National Sorry Day 2022

Today marks National Sorry Day, a day to remember the Stolen Generations and to recognise the healing that is still ongoing. It is a day to acknowledge the strength of Stolen Generations Survivors and reflect on how we can all play a part in the healing process for our nation. 🖤💛❤️

It is a day to recognise the historical injustice of the Stolen Generations and the ongoing pain caused by the mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The Stolen Generations saw Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children forcibly removed from their families and communities and today is still an ongoing source of intergenerational trauma for Aboriginal and Torres Islander families, communities, and peoples. 🖤💛❤️

While this date carries great significance for the Stolen Generations and other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, it is also commemorated by Australians around the country. 🖤💛❤️

As Rural Lifestyle Options Australia, we recognise the power of saying sorry and commit to action towards an equitable future.

We are sorry. 🖤💛❤️

---

To learn more about our commitment to reconciliation, please visit www.rloa.org.au/rap

#NationalSorryDay #MoreThanAWord #Reconciliation

Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan

We are proud to announce that we have received final endorsement from Reconciliation Australia for our second Reconciliation Action Plan ‘Innovate’.

This Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) builds on Rural Lifestyle Options Australia's valuable learnings from our Reconciliation journey to date. We are proud to walk alongside many other organisations in creating positive social change in our workplaces across Queensland and New South Wales in support of Reconciliation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia.

---

To learn more about our vision for Reconciliation or to read our 'Innovate' Reconciliation Action Plan, please visit www.rloa.org.au/rap

#Reconciliation #Innovate

Saltwater Freshwater Connection

For the past twelve months, our Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group has been busy behind the scenes developing the 'Innovate' stage of our Reconciliation Action Plan.

After receiving conditional endorsement from Reconciliation Australia last year, our RAP Working Group engaged local artist Nathan Falk to develop an artwork piece and story to compliment our vision for reconciliation. We are grateful to have crossed paths with the talented Nathan Falk (Ngemba Mob and Wiradjuri Nation), who developed a unique piece for the organisation titled ‘Saltwater Freshwater Connection’ (pictured). Below you will find the Artwork Story to this amazing piece:

'Saltwater Freshwater Connection' by Nathan Falk

"This painting represents the connection between RLOA and the people living up and down the East coast; from the West to the South to the East to the North. This painting represents your journeys as one.

The meeting place in the middle represents your office in Murwillumbah, then we have journey lines from your office to all your participants’ houses up and down the coast and the connection you create between you all.

The hands represent your connection between your staff and your participants and the journey you have together.

The turtle represents the connection to the sea and all the towns along the ocean that you visit where you help your participants, this is your Turtle dreaming.

The Goanna represents your connection to all the land animals and the participants you see away from the coast have the Goanna dreaming.

This painting represents moving forward together as One, with help from our ocean and land energies with the connection to our dreaming animals."

---

To learn more about our vision for reconciliation, please visit www.rloa.org.au/rap

#Reconciliation #Innovate