Plan to advance reconciliation

A RAP is a formal commitment by an organisation to take meaningful action to advance reconciliation.
“The St Vincent de Paul Society NSW is committed to embedding reconciliation throughout the organisation,” St Vincent de Paul NSW Aboriginal Engagement Partner, Rob Cohen, said.
“We want all of our members, volunteers, and employees to be working towards the goals of and conscious of their roles in strengthening relationships with First Nations people and making our community more inclusive.”
Mr Cohen said the Society’s vision for reconciliation is very similar to its broader goals – “that we build a more just and equitable society”.
“We cannot have a more just and equitable society without reconciliation and recognising the harm done by colonisation,” he said.
The Society has a long history of working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, however, it has at times “fallen into the trap of seeing its role as working for First Nations peoples rather than working with them”.
Mr Cohen said that over the past few decades, they have been refocusing their efforts on partnership-based approaches.
“The Society is actively looking to work with more First Nations suppliers, hiring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees, and seeking to involve more First Nations people as members and volunteers,” he said.