Tweddle Reconciliation Journey

Tweddle Reflect Reconciliation Plan (RAP) and Innovate (RAP) Commencement

Tweddle was honored to join the reconciliation movement with the launch of our Reflect – Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) endorsed by Reconciliation Australia as part of Reconciliation Week (27th May – 3rd June) 2020.

Tweddle is now in the process of consulting with the Aboriginal community on our RAP journey. This will ensure that the next step on our RAP Innovate paves the way for strategic and meaningful action to advance reconciliation and better health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander babies, toddlers, families and communities.

RAP Innovate

Tweddle believes in working in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in order to develop an understanding of transgenerational trauma impacts. This is important to us because we believe in delivering inclusive practice and programs in the best interest of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander babies, children, and families.

Tweddle’s reconciliation journey commenced in 2016 when Tweddle embarked on a quality improvement project to propel the intentions of Tweddle’s ‘2012 Statement of Commitment to Aboriginal Families, their communities and Aboriginal Peak Bodies’ into a plan for action that created meaningful change for Aboriginal children and their families.

Outcomes of this project included the development of a Reconciliation Action Plan. Additional goals were an improved capacity of clinical staff to identify Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families so we can be culturally sensitive and creating a welcoming, inclusive and engaging environment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Other initiatives that have contributed towards improving pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families to access early parenting programs and supports include the participation of Tweddle staff in Koolin Balit funded programs to build staff capacity.

Koolin Balit means healthy people in Boonwurrung language and is a Victorian Government strategy which commits the health system to improve the length and quality of life of Aboriginal people in Victoria.

Tweddle is committed to providing accessible, inclusive practices and programs in the best interests of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families for a safe, thriving and strong start to life.

Tweddle is dedicated to continued partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, communities and organisations in order to continuously improve and build upon achievements towards reconciliation to date. Trauma caused by colonisation and a history of injustice and inequity continues to effect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their access to the health service system.

RAP Journey

As part of Tweddle’s RAP journey, we commissioned Dixon Patten, proud Yorta Yorta and Gunnai man and Director/Graphic Artist at Bayila Creative to illustrate our Tweddle RAP Reflect. The artwork tells the story of Tweddle’s commitment to Reconciliation with the Aboriginal community.

Tweddle’s RAP Reflect is an important marker in Tweddle’s commitment and the process of reconciliation. The Board of Management has an articulated commitment as outlined in the Strategic Plan 2017 – 2020 to ‘Promoting the importance of cultural safety in all aspects of service delivery including as a priority for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’. As part of our RAP Reflect we have delivered the following objectives;

• Establishment of an Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing working group with Aboriginal representation
• Participation in National Reconciliation Week Activities
• Staff cultural awareness and Asking the Question training completed
• NAIDOC week celebrations
• Acknowledging Traditional Custodians Policy and Procedure development
• Acknowledgment of Country and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags displayed in prominent places such as reception and meeting rooms.
• A calendar of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dates of significance created and communicated to all staff

Tweddle’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) program provides a framework that will enable us to support the national reconciliation movement. Tweddle’s vision for reconciliation is that all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander babies and children in Victoria grow up in a secure environment, supported by strong families with a cultural connection to community.

Tweddle Acknowledgement of Country

“I acknowledge Victoria’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and specifically the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation for their rich culture.  I acknowledge Aboriginal people as Australia’s first peoples and as the Traditional Custodians of the land and water on which we rely and meet on today. I pay respect to their Elders past, present and future leaders.”

This artwork was created by Dixon Patten, proud Yorta Yorta and Gunnai man and Director/Graphic Artist at Bayila Creative. The artwork tells the story of Tweddle’s commitment to Reconciliation with the Aboriginal community. 

•  The ‘U’ shape symbols in the middle depict key people forming the RAP committee and coming together to listen, share and support. 
•  The ripple patterns represent the positive effect on the broader community that the RAP actions will have. 
•  The 2 outreached hands represent the ancestors guiding Tweddle’s RAP journey. 
•  The gum leaves represent being ‘Welcomed to Country’. 
•  The figures holding hands represent children and families supporting, nurturing and protecting each other. 
•  The footprints depict Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people walking together in reconciliation. 
•  The emu and kangaroo tracks are on Australia’s Coat of Arms; chosen because they can’t walk backwards. They are also very paternal and nurture their young. 
•  The pathways lead to different directions and the circles represent the diverse smaller communities that come together to form our big community. 
•  The Boomerangs depict returning to cultural values and principles to inform how we learn and teach each other in the spirit of reconciliation.