The Rural Clinical School of WA (RCSWA) staff and students have formalised their ongoing commitment to closing the gap with the launch of a Reconciliation Action Plan.
The school is a partnership between UWA, the University of Notre Dame Australia and Curtin University, and joins a network of more than 3,000 corporate, government, and non-profit organisations making a public commitment through Reconciliation Australia.
RCSWA has been shaped in meaningful ways by First Nations staff, students, community members and allies since its inception in 2002.
The RAP program’s framework of Relationships, Respect, Opportunities and Governance allows the school to make more commitments in line with its strategic plan.
RCSWA Head of Division A/Prof Andrew Kirke said the school would continue to foster new and existing relationships with Traditional Owners and Custodians across the state in 2025 and prioritise locally relevant cultural education and truth-telling for students and staff.
Dr Kirke said the ‘Reflect’ RAP was the result of 17 months of consultation and research by an internal working group of 19 people, five of whom identify as First Nations.
“We set a goal in 2022 to create a RAP that addresses the unique challenges, environments and communities we live in and work with. I hope this RAP and our Reconciliation journey will enable us to better serve and understand all our rural communities, and particularly our Aboriginal communities,” he explained.
Image:Narrogin cultural education with Nyoongar Elders Ross Storey and Pop Basil in 2022.
RCSWA staff are engaging with diverse rural and Aboriginal communities about the health issues that they feel are most important and translating those findings back into best care.
Aboriginal health teachings are integrated into our curriculum, and many of our 15 sites coordinate with local Aboriginal Medical Services (AMS) providers to offer training placements for students to gain more clinical experience with Aboriginal patients.
RCSWA RAP Project Officer Antwone Atkins said Reconciliation was ultimately about strengthening relationships between First Nations and non-First Nations peoples, for the benefit of all Australians.
“We all need to work together to overcome the inequality experienced by First Nations people and achieve life outcomes equal to all Australians. Accepting our nation’s history through truth, justice and healing is at the heart of this,” Mr Atkins said.
Mr Atkins said actions identified in the RAP would be evaluated every six months by the working group and the plan would continue to evolve with the organisation.
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Download a copy of the RCSWA RAP 2024-2025 here.