Maddison Hayes c3347454 ABOR1370

ABOR1370: Written Assignment

Discuss how the selected reconciliation action plan supports reconciliation and
respectful, empowering relations between Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander peoples
and non-indigenous Australians. How does it transform the practices of the workplace/
organisation? How can the RAP be improved?

Reconciliation is an important journey that all Australians must fight for to strengthen
relationships with Aboriginal Australians. European colonisation resulted in the dispossession
of Aboriginal communities, and they still face immense suffering from the impacts of
colonisation today. Aboriginal Australians make up a small percentage of the Australian
population but are overrepresented in many social disparities. This makes reconciliation a
critical element of community and workplace culture to ensure Australia is an equitable
society for all communities, regardless of race or culture. Reconciliation is measured in five
dimensions that all interrelate together: historical acceptance, race relations, equality and
equity, institutional integrity, and unity. For the purposes of this assessment the TAFE NSW
Reconciliation Action Plan has been selected for further assessment of the impact of the plan
in a large organisation that has operations across NSW and that provides an education service
to Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students and staff. TAFE NSW is an educational and
training institute that values and promotes the rights and interests of Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander communities. TAFE NSW has produced a strong Reconciliation Action Plan
(RAP) that empowers and was created in collaboration with Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islanders.

A Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) is a formal statement or strategy of commitment

from an organisation or company to reconciliation. TAFE NSW’s implementation of a RAP
aims to strengthen relations with Aboriginal communities, engage staff and students in
reconciliation and promote equality and equity within Australian society (TAFE NSW,
2020). TAFE NSW RAP is an effective and powerful plan as it acknowledges the
wrongdoings of Australia’s past, respects Australia’s multiculturalism, and strives to end
racism and inequality by promoting equality and equity through their education and training
to staff and students. When evaluating a reconciliation plan, it is essential to consider the five
dimensions of reconciliation: historical acceptance; race relations; equality and equity;
institutional integrity and unity (Reconciliation Australia, 2021). Historical acceptance refers
to the Australian society accepting the wrongdoing of the past and working towards creating
new policies and procedures to ensure the past is not repeated. In the acknowledgement of the

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country in the TAFE NSW reconciliation action plan, the organisation states that they
acknowledge the wrongdoings of the past and are striving to create inclusive and innovative
opportunities to strengthen the relationship between Aboriginal and non-Indigenous
Australians (TAFE NSW, 2020). TAFE NSW trains approximately 33,000 Aboriginal and
Torre Strait Islander people annually. These numbers continue to grow as TAFE offers a
culturally safe environment for Aboriginal people to work and study. Institutional integrity
involves the organisation’s support to enhance reconciliation by providing a range of
opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (Reconciliation Australia,
2021). By following this, TAFE NSW has created an Aboriginal community advisory group
that ensures all decision-making has string governance structures that support Aboriginal
communities (TAFE NSW, 2020). The advisory group works closely with Aboriginal
students and staff and ensures their voices are heard. In addition, TAFE NSW also has a
Reconciliation Action Coordination Committee that is responsible for developing,
implementing, and tracking the progress of the Aboriginal reconciliation plan (TAFE NSW,
2020). Race relations between Aboriginal and non-Indigenous Australians are an essential
aspect of reconciliation. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders have unique cultures and
traditions that all Australians must respect and understand. If Aboriginal communities feel
respected and acknowledged in society, significant steps toward reconciliation can be created.
A large part of the misconception of Aboriginal communities is the lack of information and
education to the broader society (Keynes, 2018). History education is a critical factor in
creating reconciliation. However, it does not fully recognise or address colonisation's long-
term effects on Aboriginal Australians (Keynes, 2018). Unity is a part of the five dimensions
of reconciliation, and to achieve this dimension of reconciliation; the broader Australian
society must understand and appreciate the culture and history of Aboriginal Australians who
share our national identity (Reconciliation Australia, 2021). TAFE NSW creates a unified
environment through its recognition that European colonisation created many social
disparities that profoundly affected Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders today. This is why
a key goal reflected in the TAFE NSW RAP is to create an equal and equitable environment
for all students and staff at TAFE NSW. The equity and equality dimension of reconciliation
refers to the ability and establishing frameworks for which all Aboriginal people can
participate and have equal opportunities. Additionally, Aboriginal culture and tradition are
recognised and respected by non-Aboriginal people (Reconciliation Australia, 2021). TAFE
NSW recognises the diversity of Aboriginal Australians and supports this by providing
engaging and positive environments where Aboriginal students and staff can thrive. TAFE
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NSW has created a Reconciliation Action Plan that successfully works toward the goal of
reconciliation between Aboriginal Australians and non-Indigenous peoples.

