Starting out · ~12 months
Reflect RAP
A Reflect RAP is where most organisations begin. It runs for around twelve months and is deliberately about preparation rather than large-scale delivery — scoping your sphere of influence, building genuine relationships, and putting the internal governance in place so that the commitments in your next RAP are ones you can actually keep.
Term
~12 months
Stage
Starting out
Typically leads to
Innovate RAP
Who a Reflect RAP suits
- Organisations that have never had a RAP before
- Organisations where leadership has committed but internal understanding is still developing
- Organisations that need to identify who their Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders actually are
- Organisations returning to the framework after a lapsed or stalled RAP
What it involves
Where a Reflect RAP focuses
Scope your sphere of influence
Work out where your organisation genuinely can make a difference — through your workforce, your supply chain, your clients and your community presence — rather than committing to actions disconnected from how you operate.
Build the first genuine relationships
Identify and begin respectful, ongoing engagement with the Traditional Owners and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations relevant to where you work. This is relationship-building, not a single consultation meeting.
Establish internal governance
Form a RAP Working Group with real authority, clear terms of reference and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representation or advice, plus an executive sponsor who will keep it resourced.
Raise baseline cultural understanding
Introduce cultural awareness learning and everyday protocols such as Acknowledgement of Country, so the organisation has shared language before it makes public commitments.
Learn from others
Common pitfalls at this stage
- Writing aspirational actions with no named owner, deliverable or timeframe
- Treating stakeholder engagement as a one-off consultation rather than the beginning of a relationship
- Forming a working group with no decision-making authority or executive sponsor
- Over-committing at Reflect stage and then failing to deliver, which makes the next RAP harder
How we help with a Reflect RAP
- Facilitate the scoping work to identify a realistic, honest sphere of influence
- Support respectful first engagement with Traditional Owners and community organisations
- Set up your RAP Working Group with terms of reference and clear accountability
- Draft the plan itself, with actions specific enough to be delivered and evidenced
- Prepare and review your submission before it goes to Reconciliation Australia
Other RAP types
Innovate RAP
2 yearsFor organisations ready to move from preparation to delivery — piloting and implementing initiatives, and learning what works.
Learn more →Stretch RAP
3 yearsFor organisations embedding reconciliation into business as usual, with defined targets and demonstrated outcomes.
Learn more →Elevate RAP
3 yearsThe highest RAP level, for organisations with a proven track record taking on leadership to advance national reconciliation.
Learn more →Thinking about a Reflect RAP?
A short discovery call will tell you whether this is the right level for your organisation right now — and what delivering it would realistically involve.