with outward facing RAP actions. IT can last between 12-18 months and  it is aimed at workplaces that are new to reconciliation or unsure of how their workplace could or should commit. Key commitments include: 

    • Establish RAP Working Group with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representation.  

    • Scope and reflect on how your workplace can contribute to reconciliation.  

    • Build an understanding of your Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders and sphere of influence.  

    • Prepare business cases to senior leaders to gain their support for reconciliation initiatives (including staff engagement, cultural learning, employment, and procurement). 

    • Report annually to RA. 

    What is an Innovate RAP?


    The focus of an Innovate RAP is to develop and test initiatives and strategies. Develop innovative strategies to establish the best approach for advancing reconciliation in your workplace. 

    An Innovate RAP is a two-year commitment and either  

    • Workplaces that have built relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders and are ready to commit to reconciliation actions tailored to their workplaces and sphere of influence. 

    • Workplaces that have a strong engagement in reconciliation and want to continue to improve their approaches and / or try new approaches. 

    Organisations are required to have previously completed a RAP or demonstrated experience in reconciliation; have a RAP Working Group with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representation; support from senior leadership; support and good will from staff. 

    The key commitments within an Innovate RAP include: 

    • Maintain RAP Working Group with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representation 

    • Develop and pilot strategies for reconciliation initiatives (including cultural learning, employment, and procurement) 

    • Explore how your workplace can drive reconciliation through its business activities, services, programs, staff and broad sphere of influence.  

    • Develop mutually beneficial relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders.  

    • Communicate RAP and engage staff throughout the organisation in reconciliation.  

    • Publish RAP publicly on Reconciliation Australia’s website.  

    • Report annually to RA and publicly on RAP activities. 

    What is a Stretch RAP? 

    A Stretch RAP embeds reconciliation actions into the organisation and expands these actions and impact within the sphere of influence. The Plans are for 2-3 years and its targeted at workplaces that are confident in their tried and tested approach to reconciliation and are ready to commit to tailored, measurable reconciliation commitments in their business activities, services, programs and broad sphere o influence. Workplaces that are ready to commit to outcomes-focused thinking guided by a strong vision for reconciliation and the five dimensions of reconciliation.  

    2-3 years. Workplaces that are confident in their tried and tested approach to reconciliation and are ready to commit to tailored, measurable reconciliation commitments in their business activities, services, programs, and broad sphere of influence. Workplaces that are ready to commit to strategic, outcomes-focused thinking guided by a strong vision for reconciliation and the five dimensions of reconciliation. 

    In order to complete a Stretch RAP, organisations need to: 

    • Have previously completed an Innovate or Stretch RAP. 

    • Have a RAP Working Group with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representation.  

    • Strong support and engagement from senior leadership, including a designated RAP Champion.  

    • High level of staff engagement.  

    • Demonstrated collaboration with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and your sphere of influence to advance reconciliation.  

    • Have developed strategies, processes and systems to implement and capture information on RAP commitments (including staff cultural learning, employment, and procurement spend). 

    The commitments that are set out in Stretch RAP include: 

    • Maintain RAP Working Group with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representation and senior leadership involvement.  

    • Set measurable targets against RAP commitments (including staff cultural learning, employment, and procurement spend).  

    • Strong, meaningful engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders.  

    • Implement strategies that engage staff and external sphere of influence in reconciliation.  

    • Implement strategies for reconciliation initiatives (including cultural learning, employment, and procurement).  

    • Commit to strategic, outcomes-focused actions and deliverables (i.e. guided by your vision for reconciliation and the five dimension of reconciliation) tailored to your workplace and sphere of influence.  

    • Publish RAP publicly on Reconciliation Australia’s website.  

    • Report annually to RA and publicly on RAP activities. 

     

    What is an Elevate RAP? 

    The Elevate RAP is for workplaces with a proven track record of embedding effective RAP initiatives (i.e. through strong implementation of at least one Stretch RAP) and are ready to take on a leadership role to advance dimensions of reconciliation at a societal level.  

    Workplaces with an Elevate RAP are also expected to demonstrate greater transparency and accountability through an independent assessment of their reconciliation activities.  

    To develop an Elevate RAP, workplaces must work in close partnership with Reconciliation Australia and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations.  

    As such, the first step to take if an organisation aspires to develop an Elevate RAP is to contact Reconciliation Australia to discuss requirements, expectations and process prior to commencement. 

    What is the RAP Lifecyle? 

    It is important to remember that developing a RAP is just the first step in your organisation’s reconciliation journey.  

    After developing a RAP, implementation and continuous improvement are what committing to a reconciliation journey is all about. The RAP Working Group is the foundation of this journey.  

    Reconciliation is an ambitious goal, so it is helpful to think of the journey has having no beginning or end, rather it is a cycle of continuous learning-by-doing and always aiming to improve.  

    Once you have developed, endorsed and launched your RAP, your organisation’s focus should turn to the implementation and reporting cycles of the RAP journey.  

