Developing a Reconciliation Action Plan is a journey and a collaborative partnership with Reconciliation Australia. Understand what you can expect at each step of the process.
First step: Are you eligible?
Interested in starting a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP)? The first step is to understand if a RAP is right for your organisation.
While everyone can take substantial action for reconciliation, RAPs are specifically designed for workplaces.
To develop a RAP your organisation must be a workplace, have employees, and have operations in Australia, among other prerequisites.
If you want to start a RAP at your school or early learning service, please visit our Narragunnawali: Reconciliation in Education platform, to start a RAP for these education settings.
For more information on eligibility to start a RAP, please read this factsheet: Can you start a RAP?
Expression of interest and registration
Once you have established a RAP is a good fit for your organisation, the next step is to complete an expression of interest.
This will give you access to more information and is a good time to find out more about the different RAP types.
If you are ready to begin the RAP development process, you will then complete registration.
You will be asked to provide detailed information about your organisation, as well as pay the RAP development fee.
This fee covers your organisation’s RAP development process for up to 12 months and is scaled according to organisation size.
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander organisations who wish to develop a RAP are not charged a fee.
Drafting and submitting
You will then draft your RAP using the templates and resources provided on registration, and in consultation with your stakeholders.
The RAP templates contain minimum required actions and deliverables. The resources provided ensure that your draft RAP meets Reconciliation Australia’s standards for accreditation.
After completing your first draft RAP, you will submit it via the RAP portal for review.
Your draft is now with our team awaiting review and feedback.
Time frames and feedback
Once you have submitted a RAP, a RAP Officer at Reconciliation Australia will then review your document in line with the RAP requirements. They will then provide you with strategic feedback.
You should expect a minimum of 2 to 3 rounds of feedback.
Reconciliation Australia reviews RAPs on a standard time frame of 3 to 4 weeks.
You have the option of arranging a time to meet with your RAP Officer to clarify the feedback.
Accreditation
After the review process Reconciliation Australia will conditionally endorse your RAP.
This is when the content of your RAP is approved, and you are provided with the RAP logo to include in the final plan.
When your designed RAP is finished, upload the final PDF via the RAP portal.
Reconciliation Australia will then formally endorse your RAP, approving the final designed document and publishing your plan on the Reconciliation Australia website.
Once you have received formal endorsement, your RAP is officially accredited by Reconciliation Australia and your organisation is recognised as a member of the RAP network.
You can then share and promote your RAP externally.
What next? Implementation
It is important to remember that while developing a RAP is key to formalising your organisation’s commitment to reconciliation, implementation and continuous improvement are essential to turn your good intentions into action.