Reconciliation Action Plans benefit Australian businesses and institutions as they are
an ethical and sustainable approach for them to engage and incorporate Aboriginal
perspectives (Schepis, 2020). TAFE NSW has a strong and insightful Reconciliation Plan that
outlines goals and visions that is both respectful and empowering to Aboriginal Australians.
This Reconciliation plan has delivered the intended outcomes reflected in the plan, including
increasing the participation and retention rates in TAFE education for Aboriginal Australians.
Historically, schools and education institutions are associated with the traumas of the Stolen
Generation; therefore, reconciliation between Aboriginal and non-Indigenous people,
particularly in a culturally and respectfully safe educational environment, is crucial
(McMillan & Rigney, 2017). The TAFE NSW Reconciliation Action plan was launched in
November 2020. Since then, there have already been some significant changes to help close
the gap of inequality between Aboriginal students and non-Indigenous students enrolled at
TAFE. In 2020, TAFE NSW had over 36,800 Aboriginal enrolments, which comprised 27%
of the total enrolments; the enrolment had increased by 4% compared to a 23% Aboriginal
student enrolment in 2016 (TAFE NSW 2020 Anual Report, 2020). As well as the goal to
increase student enrolments, the TAFE NSW Reconciliation Action plan also aims to
increase the employment of Aboriginal staff from 1.8% to 3% by the end of 2022. This will
also help close the gap between Aboriginal and non-Indigenous Australians, as many
Aboriginal people face higher levels of unemployment. To further support staff and engage
non-Indigenous teachers in Aboriginal culture, in 2021, TAFE NSW provided staff from a
number of rural towns in NSW to participate in a course regarding Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander cultural education (TAFE NSW 2020 Anual Report, 2020). TAFE NSW
understands how diverse its institution is and how they need to cater to various needs and
learning styles. As a result, TAFE offer Aboriginal Australians customised courses and
services that allow them flexibility and the right guidance to work in the direction of their
desired careers. They also offer all Aboriginal, and Torres Strait Islander students access to
free-fee training. This is beneficial as many Aboriginal students face economic burdens that
can often prevent or discourage them from accessing courses or programs due to unaffordable
fees (TAFE NSW, 2020). The TAFE NSW Reconciliation Action plan empowers Aboriginal
students and teachers and encourages the learning and understanding of the Aboriginal

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culture to non-indigenous Australians. As a result, more Aboriginal Australians are enrolling

in courses, and Aboriginal teachers are provided with more support and opportunities
working at TAFE NSW. These opportunities are significant steps in creating reconciliation
and closing the gaps of disparities for Aboriginal Australians.

In conclusion, reconciliation is possible if all Australians work together to recognise the

wrongdoings of the past and the impacts that European colonisation had on the health and
social well-being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, who still face these disparities
today. The five dimensions of reconciliation plans provide a lens for businesses and
organisations to create successful Reconciliation Action Plans that close the gap with regards
to inequality between Aboriginal and non-Indigenous Australians. Reconciliation can only
occur when there is mutual respect and understanding between all races. TAFE NSW is an
organisation taking the right steps towards reconciliation with its Reconciliation Action Plan.
TAFE NSW has formed strong relationships with the Aboriginal communities that work to
promote reconciliation. TAFE NSW have understood the diverse needs of Aboriginal
Australians and created flexible and accommodating programs for each indigenous person
and their circumstances. To create an equal and culturally safe environment, TAFE NSW has
also engaged non-Indigenous Australians in the history and culture of Aboriginal Australians.
Overall, statistics show that TAFE NSW has created a well-constructed Action Plan that will
continue to support Aboriginal Australians and close the gap of inequality between
Aboriginal and non-Indigenous Australians.

References

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Keynes, M. (2018). History Education for Transitional Justice? Challenges, Limitations and

Possibilities for Settler Colonial Australia. International Journal of Transitional

Justice, 13(1), 113–133. https://doi.org/10.1093/ijtj/ijy026

McMillan, M., & Rigney, S. (2017). Race, reconciliation, and justice in Australia: from

denial to acknowledgment. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 41(4), 759–777.

https://doi.org/10.1080/01419870.2017.1340653

Reconciliation Australia. (2021, September 23). What is

reconciliation?https://www.reconciliation.org.au/reconciliation/what-is-

reconciliation/

Schepis, D. (2020). Understanding Indigenous Reconciliation Action Plans from a corporate

social responsibility perspective. Resources Policy, 69, 101870.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2020.101870

TAFE NSW Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan. (2020). SalesForce. Retrieved May 31,

2022, from

https://recaus.my.salesforce.com/sfc/p/#5g000003ae1y/a/5g000000kFpQ/

mnOoYHkLYI_fLZeAS0liVGxmmilQM7d8FVYy_bgLjcY

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