Link Wentworth鈥檚 Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) journey was born out of a need to do more for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents and staff members. As a housing provider, we鈥檙e deeply aware of the historical displacement of Aboriginal communities and how the impact of colonialism continues to affect people鈥檚 right to a home. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are disproportionately represented when it comes to social housing need. We are impassioned to ensure we not only address their unique needs with sensitivity and care but work to find solutions for the issue of housing affordability.
Link Wentworth wants to use our platform and influence to embark on a reconciliation journey that produces actionable, practical, and culturally appropriate outcomes for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
Link Wentworth (then Link Housing) embarked on our first RAP to formalise our commitment to reconciliation. We had an ambition to become a more diverse and inclusive workplace, and also aimed to strengthen and deepen our relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander partners, community services, residents and staff.
In our Reflect RAP journey, we focused on three key areas, including organisational commitment to reconciliation, shared understanding, and laying the foundations to connect. These are still practiced throughout our organisation today and lay the foundation on which we embarked on our Innovate RAP.
In the three years since we formalised our Reflect RAP and expanded our service offering to more of Sydney, we鈥檝e solidified our commitment to our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders. By strengthening and even sparking new relationships across diverse community groups and developing an attuned understanding of the current needs within the housing system, Link Wentworth feels confident that our Reflect RAP journey still makes an impact to this day.
In completing the Innovate RAP, we have made a promise to track and report on our journey to ensure we meet the deliverables outlined in this document. We are ready and open to embark on a new stage of the reconciliation journey.
We were proud to hold our first external RAP Advisory Group in April 2023 including First Nations residents and partners. This group is critical to ensure that we have the voice of our First Nations residents and community central to our work. We are grateful to all members for their commitment and generosity in sharing their knowledge.
Our internal RAP Working Group met regularly and has delivered a draft Innovate RAP which is currently out for consultation, with our aim to finalise the RAP in 2024.