    RAP Development Process 

    Reconciliation Australia has a template that needs to be completed. There are mandatory requirements within those templates that cannot be changed however can be adapted to particular deliverables that is relevant to the organisation- a tailoring process. This tailoring process usually incorporates an advisory group, or key Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and stakeholders, as well as RAP WG members, who are representatives of across the organisation. It can be submitted through the governance mechanisms through internal approval processes. 

    RAP Endorsement Process 

    Reconciliation Australia has a quality assurance process to ensure that each RAP that is endorsed meets the mandatory requirements of the RAP Framework. The template gets submitted to Reconciliation Australia. There are two steps: 

    1. Review 

    1. Once a RAP is drafted, it needs to be submitted to Reconciliation Australia for review.  

    1. A RAP Team member will be in touch to provide feedback and tailored assistance within three weeks. This feedback includes: 

    1. Ensure that the mandatory requirements are adhered with.  

    1. Identify optional value add feedback to enhance and strengthen your RAP 

    1. Advise if further drafts should be submitted for review before proceeding to endorsement.     

    1. Endorsement 

    When a RAP Team member is satisfied the Draft is ready to proceed to endorsement, you will receive conditional endorsement. They will provide feedback that needs to be addressed including: 

    1. Addressing any final feedback provided. 

    1. Gain internal endorsement from Senior Leadership 

    1. Complete the final design including RAP Branding and logo 

    1. Resubmit to Reconciliation Australia for endorsement. 

    A RAP team member will notify of the outcome of final endorsement. 

    What reports does Reconciliation Australia compile? 

    There are two main reports that Reconciliation Australia works towards: 

    There is also another report that Reconciliation Australia has completed, and its called the State of Reconciliation. It provided the basis to the current RAP framework. The State of Reconciliation Report is available for review. 

    In addition, Reconciliation Australia, like any incorporated organisation produces its own Annual Report.  

    What is the RAP Impact Questionnaire? 

    The RAP Impact Questionnaire measures the impact of the RAP Framework on the organisation, and externally. Reponses are aggregated to ensure organisations are not identified. It provides the basis of the RAP Impact Measurement Report. All data entered into the online RAP Impact Measurement Questionnaire is kept confidential.  

    Additionally, the achievements and key learnings of the organisation will assist Reconciliation Australia to further develop the RAP Program and will contribute to the ongoing evaluation of the RAP Program. Although, reporting is a requirement of the RAP Program, it is also an opportunity to assess how the organisation is tracking against its commitments. If the organisations fail to report to Reconciliation Australia by the due date, it may affect the next type of RAP that the organisation can develop. 

    What RAP Reporting does CSAPHN need to do? 

    Reporting on the RAP is an annual mandatory requirement of the RAP program, which is a commitment in the Reporting section of every RAP. To meet the reporting requirements, organisations are required to complete the RAP Impact Measurement Questionnaire, once every 12 months. The RAP Impact Measurement Questionnaire is an online questionnaire designed to measure progress against the minimum requirements of the RAP Program.  

    In addition to completing the RAP Impact Measurement Questionnaire, Reconciliation Australia encourages all organisations to produce a public report to comprehensively capture RAP progress. This could take the form of a stand-alone publication, publishing the information on your website or as part of your annual report. Reporting publicly gives your organisation the opportunity to promote and celebrate your achievements and show leadership by sharing key learnings with the RAP community. 

    Anyone with an Innovate or Stretch RAP are strongly recommended to also take part in the Workplace Barometer questionnaire. This questionnaire informs the Australian Reconciliation Barometer. It is also recommended that this questionnaire be completed as a baseline for those with a Reflect RAP. Anyone with an Elevate RAP is required to undertake the questionnaire

    What does the CSAPHN RAP Working Group do? 

    The RAP has a cross-portfolio working group. The group is an operational committee to coordinate the development, implementation and monitoring and review and renewing of Reconciliation Action Plan process. 

    Each representative on the RAP WG is responsible for the establishment of engagement processes with their portfolio area to ensure that actions are: 

    • Developed in accordance with their own portfolio areas i.e. what the portfolio or team will commit 

    • The RAP Templates for each of the types of RAP have a set of standard actions. The RAP WG is responsible for identifying who will do these standard actions.  

    • Implemented i.e. organising projects and actions as well as resources within their portfolio (such as staff engagement and budgetsinto those actions.  

    • Monitoring of the actions they have committed i.e. progress reports against the actions and project finalisation reports, as well as the delivery of the output.  

    • Review of the actions i.e. reflection on whether the actions had contributed to the five dimensions of reconciliation as well as the process involved and any learnings for continual improvement cycles. 

    • Renewing i.e. contributing to a new plan or action such as movement along to another RAP type- such as Innovate or Stretch. 

    The RAP WG is the conduit for the wider staff to contribute to the Reconciliation Action Plan and its actions. 

     

    How do I get involved?

    You can get involved in the CSAPHN RAP process through:

    • Contributing to the development of a RAP by providing feedback and ideas
    • Contributing to the implementation of a RAP by contacting the RAPWG to provide opportunities, resources or ideas to support existing deliverable commitments.
    • Demonstrating a commitment to reconciliation in your every day interactions