APC begins Reconciliation journey

On this page:

• Our strategic direction 
• Our Reconciliation Action Plan
• Our National Reconciliation Week activity

Our strategic direction

Every one of us has a role to play when it comes to reconciliation. In playing our part we collectively build relationships and communities that acknowledge the truth, and value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, histories and cultures.

As a national organisation, we know that the work we do can influence health outcomes and reconciliation. And we're committed to having those outcomes informed and influenced by those who are best placed to do so. We're partnering with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Māori peoples to ensure their voice is leading our work.

We’ve significantly strengthened our commitment to improving Indigenous health with the APC Strategy 2020/21 Direction Four: As a culturally competent organisation we deliver a culturally safe workforce.

Our vision is to:

• achieve increased participation by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the registered health workforce
• provide a culturally safe health workforce supported by nationally consistent standards, codes and guidelines across all professions
• achieve greater access for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to culturally safe services from all health professionals

As per our strategic direction we will:

• support our wholly Indigenous Improving Indigenous Health Strategy Expert Advisory Group and ensure Indigenous persons are embedded in accreditation activities
• ensure all Directors, Committee Members, staff and contributors have cultural safety training on ongoing basis
• support education providers to meet new accreditation standards in cultural safety
• develop a culturally competent framework including a Reconciliation Action Plan
• publish research and thought-pieces in the literature and peer-reviewed journals

As part of this pillar of the strategy, the Board has committed to delivering a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).

Our Reconciliation Action Plan

Reconciliation is a journey for all Australians – as individuals, families, communities, organisations and importantly as a nation. At the heart of this journey are relationships between the broader Australian community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. - Reconciliation Australia

We will begin our RAP journey with a Reflect RAP. This plan will be the foundation for us to take bigger strides into the future to deliver on our commitment. Through building relationships, respecting culture, history, knowledge and rights, and creating opportunity we aim to contribute to a more reconciled Australia.

We recently established a RAP working group. They are currently exploring what our Reflect RAP will look like. We want to take each step slowly. We want to ensure each pillar is being deeply considered to provide actionable outcomes.

Some of our deliverables include:

• building meaningful relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders and organisations through our core work, activities and events
• increasing staff understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures, knowledge and rights
• celebrating National Reconciliation Week, NAIDOC Week and other events
• training our people in cultural safety and Indigenous history
• leading and educating our profession through conferences and events
• collaborating with our accreditation colleagues across the health professions
• increasing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander recruitment, retention and professional development

Future RAPs will cement the objectives above. And we'll delve deeper into what we can do through our sphere of influence such as:

• researching the current state of play of health profession education re: Indigenous curricula and cultural safety
• setting standards for education providers and supporting them to achieve them

Our working group has a wide spread of experience, skills and talent who will contribute with passion to this work.

We also involve all our staff outside of the working group to provide ideas, collaborate with us, champion our plan and learn as a whole team.

See CEO, Bronwyn Clark’s blog piece on improving health outcomes for First Australians.

National Reconciliation Week 2020

This year, we watched Puttipari and the Rainmakers. This is a story about why connection to country of birth is so important to First Nations Peoples. We learnt about the diverse Aboriginal groups, cultures, languages and custodianships of country specific to the Kimberley region.

We saw Putuparri become conflicted and torn between the traditional and contemporary lifestyles of his people.

“This film was incredibly moving. I struggled to hold back tears. Culture and land are such integral parts of their identity. First Australians deserve to be able to learn, practise and teach on their land, without pressures from opposing lifestyles.”

This film has enhanced cultural awareness and knowledge throughout the organisation. It's allowed us to understand the repercussions of being removed from country in the face of opposing lifestyle pressures. 

We recommend this film to anyone with a desire to learn about First Nations culture and history. You can purchase the film or host a screening through their website.