Reflect RAP Implementation Update

Dear members,

We are pleased to provided you with a short update on how we are going against our Reflect RAP actions and deliverables.

Following the approval and publishing of our Reflect RAP earlier this year, we have completed 16 deliverables already, have 13 deliverables in progress, and 12 deliverables that we will commence in the next few months.

Among our key achievements so far are:

• We held a lovely event launching our RAP recently, and now have a dedicated page on our website where you can read our RAP.
• Our Policy and Research Officer in Aboriginal Mental Health, Phill Moncreiff, has joined our working group and has established an Aboriginal Lived Experience Advisory Group (ALEAG), and the State Aboriginal Mental Health Network (SAMHN), and he and the Systemic Advocacy team are doing amazing work to ensure that we understand and advocate for the voices and needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have experiences of mental health issues to be heard and acted on in the Mental health sector.
• Our staff have completed cultural awareness training and/or training around acknowledging country. We offer these trainings regularly for staff to refresh their knowledge and for new staff to have the opportunity to participate in the training.
• We have worked to create stronger relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and services, especially those in Mental health, and those in our local Belmont area. For instance, our ASPIRE team are working with Marr Mooditj to support their students undertaking the Cert IV in Mental Health Peer Work, and will be offering a placement here. Our Life Launchpad team have been running sessions at Mooditj Yorga recently. Also, our Policy and Research Officer in Aboriginal Mental Health has joined the Aboriginal Reference Group in the City of Belmont.
• We include a statement supporting the Uluru Statement from the Heart and an Acknowledgement of Country in our email signatures.
• We share and circulate reconciliation resources in our office, and have a table set up with lots of great resources including books and copies of the Koori Mail (which we have subscribed to) for staff and visitors to read.
• We have established a Terms of Reference for our working group and have finalised a monitoring and evaluation plan in order to track our progress and help us report to Reconciliation Australia.
• We have sought to engage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suppliers for things like catering, printing, and other office supply needs, and had our RAP launch catered by the fantastic Gather foods, an Aboriginal-owned and led business.
• Looking ahead, we’re excited to attend some National Reconciliation Week events in May, and are planning to host an event here at CoMHWA!

Dr Melissa Russell
RAP Champion