RAP Working Group 

Our dedicated RAP Working Group is passionate about advancing reconciliation in Australia. They meet monthly, are at the forefront of our RAP work, and are always looking for new approaches to develop our knowledge of and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, histories and cultures. 

Embedding in our day-to-day practices 

To ensure our employees have a fundamental understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures, all staff are required to complete an online Cultural Learning program based on the Seven Steps to Practical Reconciliation framework. 

We have developed a procurement list for staff to reference and support the usage of indigenous suppliers and companies, and we continue to establish and maintain mutually beneficial relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders and organisations to support various projects and content within our business.  

One particular project in our Digital Teaching and Learning business unit that we are proud of is English Language Learning for Indigenous Children (ELLIC), which is a program that supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander preschoolers to build new skills in English.

National Reconciliation Week

In 2023, ESA acknowledged National Reconciliation Week by providing a range of activities for staff to participate in. The week started with a delicious morning tea full of native flavours and deep conversations. We encouraged staff to ‘Wear it Yellow’ to fundraise for Children’s Ground, a not-for-profit organisation working towards changing the future for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, families and communities.   

Later in the week, we hosted a free screening of In My Own Words, a documentary that follows the journey of adult Aboriginal students and their teachers as they discover the transformative power of reading and writing for the first time in their lives. 

We also made staff aware of other local events taking place that they could participate in, along with resources to further understand why National Reconciliation Week is so significant.

We are pleased to be able to host a similar series of events for National Reconciliation Week 2024.

NAIDOC Week

During NAIDOC Week 2023, staff were encouraged to attend various webinars focused on the year’s theme For our Elders and Celebrating our First Nations. 

We provided staff with information about the history of NAIDOC Week and shared other local events taking place that they could participate in. 

Book and film club

The ESA RAP Book and Film Club provides the opportunity for us to come together and talk about a specific book or film that is by or about Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander peoples, histories or events. Hosted bi-monthly, we have enjoyed and discussed a range of titles including Dark Emu, Growing up Aboriginal in Australia, The Wonder of Little Things and most recently, The Visitors.

Aboriginal Heritage Walks

We have so far organised three heritage walks through Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens, a significant cultural site for the local Kulin Nation. Guided by Den Fisher, we’ve gained an insight into the rich history and thriving culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We learned how to identify significant native plants within the gardens and discovered Aboriginal plant uses, customs and ongoing connection to Country. 

Other key events 

We celebrated William Barak and Wurundjeri Week by sharing information and asking staff to complete the activity: ‘Whose Land am I on?’. 

To support Indigenous Literacy Day, we held a Great Book Swap event where staff could bring in their own books to donate or purchase donated books from our collection. We raised a total of $452.50 for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation during this event. 

The Voice to Parliament was an historical event that we wanted to ensure staff were well educated on, to make an informed decision on the referendum. Training was provided through the ‘Indigenous Constitutional Recognition through a Voice’ course, along with an open discussion in the office. We also shared external events and webinars and decorated the office with posters promoting the ‘Yes’ vote. 

Schools Catalogue Information Service (SCIS) updates

SCIS continues to actively revise its cataloguing language to ensure respect and cultural sensitivity to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. SCIS employs specific subject headings like ‘Aboriginal peoples’ and ‘Torres Strait Islanders’ and uses feedback and resources like the Australian Government Style Manual and AustLang to update terms continually. These efforts align with the broader changes in societal language and the Australian Curriculum v9's preference for terms like 'First Nations Australians'. SCIS' updates include removing outdated terms and enhancing their Authority Files product to reflect respectful and accurate terminology. Continual changes aim to support educators, students, and researchers in accessing culturally appropriate resources, named and searchable using respectful terminology. 

New meeting room names

In February of this year, we renamed our office meeting rooms to honour of some Indigenous Australians who have had an impact on education. 

Our meeting rooms now proudly display beautiful decals, designed by proud Waanyi and Kalkadoon woman, Keisha Thomason, that offer staff and visitors a glimpse into the legacy and significance of each name. 

We are deeply grateful to have received permission to make this meaningful change, and at our launch event, we were honoured to welcome special guest, Jillian West, representing her father, Japanangka errol West, whose name graces one of our newly named meeting rooms. 

Later in the month we had the privilege of welcoming Dr Anita Heiss to our office. It was wonderful to share our newly renamed ‘Heiss’ meeting room with her, a space dedicated to celebrating her remarkable contributions to Indigenous education. 

Ongoing learning opportunities 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander guest speakers are often invited to our special all staff events, such as those hosted during International Women’s Day, National Reconciliation Week or NAIDOC Week. We are fortunate to have had many engaging and generous speakers share their time, knowledge and stories about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, cultures and histories with us. 

We also provide professional learning opportunities for staff to further develop their knowledge and understanding of important topics such as Voice to Parliament and Acknowledgement of Country.

Our reconciliation journey continues

We are only at the second step in a four-stage RAP process, where our Innovate RAP outlines our commitment to being braver, more visible and impactful in our actions and practice. We aim to achieve this by continuing to provide genuine and impactful opportunities for our staff and stakeholders so we can in turn create culturally inclusive and accessible high-quality projects, services and education technology platforms to benefit all Australian students and teachers.