HammondCare is proud to launch its inaugural Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), a genuine, long-term public commitment to engage in respectful and trusting partnerships with First Nations peoples to understand their experiences and needs.

HammondCare views reconciliation as an essential part of its mission to improve the quality of life for people in need, regardless of their circumstances.

Chief Executive Officer Mike Baird said this RAP, announced during NAIDOC week, is an important step and shows HammondCare is sincerely engaging in the process of reflecting on the organisation’s responsibilities towards reconciliation between First Nations people and non-Indigenous Australians.

“It’s part of our Model of Care to really get to know people, learn about their strengths, passions, pain, challenges and experiences; tailoring our response to promote dignity, comfort and quality of life,” Mr Baird said.

“We can’t lay claim to success in our relationship-based care approach if we ignore, or are careless with, the past and present realities of First Nations people – whether among the people we care for, or staff or more broadly in society”

Mr Baird said HammondCare recognised the organsiation has much to learn and understand as part of the healing journey.

“Our approach must be to listen to First Nations people to truly understand their experiences and their needs,” he said.

The RAP statement, featuring artwork by proud Ngarrindjeri woman and HammondCare employee Tanya Conlan, outlines partnerships and current activities nationally, including connections with First Nations health networks and health providers by HammondCare’s dementia support arm, Dementia Support Australia (DSA).

Among its ongoing commitments, and to celebrate NAIDOC Week, DSA released a First Nations Language Guide to help staff use respectful, inclusive and positive language when working and for First Nations residents, clients, patients, staff and partners.

A number of commitments and meaningful actions are included in the RAP such as ensuring all HammondCare staff receive First Nations cultural training, distributing First Nations country and language guides to all HammondCare locations, and partnering with local groups and stakeholders to deepen our local ties to Indigenous groups and traditional land owners.

HammondCare’s RAP implementation will be monitored and governed by a RAP Working Group chaired by General Manager Strategy, Transformation & Impact, Mark Peacock.

Reconciliation Australia Chief Executive Officer Karen Mundine said HammondCare joins a network of more than 1100 corporate, government and not-for-profit organisations that have made a formal commitment to reconciliation fhrought the RAP program.

“Reconciliation Australia welcomes HammondCare to the Reconciliation Action Plan program with the formal endorsement of its inaugural Reflect RAP,” Ms Mundine said.