Reconciliation Australia’s theme for 2021, More than a word. Reconciliation takes action, urges the reconciliation movement towards braver and more impactful action. This year, for SHAPE Annual Give Back Week, our Sydney team volunteered to refurbish Tranby Indigenous Adult Education & Training Centre.
Reconciliation is a journey for all Australians – as individuals, families, communities, organisations and importantly as a nation. At the heart of this journey are relationships between the broader Australian community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
SHAPE’s journey towards Reconciliation began in 2015 when we first encountered the Australian Federal Governments Indigenous procurement policy. This Federal Government initiative, designed to increase participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in employment and procurement, sparked a desire to understand how SHAPE could play a role and respond more fully to the requirements and spirit of the policy.
SHAPE’s vision towards Closing the Gap led us to implement our Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) which then evolved into our Innovate Reconciliation Action plan.
We have a vision of an Australia where there are equal opportunities for all, where all Australians that have not had a fair go deserve the chance to experience better. So for SHAPE’s Annual Give Back Week this year, some of our states decided to focus our efforts on supporting their local Indigenous Communities.
Our Sydney Team chose to reinvigorate Tranby Indigenous Adult Education & Training Centre in the inner-city suburb of Glebe. Founded in 1957, Tranby is Australia’s oldest independent Indigenous education provider and has long been a place of strong community and social & political action for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Relying mostly on government funding and donations the centre was in need of a spruce up.
With the help of our generous subcontractors, our team were able to refurbish 3 classrooms, a kitchen/break out space including all new furniture, appliances and joinery, as well as pressure hose, clean and replant the surrounding gardens with Australian native & edible plants. The end result was stunning with Tranby hosting an official opening event last Friday.
We have a vision of an Australia where there are equal opportunities for all, where all Australians that have not had a fair go deserve the chance to experience better.
We would like to extend a huge thank you to the following businesses who generously donated their time and resources to help us reinvigorate Tranby:
EDP Consulting – Heyday Group – Aspen Commercial Interiors – Donny Painting – Freelance Tile – Bondi Carpets – Mr Water Plumbing – Generate Interiors – ALD Expert Demo – Harvey Norman Commercial – Infinity Commercial Furniture – Harvest Seeds and Native Plants
We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land, sea, and skies. We’re grateful to those who have cared for, nurtured, and protected Country for future generations, and we pay our respects to Elders past, present, and emerging.
