Developing a Reconciliation Plan for your Business
Developing a Reconciliation Plan for your Business
2 Formal CPD Points
In 2010, WSP was one of the first engineering consultancies to develop a RAP.
WSP's first RAP focused on improving awareness about reconciliation and supporting existing pre-employment initiatives, such as the Indigenous Australian Engineering Summer Schools and the Smith Family Scholarship Program.
More than a decade later, the approach of WSP's sixth RAP has evolved yet is still relevant today, providing a detailed framework for policies, procedures and targets to incorporate Indigenous knowledge and culture in the design of clients' infrastructure and built environment projects.
In 2022, WSP remains the first engineering firm in Australia with a ‘Stretch’ RAP endorsed by Reconciliation Australia, meaning we have developed long-term strategies, and established a robust approach towards advancing reconciliation internally and within our sphere of influence – that is externally with clients, partners and key stakeholders. The Stretch RAP requires organisations to embed reconciliation initiatives into business strategies so they become ‘business as usual’.
For those companies looking to embark on their own RAP the first step begins with a commitment to contribute to Australia’s reconciliation journey, through acknowledging, respecting and sharing the histories and cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
This commitment is reinforced and underpinned by a RAP that sets actions and measurable targets.
This CPD workshop, taking place on April 6, 2022, will be led by the WSP Indigenous Specialist Services team (established in 2018 as part of WSP’s reconciliation journey) and will provide attendees with a step-by-step guide to developing a Reconciliation Plan for their own business.
Join us to hear our expert panel discuss key themes including:
Where to start - developing a vision for your own RAP and applying it to your design, engineering or construction business
Moving from an internal focused RAP to working with our clients and leading the way for industry
How Relationships, Respect and Opportunities (RAP pillars) apply to everything we do
RAP pillars across a project lifecycle
The importance of non-Aboriginal involvement in RAP
RAP for design houses: integrating RAP into the core of what you do
How RAP culturally driven outcomes can leave a legacy
Case study of the development and growth of WSP's RAP
Importance of graphics and imagery in RAP – the story behind the artwork
Overview of typical RAP framework and template
Meet the Experts
Russell Reid | Senior Aboriginal Affairs and Participation Consultant & RAP Lead
Russell is a Gamilaraay man with an extensive history of working across multidisciplinary teams, especially in relation to Cultural Heritage and liaison with Traditional Owners and Indigenous communities. He brings strong and valuable experience building partnerships between Aboriginal organisations, businesses, people and projects. Russell undertook the role of being the Aboriginal Affairs Manager on Pacific Completes’ Woolgoolga to Ballina project. This project is the single largest project that WSP Australia Pty Limited has been involved in nationally. His role in successfully creating a high rate of Aboriginal participation on this project has been instrumental – with 300 people Aboriginal people employed at the project peak and 1 million hours worked. This was in part his ability to develop strong cultural competency across the Pacific Complete team and establish strong stakeholder and community relationships with Aboriginal organisations, businesses and people along the project line. A good part of Russell’s early career involved working in Redfern in various roles for 20 years.
Siân Hromek | Senior Aboriginal Consultant
Siân is a proud Budawang woman of the Yuin Nation who lives in the Northern Rivers of NSW. She researches the rich history and living culture of people and the land and helps develop Aboriginal Design Principles (ADP) for our clients that guide and inform design solutions. Since 2019, Siân has been a Director on the board of the Firesticks Alliance Indigenous Corporation (ICN-8778), which helps Traditional Custodians reinvigorate and reapply cultural burning practices to repair and strengthen Country and community.
Julia Carpenter | Major Projects Regional Executive & Director Indigenous Specialist Services
In her role at WSP, Julia provides the strategic leadership on major projects with the Indigenous Specialist Services team. She develops the strategy that enables the creation of co-design opportunities and provides for the inclusion of Indigenous culture that is valuable for all of Australia. With the aim of bringing these opportunities to life, Julia’s focus is on achieving successful outcomes for projects across the multiple Countries on which WSP works and celebrating these achievements. Her work follows the three tenets of Reconciliation – Relationships, Respect and Opportunity – across the project lifecycle, and where possible, involves Indigenous people in the design, building and operation of the project. She is currently working in this context on major projects across the country
Michael Hromek | Technical Executive – Indigenous (Architecture), Design and Knowledge
Descended of the Yurin People, Budawang Tribe, Michael is a researcher and Professional Tutor at the University of Technology, Sydney’s Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research. He has a range of specialisations in the broad area of design, theory and architecture. These include the nature of design and its role towards society, contemporary Indigenous identity and how this might be formalised through the built environment and the relationships between theory and practice in planning, society and the city. Michael is currently completing a PhD at the UTS and teaches in the Bachelor of Design in Architecture covering architectural design and history and theory subjects. His thesis focuses on the idea of the urban Indigenous community in Redfern and its urban spatial values.
Phil Gardiner (Moderator) | Principal Director
Phil has 40 years’ experience in the provision of engineering consultancy in the Property & Buildings sector and previously led Irwinconsult for 15 years, an organisation that WSP acquired a few years ago. His experience includes low/medium and high rise commercial and residential developments, industrial, sporting, educational and healthcare facilities. Phil is known for his innovative and lateral design solutions with a project base across Asia, US and Australian mainland States.
CPD Learning Outcomes - at the conclusion of this webinar attendees will be able to:
1. Define the 4 pillars of RAP and explain their roles
Design: Schematic Design 4.2
2. Detail a typical RAP framework
Design: Schematic Design 4.4
3. Explain why RAPs are important for organizations to adopt
Design: Schematic Design 4.9
4. Describe the role of graphics and imagery in RAP documents
Design: Schematic Design 4.4
