SSI launches new Reconciliation Action Plan grounded in truth-telling and action 

The launch brought together staff, partners and community leaders, with support from Reconciliation Australia and contributions from key voices including Professor Nareen Young, Maria Dimopoulos AM, Uncle Colin Locke and the Giralang Guwal performers. The event recognised the role of First Nations colleagues, communities and partners in shaping SSI’s reconciliation journey to date. 

CEO Violet Roumeliotis said every day, SSI welcomes people to this country who are building new lives and we do that with a clear understanding that this is Aboriginal land, cared for by First Nations peoples for over 65,000 years. 

“We cannot separate inclusion for multicultural communities from justice for First Nations peoples. That’s why reconciliation is not separate from our work: it is core to it,” she said.  

“Reconciliation is not something that sits on the sidelines of our work. It is a shared responsibility across our organisation, our sector and our communities. And it is a shared journey that requires consistency, honesty and effort over time.  

“At SSI, we are committed to keep listening, learning and acting with purpose.” 

The RAP reflects a renewed focus on truth-telling and deep listening, shaped in part by the national conversation following the Voice referendum. It sets out how SSI will continue to strengthen understanding of Australia’s history, and ensure that this informs its services, advocacy and partnerships. 

Cass Best, SSI’s Cultural Safety, Engagement and Partnerships Lead, spoke to the importance of grounding reconciliation in practical action:

“Reconciliation matters here because the work we do with people from many cultures is strongest when it is built on truth-telling, respect, and relationships with the First Peoples of this land,” they said.  

“An Innovate RAP is about taking what we have learned, listening more deeply, and embedding reconciliation into how we operate — not as an ‘add on,’ but as everyday practice across our services, our workplaces, and our partnerships.”  

RAP focused on action 

SSI’s new Innovate RAP sets out practical actions across three key areas: 

Relationships : strengthening partnerships with First Nations communities 

Respect: building cultural understanding and safe workplaces 

Opportunities: increasing pathways through employment, procurement and shared decision-making 

Importantly, the RAP is designed to be embedded in how SSI operates, rather than sitting alongside its work. 

In closing, Cass encouraged all attendees to choose one way to participate. 

“Small, consistent actions — taken by many people — are how this RAP becomes real,” they said.