Reconciliation Action Plan
Our commitment to reconciliation
In all our work, we are grounded in our core values of kindness, collaboration, care, enthusiasm, respect and humility. Guided by these values and by our Reconciliation Action Plan, we aim to increase the participation of First Nations people in our teams, communities and business networks. We will create opportunities for our team members and residents to learn from First Nations people and for meaningful discussions and exchanges about our shared and differing experiences. Our commitment to reconciliation overlaps with our environmental sustainability goals and we will look for ways to support the deep connections that First Nations Peoples have with the air, waters and lands of Australia and to work alongside them to protect these vital resources.
To learn more about our commitment to reconciliation, please see the message below from our CEO and take a look at our Reflect RAP here.
A message from our CEO
In our work, we are motivated by a deep respect for older generations and their wisdom, knowledge, diverse experiences and voices. Our appreciation of diverse voices and experiences extends to our team members and others who we collaborate with. We believe that diversity and inclusion are crucial to building strong and resilient teams and successfully delivering our mission. We are committed to creating vibrant and supportive environments for our current and future team members and residents. Care is also central to our work and goes beyond care for our human stakeholders. We believe that we have a responsibility to help care for the land and waters that are associated with our retirement communities and have set a goal to be the world leader in sustainable retirement living.
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Our Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan is the next step in putting these values and commitments into practice.
Our Reflect RAP will help guide the work we are doing to increase the participation of First Nations Peoples in our teams, communities and business networks. And it was fortuitous that the launch of our RAP in 2023 coincided with the NAIDOC theme for that year - “For Our Elders”. In the spirit of this theme and through different RAP initiatives, we look forward to creating opportunities for our team members and residents to learn from First Nations Elders and for members of the older generations to share experiences with each other. With our focus on environmental sustainability, we acknowledge and respect that First Nations Peoples continue to have deep and meaningful connections to the lands and waters of Australia. Our RAP will help guide our work with First Nations Peoples to support and encourage these connections and to help safeguard the lands, waters and air.
Our principles
- We respect the legacy, deep knowledge and wisdom passed down through generations of First Nations Peoples
- We honour their Elders, ancestral ties, culture, relationships with Country and their enduring strength and resilience
- We acknowledge reconciliation is a journey and commit to listening, learning and engaging with First Nations Peoples
- We seek to build meaningful relationships based on trust, mutual respect and shared understanding
- We dedicate ourselves to help create a just, equitable and reconciled Australia.
'Na Tjunga'
Aveo commissioned First Nations artist Jeremy Donovan to create artwork for our Reconciliation Action Plan and as a tangible expression of our commitment to reconciliation. Following (and during) his discussions with Aveo residents and staff, Jeremy painted the poignant 'Na Tjunga,' meaning 'Old People.'This masterpiece explores Elders as our keepers of wisdom. The mountains in the painting symbolise knowledge holders and teachers, drawing parallels between First Nations Elders and residents in our communities who share stories and wisdom. Mr Donovan's artwork, showcased in our Brisbane corporate office and soon to grace all communities, elegantly captures Aveo's commitment to unity and understanding, a central theme in our Reconciliation Action Plan.
Bella Vista Haven Smoking Ceremony
Aveo was honoured to have a smoking ceremony to mark the start of construction on the second stage at Bella Vista Haven on Darug Land in Greater Sydney’s Hills Shire. The ceremony was performed by Uncle Graham Davis King, an internationally celebrated Wiradjuri and Ngiyampaa artist, author, dancer, and board member of the Deerubbin Local Aboriginal Land Council (LALC).
Celebrating the Indigenous Garden at Cherry Tree Grove
For National Reconciliation Week, Cherry Tree Grove Retirement Living residents, Aveo team members and visiting residents from Mingarra Retirement Living came together in a heartfelt celebration.
Aveo residents lend a hand for NAIDOC Week
Aveo residents and employees have marked NAIDOC Week by embracing their commitment to reconciliation and cultural understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across the group’s retirement living communities.
RAP enquiries welcomed
For general or media inquiries about our Reconciliation Action Plan, please contact hellorap@aveo.com.au for assistance.