Speak Out August 2020 DIGITAL EDITION

Aboriginal and Torres Strait

Working towards reconciliation SPEECH PATHOLOGY AUSTRALIA RECOGNISES THAT RECONCILIATION IS A WORK IN PROGRESS, A WORK WHICH IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ALL MEMBERS AND STAFF. As the Association begins work on our second (Innovate) Reconciliation Action Plan, it seems like a good time to think about the reconciliation journey—what we have achieved so far and what needs to come next. A recurrent theme in the Speech Pathology 2030 project was the need for the Association to engage more closely with Aboriginal and Torres Strait peoples, as partners, clients and members of the profession. Accordingly, recent strategic plans of the Association have included strategies which aim to address this need. Following direction from the Board, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Committee was convened and met for the first time in October 2017. Since that first meeting, a number of changes have been made, robust discussions have been held and considerable learning has taken place. From the beginning of 2020, the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander SPA representatives on the Advisory Committee was increased from three to six, and a second Aboriginal consumer representative added. There is no doubt that this increase in the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members has added significantly to the value of the committee. The schedule for committee meetings changed from one face to face at National Office in Melbourne and three teleconference meetings each year to quarterly meetings face to face at National Office, a change which reflects Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing. Sadly, this has not been possible during 2020, with our February and July meetings held by Zoom. It is hoped that our final meeting for the year may take place at National Office, but we remain cautious, and will be guided by the best available health evidence. At the 2019 SPA National Conference, the Apology to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples was delivered by Gaenor Dixon, then President of SPA - a landmark for the Association. At the 2019 conference, we also reported on the development of our first Reconciliation Action Plan. This plan was a Reflect plan, the first of four levels of Reconciliation Action Plan set out by Reconciliation Australia. The purpose of the Reflect plan is to position organisations for initiatives in successive RAPs. The plan was developed by a working group made up of Aboriginal

Islander Advisory Committee

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Speak Out | August 2020