Our first Reconciliation Action Plan is approved

An exciting step in a continual journey.

St Andrew’s is committed to forging a better ongoing relationship with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. An important component of this journey is the creation of a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) to guide and chart our progress. We are pleased to have achieved a significant milestone, with the St Andrew’s Reflect RAP document conditionally approved in March 2023 by Reconciliation Australia.

We’d like to highlight the personal hard work and passion of two staff members who have led the process: Alison Sarles, Clinical Education Coordinator, and Tina Donaldson, Quality and Risk Manager. Alison and Tina initiated the RAP process in 2020, after attending Reconciliation SA’s Apology Breakfast and meeting Kaurna Elder, Uncle Tamaru.

What is a RAP?

From the Reconciliation Australia website: “Since 2006, Reconciliation Action Plans (RAPs) have enabled organisations to sustainably and strategically take meaningful action to advance reconciliation ... RAPs provide tangible and substantive benefits for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, increasing economic equity and supporting First Nations self-determination.”

What has St Andrew’s done so far?

An early step was cultural education workshops for the hospital’s senior staff and executive team, conducted by Tauondi Aboriginal College. It was clear to all that the learning process was just beginning. RAP leader Alison Sarles says, “both our CEO (Stephen Walker) and our Director Nursing and Clinical Services (Jacquie Wiley) attended the workshop and could see the importance in this RAP process. They gave us the full go-ahead, and have been very supportive ever since.”

Tina and Alison assembled a Reconciliation Action Group of St Andrew’s staff who meet regularly and consult with Uncle Tamaru and Reconciliation Australia.

“On key dates, we’ve incorporated things so everyone in the hospital can learn more about reconciliation,” says Alison.

“For example, last NAIDOC Week it was all about learning Kaurna language, like the greeting ‘niina marni’ and people replying with ‘marni’ai’, like ‘hi, how are you going?’ ‘I’m well’. Our Manager of Dietary Services, Paul Smith, had something planned every day for morning tea, with Indigenous ingredients. And the HR team helped with printed cards that explained all about it.

“We

Now the initial RAP is approved, what’s next?

Under the guidance of Uncle Tamaru, the St Andrew’s RAP draft document will now be finessed and submitted for publication on the Reconciliation Australia website. But the work doesn’t stop there. “Our RAP is really in its infancy,” says Alison. “What we have now is a Reflect RAP, where you’re reflecting on yourself, and asking where should we start? We need to report to Reconciliation Australia every year on what we have achieved, and a new RAP needs to be created in 18 months’ time.

“Our reconciliation journey is about improving our relationship with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, having a deeper understanding of what that means, and creating a more tolerant world, really. This is just the start of a journey that’ll go long, long past my time and Tina’s time.”