The City of Ballarat have developed and Innovative Reconciliation Action Plan May 2019 – May 2021. This plan demonstrates an organisational commitment to raising awareness about reconciliation, demonstrating this commitment and raising the profile of reconciliation in our community.
The City of Ballarat stands on the Traditional Lands of the Wadawurrung and Dja Dja Wurrung Peoples. In Wadawurrung language, ‘Ballarat’ derives from words used to describe ‘a resting place’. Ballarat has been a resting place for tens of thousands of years.
As part of Reconciliation, the plan outlines how Ballarat work together with all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to enhance the acknowledgement, recognition and respect for the area’s extremely rich cultural heritage and for the many
places of cultural significance. It involve outputs in the following themes:
- Relationships
- Respect
- Opportunities
- Governance, Tracking progress and reporting
The City of Ballarat has successfully developed and delivered two previous RAPs: 2011–2013 and 2014–2017. Since 2003, the City of Ballarat, in partnership with their Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community, has made significant achievements which include:
- greater awareness across the City of Ballarat of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander needs
- increased opportunities and access to our programs and services by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community
- improved relationships of trust
- inclusive whole of City of Ballarat approach to address the needs of these communities
- increased recognition and frequency of cultural celebrations involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
- improved engagement with these communities with more culturally appropriate, targeted initiatives by the City of Ballarat
- enhanced financial support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander initiatives in Ballarat.
The City of Ballarat will meet this commitment through work with our Reconciliation Action Planning Working Group to implement this action plan with further awareness and recognition across all levels of the City of Ballarat.
The City of Ballarat has a long history of engaging with our local community to improve access to City of Ballarat services and to share and celebrate the history and future of our Traditional Owners.
The City of Ballarat has a dedicated group of staff who participate in the Koorie Engagement Action Group (KEAG). This group, with KEAG representatives, have contributed to the creation of this plan.
