City of Darwin is calling for expressions of interest from community members to join its 11 member Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group (RAPWG).
Three community members will be chosen to join five City of Darwin staff members and one Elected Member on the Working Group, with priority given to people of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander decent, in line with Reconciliation Australia’s good practice guide.
The Working Group will be tasked with developing City of Darwin’s first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).
“Developing our first RAP is an important step in advancing reconciliation in our community.” said CEO Scott Waters.
“I expect our RAP to outline actions that City of Darwin can take to improve our knowledge and understanding of First Nations people and culture, that will positively impact on our organisations’ cultural awareness and the way we do business.”
There are four stages of RAP – Reflect, Innovate, Stretch and Elevate. City of Darwin will undertake an Innovate RAP.
“Through the RAPWG City of Darwin will assess the delivery of our programs and services to understand what and how we can do things differently to build better relationships and levels of trust.”
“And we believe by doing so, we will achieve better outcomes,” Mr Waters concluded.
Applications for the RAPWG open Thursday 31 October 2019 and close Thursday 14 November at 5pm, with applicants notified of the outcome Wednesday 20 November 2019. Applicants are required to complete an Expression of Interest, demonstrating knowledge and experience in consulting with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Successful applicants will be required to complete a 2-day Cultural Safety Training Course and attend RAPWG meetings every two months, with positions valid for 2 years. The three community members will be paid in line with sitting fees for elected members and all meetings will be catered.
