3 minute read
Our business
from RAP
Evolve Housing is an award winning Tier 1 nationally registered Community Housing Provider (CHP). We provide safe and secure affordable housing for people experiencing homelessness and on lower to moderate incomes experiencing housing stress¹.
We provide high quality housing developments, build strong communities, and provide support programs to empower residents to reach their potential and achieve greater independence.
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Our portfolio consists of approximately 3,500 social and affordable housing properties that provide homes for about 7,500 residents living in 38 local government areas across Metropolitan Sydney, the Hunter region, NSW Central Coast and the mid-north Coast.
We support a further 1,300 properties through a joint venture in Tasmania with Centacare Evolve Housing. Our Head Office is based in Parramatta and we have a second office at Penrith and a growing presence in the Hunter Region in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie. We employ 112 staff, of whom 4% identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
Evolve Housing believes that to deliver quality housing and support services to our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents, the organisation and its staff must develop a strong understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and histories. A shared understanding and cultural awareness supports stronger relationships, builds trust and drives higher levels of cultural competency when designing and delivering policies and services. Working together, we have an opportunity to learn from one another, address inequity in access to housing, and create thriving communities.
As an organisation, we recognise we have the opportunity and responsibility within our sphere of influence to make a positive contribution towards reconciliation.
Development of the RAP
Evolve Housing believes that the RAP will provide a framework by which we can:
• Continue to improve and increase our engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and stakeholders.
• Strengthen our understanding and cultural competency,
• Build on partnerships to deliver better housing Alicatet audis et ab iuntion sectiae coreperum eos dolor sinus sus siminvel il ipsum fugit, te volecea rchitas quam, ommodita sed ex et pos volor resed maxim voluptas etur, ut cus magnis eos eum utem sequat inum vide velliquam, aut laccus vel ident volorum dero quam quo vel enis et pore everibus sit officiam, ut ium nusam reptatem aliqui dolesequia venis vid quatint.
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What is a RAP?
A Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) is a document that includes practical actions that drive an organisation’s contribution to reconciliation, both internally and in the communities with which it operates. Reconciliation Australia’s RAP Framework provides organisations with a structured approach to advance reconciliation.
There are four types of RAP that an organisation can develop — Reflect, Innovate, Stretch and Elevate. Each type of RAP is designed to suit an organisation at different stages of their reconciliation journey.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
Evolve Housing believes that to deliver quality housing and support services to our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents, the organisation and its staff must develop a strong understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and histories. A shared understanding and cultural awareness supports stronger relationships, builds trust and drives higher levels of cultural competency when designing and delivering policies and services. Working together, we have an opportunity to learn from one another, address inequity in access to housing, and create thriving communities.
As an organisation, we recognise we have the opportunity and responsibility within our sphere of influence to make a positive contribution towards reconciliation.
Development of the RAP
Evolve Housing believes that the RAP will provide a framework by which we can:
• Continue to improve and increase our engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and stakeholders.
• Strengthen our understanding and cultural competency,
• Build on par tnerships to deliver better housing outcomes and support services,
• Strengthen communities, and
• Empower our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents.
Who champions our RAP?
Our RAP is championed by the Board and the CEO. An internal working group comprising key members of the Group Executive Team and Aboriginal employees has assisted in its development.
The RAP was informed by a gap assessment undertaken in 2017–18 against the seven Aboriginal Cultural Competency Standards² (developed specifically for the community housing sector). It was also informed by interviews with a range of senior staff (who had completed cultural competency training) to identify areas in which they felt we had gaps or where we could improve. Our internal working group, with Aboriginal employees, next considered how we might approach the development of a RAP and the activities that we might undertake. The RAP includes commitments to further consultation with a wide range of Aboriginal stakeholders and Aboriginal service partner organisations to test and refine RAP activities.
For example, we envisage working with the Aboriginal resource officer at the Community
