Reconciliation Action Plan: Innovate

Consultation has concluded

The Town of Victoria Park is delighted to announce that we have taken the next step along our reconciliation journey with the development of the Town’s next Reconciliation Action Plan – the Innovate RAP.

The Town’s Reconciliation Action plan guides our organisation to sustainably and strategically take meaningful action to advance reconciliation.

Our Reconciliation Journey

Our reconciliation journey began in 2013 with the formation of an Aboriginal Advisory Group led by Kelsi Forrest, Dylan Collard, Simon and Roni Forrest, which was later renamed to be the Mindeera Advisory Group.

Together with this group, the Town embarked in 2016 to create the Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) 2018 - 2022, providing a framework for the Town to work towards reconciliation, through completing actions and deliverables relating to the core pillars of the Reconciliation Australia framework:

  • Forming relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders and the community,
  • Building respect and understanding for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, and
  • Creating opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander to participate in social, economic and political activities in the Town.

As the Reflect RAP approached its end, the Town began developing the Innovate RAP in 2022, in consultation with Town staff, community members, Elected Members, the Mindeera Advisory Group and Reconciliation Australia.

Our Vision for Reconciliation

The Town of Victoria Park is located on land that is now and always was Whadjuk Noongar Boodja. We acknowledge the devastating impacts of our colonial history, widespread dispossession, violence and racism, and are committed to the truth-telling needed to initiate healing.

We will show respect, acknowledge and celebrate Noongar culture and Country, build relationships and promote the voice of Noongar people and their self-determination. We will learn from Noongar people and their long standing historical experience in the area so the Town of Victoria Park becomes a leader in caring for Country and people.

Guiding Principles

The following principles have guided the development of the Innovate RAP and associated action plan.

Strengths Based – Community and stakeholder assets, strengths and capacities are recognised and built on.

Culturally Safe and Inclusive Culturally safe and inclusive approaches are used within the work that the Town facilitates, supports and undertakes.

Evidence Based – An evidenced based approach is used by the Town with a focus on early intervention to enhance the level and scope of social impact.

Shared Responsibility – Addressing reconciliation barriers is a shared responsibility to create an inclusive community. The Town is supportive of creating environments that foster a shared responsibility.

Innovation and Better Practice – The Town seeks innovative ideas and better practice solutions, with reconciliation themes and principles integrated into Town policies, procedures and practices.

Sustainability – Integrating sustainability principles in the Town’s approach, resourcing and delivery of reconciliation endeavours.

Actions and Deliverables

Development of the Innovate RAP involved refinement of the Reconciliation Australia baseline deliverables, as well as the addition of further deliverables to address community feedback and local priorities.

The draft Innovate RAP contains 64 deliverables across the four core Reconciliation Australia pillars of relationships, respect, opportunities and governance.

Focus areas include:

  • Care for Country and promote community connection to Country in the Town
  • Promote healing and restoration of culturally significant sites within the Town
  • Improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander recruitment and provide greater opportunity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to participate in our work
  • Develop and sustain a commitment to truth telling through communications, events, dates of significance and community engagement
  • A continued commitment to building respect and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture in our workplace and the community

Feedback

The draft Innovate RAP is available to view from the document library. Feedback on the draft is invited from all community members from 23 October to 13 November 2023.

Comments can be shared with us in a number of ways:

Hard copy surveys are available from the Town's Administration Building, the Victoria Park Library, Leisurelife or Aqualife, or printable surveys are available to download from the document library.

If anyone requires assistance submitting feedback, please contact us on 9311 8111 and a member of the Town's Community Development team will be able to assist.

More Information

For more information about community safety in the Town, ask us a question or contact us on 9311 8111 or admin@vicpark.wa.gov.au

The Town of Victoria Park is delighted to announce that we have taken the next step along our reconciliation journey with the development of the Town’s next Reconciliation Action Plan – the Innovate RAP.

The Town’s Reconciliation Action plan guides our organisation to sustainably and strategically take meaningful action to advance reconciliation.

Our Reconciliation Journey

Our reconciliation journey began in 2013 with the formation of an Aboriginal Advisory Group led by Kelsi Forrest, Dylan Collard, Simon and Roni Forrest, which was later renamed to be the Mindeera Advisory Group.

Together with this group, the Town embarked in 2016 to create the Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) 2018 - 2022, providing a framework for the Town to work towards reconciliation, through completing actions and deliverables relating to the core pillars of the Reconciliation Australia framework:

  • Forming relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders and the community,
  • Building respect and understanding for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, and
  • Creating opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander to participate in social, economic and political activities in the Town.

As the Reflect RAP approached its end, the Town began developing the Innovate RAP in 2022, in consultation with Town staff, community members, Elected Members, the Mindeera Advisory Group and Reconciliation Australia.

Our Vision for Reconciliation

The Town of Victoria Park is located on land that is now and always was Whadjuk Noongar Boodja. We acknowledge the devastating impacts of our colonial history, widespread dispossession, violence and racism, and are committed to the truth-telling needed to initiate healing.

We will show respect, acknowledge and celebrate Noongar culture and Country, build relationships and promote the voice of Noongar people and their self-determination. We will learn from Noongar people and their long standing historical experience in the area so the Town of Victoria Park becomes a leader in caring for Country and people.

Guiding Principles

The following principles have guided the development of the Innovate RAP and associated action plan.

Strengths Based – Community and stakeholder assets, strengths and capacities are recognised and built on.

Culturally Safe and Inclusive Culturally safe and inclusive approaches are used within the work that the Town facilitates, supports and undertakes.

Evidence Based – An evidenced based approach is used by the Town with a focus on early intervention to enhance the level and scope of social impact.

Shared Responsibility – Addressing reconciliation barriers is a shared responsibility to create an inclusive community. The Town is supportive of creating environments that foster a shared responsibility.

Innovation and Better Practice – The Town seeks innovative ideas and better practice solutions, with reconciliation themes and principles integrated into Town policies, procedures and practices.

Sustainability – Integrating sustainability principles in the Town’s approach, resourcing and delivery of reconciliation endeavours.

Actions and Deliverables

Development of the Innovate RAP involved refinement of the Reconciliation Australia baseline deliverables, as well as the addition of further deliverables to address community feedback and local priorities.

The draft Innovate RAP contains 64 deliverables across the four core Reconciliation Australia pillars of relationships, respect, opportunities and governance.

Focus areas include:

  • Care for Country and promote community connection to Country in the Town
  • Promote healing and restoration of culturally significant sites within the Town
  • Improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander recruitment and provide greater opportunity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to participate in our work
  • Develop and sustain a commitment to truth telling through communications, events, dates of significance and community engagement
  • A continued commitment to building respect and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture in our workplace and the community

Feedback

The draft Innovate RAP is available to view from the document library. Feedback on the draft is invited from all community members from 23 October to 13 November 2023.

Comments can be shared with us in a number of ways:

Hard copy surveys are available from the Town's Administration Building, the Victoria Park Library, Leisurelife or Aqualife, or printable surveys are available to download from the document library.

If anyone requires assistance submitting feedback, please contact us on 9311 8111 and a member of the Town's Community Development team will be able to assist.

More Information

For more information about community safety in the Town, ask us a question or contact us on 9311 8111 or admin@vicpark.wa.gov.au

  • Share your thoughts on the Town's next Reconciliation Action Plan, the RAP Innovate.

    Comments are invited on the draft plan from 23 October until 13 November 2023.

    Consultation has concluded