Acknowledgement
Vision Australia acknowledges all First Peoples as the Traditional Custodians throughout the land across Australia, and pay our respects to Elders past and present. We recognise and respect the historical and traditional connection Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have to the land, water, culture and community. We appreciate the importance of the world’s oldest living culture, and support the union of a reconciled Australia. Vision Australia is committed to ensuring inclusion, equity and equality.
Artwork description:
The circles in the centre of the art work represents the Vision Australia community and the U shapes represent people/clients coming together with Vision Australia.
Leading from the centre of the artwork are pathways with paw prints along each pathway. The white lines leading off this are the various pathways and services that Vision Australia offer to people who are blind or have low vision.
Vision Australia’s four areas of service focus: employment, education, social inclusion and independence are highlighted within the artwork.
What is a RAP?
Reconciliation Australia explains that "a RAP is a strategic document that supports an organisation's business plan. It includes practical actions that will drive an organisation's contribution to reconciliation both internally and in the communities in which it operates."
A RAP program supports organisations to develop respectful relationships and create meaningful opportunities with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
A Reflect RAP is the entry level in an organisation's reconciliation journey.
An Innovate RAP is the next step in an organisation's reconciliation journey and focuses on developing and strengthening relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, engaging staff and stakeholders in reconciliation, and developing and piloting innovative strategies to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
You can read about the four different types of RAP and what they involve on the Reconciliation Australia website.
Our Innovate RAP was endorsed by Reconciliation Australia in October 2023.
Why do we need a RAP?
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, First Nations people suffer from vision loss at 2.8 times the rate of non-Indigenous Australians.
Vision Australia has developed this Innovate RAP to guide our organisation's activities to address the underrepresentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples accessing vision related services.
An Innovate RAP runs for two years, and outlines actions for achieving Vision Australia's vision for reconciliation.
As part of our RAP, Vision Australia will learn from, and work together with, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to ensure all Australians are afforded the opportunity to share the same standard of living, good health, and life opportunities.
What are the aims of our Innovate RAP?
Some of the aims of the Innovate RAP include:
- Building new and strengthening existing relationships with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients, community groups and like-minded organisations,
- Celebrating National Reconciliation and NAIDOC Weeks.
- Providing staff with ongoing cultural awareness training.
- Developing and implementing a staff engagement strategy to raise awareness of reconciliation across our workforce.
- Maintaining an effective RAP Working Group (RWG) to drive governance of the RAP.
