Speak Out October 2020 DIGITAL EDITION FINAL

Working towards Reconciliation Speech Pathology Australia’s Reconciliation Project Officer, Pauline Weldon-Bowen, and Senior Advisor, EBP and Research, Cori Williams, have spent 2020 exploring and working towards completing SPA’s Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) commitments, with the guidance and leadership of SPA’s Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group. It has been a time where we have connected more than ever through online platforms and have completed extensive research and evaluation of what is available to support the Association’s staff and members in working towards reconciliation. Our research has been Australia wide to enhance available connections by state, for members, whilst ensuring our information collection is current and useful. Some, but not all, of the resources that will become available for our members are: • National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations contact list. • Cultural protocols document (Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country). • Details of National Language Centres. • Close the Gap initiatives and changes and how this relates to the work we do within Speech Pathology. The Association actively supported National Reconciliation Week in 2020, through hosting the film Connection to Country through the Reconciliation Film Club, and showcasing useful resources. We look forward to Commitments, development of the next level RAP, an Innovate plan, has also taken place. We completed a draft plan in September, and sought feedback from members, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Committee, Heads of Speech Pathology Programs, Branch Executive committees, Indigenous Allied Health Australia, First Persons Disability Network and others. The RAP Working Group will discuss and integrate feedback received before submitting the first draft to Reconciliation Australia for their feedback. We are aiming for formal endorsement of the plan early in 2021. The endorsed plan will guide the Association’s activities over two years. engaging with NAIDOC Week in November. Whilst we’re close to finalising our Reflect RAP

Aboriginal and Torres Strait

Islander Advisory Committee

Pauline Weldon-Bowen Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Committee Member

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Speak Out | October 2020