Reconciliation
Gowrie SA is on Kaurna land. Our organisation welcomes all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, recognising that they are the traditional owners and custodians of the land and waterways throughout our country.
We wanted to create something to tell the story of how we got to the launch of our second Stretch RAP. To do this, we engaged MadeAdelaide who worked extensively with us to understand who Gowrie SA is, and what we do, and then has somehow turned all this into a beautiful video to share our story.
We are committed to the process of reconciliation and our vision for a just, inclusive, equitable and culturally respectful society with strong relationships between our broader community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Early childhood education is a solid pathway to a reconciled nation. At Gowrie SA, as part of our specialist early childhood programs, we strive for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children to fully participate in quality education. Our goal is to focus on learning outcomes for children and work together with their parents. We encourage non-Indigenous educators, children and their families to value and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories and people as being essential to our national identity.
Gowrie SA supports the work of the Coalition of Peaks (https://coalitionofpeaks.org.au/) to create a National Agreement on Closing the Gap. Gowrie SA recognises the work of the Coalition of Peaks in bringing together Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled peak organisations and members around Australia to create relevant Priority Reforms. Gowrie SA urges National and State politicians to endorse the National Agreement. You can download a copy of the Engagement Report here http://coalitionofpeaks.org.au/engagement-report_final/
Gowrie SA supports the Uluru Statement from the Heart. First Nations peoples held dialogues and came together In May 2017, leading to the historic formation of the Uluru Statement from the Heart. This Statement calls for three things: the Constitutional enshrinement of a First Nations Voice; negotiation of Treaties with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and Truth -telling processes, overseen by an independent Makarrata Commission.
The Uluru Statement can be read here: https://ulurustatement.org/
https://fromtheheart.com.au/
Gowrie SA acknowledges the 60,000 years of history Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have on this land and accepts the invitation in the Uluru Statement to "walk with us in a movement of the Australian people for a better future".
Reconciliation Action Plan
Gowrie SA’s first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) was launched in October 2012 in response to the National Apology (2008) and the Closing the Gap strategy. As an organisation we have an ongoing appreciation for the change that is required throughout the community to contribute to reconciliation efforts. As education providers for infants and young children and their families, we are in a unique position to contribute to a better future by working to support and improve the social, economic and health opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. We have a responsibility to raise awareness about reconciliation. Our programs have helped us to create mutually beneficial relationships with Aboriginal Elders, services, organisations and community members.
We will continue to share our experiences of positive collaboration with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with other organisations and stakeholders, particularly in the early childhood education and care sector, to empower the broader community to embrace reconciliation.
Our current second Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan 2020-2023 builds on our previous two RAPs. Its content was shaped and informed through important conversations with significant Kaurna Elders including Aunty Leonie Brodie (deceased), Uncle Lewis O’Brien, Aunty Josie Agius, Aunty Pat Waria-Read, and Uncle Ivan-Tiwu Copley. We endeavour to seek the knowledge of other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members from the broader community to support the Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group’s actions.
Read our Reconciliation in Action newsletters:
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Reference Group
Gowrie SA works with an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Reference group in an advisory capacity to work towards cultural respect and safety and minimise cultural risk within our organisation.
Current members of this group are:
For further reading, download Gowrie SA's Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan 2020-2023
For information about how to commit to reconciliation:
- Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care - http://www.snaicc.org.au
- Reconciliation Australia - www.reconciliation.org.au
- Constitutional reform for the nation’s first people - https://www.1voiceuluru.org/
- Narragunnawali supports schools and early learning services in Australia to develop environments that foster a high level of knowledge and pride in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and contributions.
Links to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses:
