Our commitment to reconciliation
ReachOut Australia’s vision is for an inclusive, compassionate and cohesive Australia that truly embraces and is proud of First Nations cultures.
We are striving for a future with better mental health and wellbeing outcomes for First Nations young people, where they can reach their full potential. We honour the unique cultural rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the resilience, strength and pride of their communities.
Being a youth mental health service, ReachOut is dedicated to playing our part to reduce the substantial mental health inequalities that exist between First Nations Australians and other Australians. Our aspirations extend beyond contributing to meeting the immediate support needs of First Nations young people. We will make connections and listen to First Nations communities, community-controlled organisations and other partners so that we can learn how best to contribute to achieving sustained wellbeing outcomes over time.
ReachOut’s ‘Meeting Where You Are’ Initiative
In 2022, ReachOut launched Meeting Where You Are, a First Nations co-designed and developed social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB) resources designed to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people across Australia.
The new support includes a range of culturally-safe online resources such as videos, comic strips and real- life stories from a diverse group of First Nations voices sharing their personal stories and experiences.
Our work is ongoing - ReachOut will continue to learn from and partner with First Nations communities to produce relevant and useful resources and services.
Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan 2024
ReachOut’s Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) is our fourth RAP and third Innovate level RAP to be endorsed by Reconciliation Australia. Since our previous RAP, we have grown as an organisation through our reconciliation journey. Our RAP recognises the importance of ensuring that our reconciliation journey is meaningful and impactful. This new Innovate RAP reflects ReachOut’s ongoing commitment to deep listening and learning so that we can engage in reciprocal partnerships with First Nations peoples.
Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan
ReachOut’s Innovate RAP is our third RAP and second Innovate level RAP to be endorsed by Reconciliation Australia. We have remained at the Innovate level to further build our work over the last 3 years and in recognition of the importance of ensuring that our reconciliation journey is meaningful and impactful. This RAP prioritises embedding reconciliation into the whole organisation's business-as-usual, increasing the participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people and parents/carers across our services, and continuing to build cultural competency within the organisation. Our goal is to empower each and every team member in their reconciliation journey to build a sense of shared responsibility as we move forward.
Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP)
ReachOut’s Innovate RAP is our second such plan to be endorsed by Reconciliation Australia. It prioritises creating opportunities for, and collaborating and building relationships with, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, communities and organisations to ensure that our workplace and services are safe, accessible and relevant to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people and parents.
Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan
ReachOut’s Reflect RAP was published in 2016 and prioritised making our organisation and service more culturally appropriate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. We achieved this by increasing the cultural competency of ReachOut staff, improving our knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories and contemporary issues, and developing a more nuanced understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ conceptualisation of social and emotional wellbeing.
