Orange Sky was founded in Meanjin (Brisbane, Australia) on Turrbal and Yuggera Country. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land and waters across Australia, and acknowledge that sovereignty was not ceded. We recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures as the oldest continuous living cultures in human history. We pay our respect and honour to Elders past, present and emerging and extend that respect to all First Nations people. At Orange Sky, we are committed to listening, learning, and working together with respect and humility to create a positive future and meaningful change through our Reconciliation Action Plan.
OUR VISION FOR RECONCILIATION
Orange Sky envisions an Australia where reconciliation is evident in the equitable health and social outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. We envisage an Australian society that celebrates First Peoples culture and acknowledges our shared history. Orange Sky recognises that to drive this change, we must listen to, learn from and support the actions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
OUR COMMITMENT
Orange Sky’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) is our commitment to improving health and social outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across our culture, policies, opportunities and spaces in which we operate. We will prioritise reconciliation through our relationships, respect, opportunities and governance.
Relationships
Foster safe and inclusive relationships based on two way learning.
Respect
Listen, learn, act upon and empower the voices and perspectives of First Nations people.
Opportunities
Provide equitable health, social and economic outcomes across our services, organisation and culture.
Governance
Prioritise reconciliation within our policies, culture, opportunities, and spaces in which we operate.
ABOUT THE RAP ARTWORK
The powerful cover artwork is the ancestral creation story of artist, Rhoda Tjitayi’s, grandmother. ‘Piltati Tjukurpa’ creation story depicts an important cultural site in the Western Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands near Nyapori Community. The tjukurpa (story) follows two sisters, Wanyinta and Alartjatjarra, who travel the lands hunting for food, along with their husbands.
Rhoda is an accomplished artist and Pitjantjatjara woman, South Australia. Rhoda is also a translator and singer-songwriter in Pitjantjatjara language.
Rhoda’s artwork has significant meaning to Orange Sky. While on Anangu land, an innovation for a new clothes dryer was developed. The Waru Dryer uses 90 per cent less electrical energy and is wrapped with Rhoda’s artwork to pay respect to the past, present and future innovations on Rhoda’s custodial lands and beyond.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHY IS A RAP IMPORTANT TO ORANGE SKY?
Orange Sky is strengthened by the perspectives and contributions of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander friends, staff, volunteers, partners and supporters. To walk in reconciliation, we must lead with equity, respect, safety and opportunity at the forefront.
In the context of our work, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experience homelessness at considerably higher rates than their non-Indigenous counterparts. Orange Sky recognises our responsibility to provide equitable access to our services for First Nations people in need, as well as strengthening our commitment towards a reconciled Australia in all that we do.
We are motivated to deliver the objectives of our RAP, as a tangible mechanism for driving change within our community.
WHY DID ORANGE SKY CREATE A RAP NOW?
Orange Sky has operated in remote communities since 2017 and worked alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander friends, volunteers and supporters for much longer. So, why did we create a RAP now?
Orange Sky has committed to supporting 40,000 Australians and New Zealanders doing it tough by 2025. In the context of our work, First Nations peoples experience homelessness and inequitable access to health hardware, such as washing machines, at much higher rates than their non-Indigenous counterparts. As we focused on growing our services in remote communities, we recognised that helping our community and healing our national soul go hand in hand. We acknowledge our responsibility to prioritise reconciliation extends beyond remote community shifts. It is across our policies, culture, opportunities, and all locations in which we operate.
WHAT IS AN 'INNOVATE' RAP?
Our ‘Innovate’ RAP acknowledges that innovation has been shared across these lands for over 65,000 years. Innovate RAP commitments drive us to gain a deeper understanding of our sphere of influence, and establish the best approach to advance reconciliation.
An Innovate RAP focuses on developing and strengthening relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, engaging staff and stakeholders in reconciliation, and developing and piloting innovative strategies to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
WHAT IS NEXT FOR ORANGE SKY’S RAP?
After finalising the RAP, we know that the real work starts now. Orange Sky will continue to deliver the key outcomes listed in the RAP. Reconciliation impacts everyone in our ecosystem. That’s why the RAP document will be shared across our community with staff, volunteers, supporters and partners.
WHO DESIGNED YOUR RAP?
In addition to Rhoda Tjitayi’s cover art, our RAP document was designed by Keisha Leon – Leon Design. Keisha is a Waanyi and Kalkadoon woman and a powerful artist. Orange Sky was honoured to work with Keisha and thank her for bringing the values and cultural essence of our RAP to life.
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