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In May 2020, ESA developed its Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) with Reconciliation Australia. 

The RAP signifies ESA’s commitment to working toward reconciliation by building stronger relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous peoples to benefit all Australians. 

ESA’s Reflect RAP was the first step in acknowledging our commitment to being an active participant in this space. 

In March 2023, ESA moved to the next stage of our journey when our Innovate RAP was approved by Reconciliation Australia. The Innovate RAP allows ESA to gain a deeper understanding of our sphere of influence and establish the best approach to advance reconciliation through defined actions and deliverables. 

We aim to achieve this by providing culturally inclusive and accessible high-quality projects, services and education technology platforms and strategically engaging stakeholders, delivery partners and staff in opportunities to develop a deep knowledge of and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, histories and cultures. We will trial new approaches to build genuine relationships and foster respect through our work.

Our Innovate RAP focuses on four key areas, as outlined below. 

• Relationships: we aim to build relationships and engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders and organisations to identify opportunities by understanding the specific educational challenges faced by First Nations educators, students, and communities. 
• Respect: ESA supports the access of all young Australians to high-quality schooling and seeks to support equity in education for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 
• Opportunities: ESA is committed to genuinely engaging with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and organisations and our delivery partners to enable improved education, economic and social outcomes for First Nations peoples. 
• Governance: we have developed a governance structure that ensures the effective delivery of our RAP commitments through our ESA Executive Team, responsible work areas and the Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group (RAPWG). 

To find out more, please read our Innovate RAP.