Reconciliation is based on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other Australians coming to an honest understanding of our shared history, a commitment to building cooperative partnerships based on trust and respect and a recognition of the distinctive rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. (Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. Social justice and human rights for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)

Reconciliation is an action driven commitment by all Australians as individuals and organisations. Within that context, reconciliation and culturally secure practices have particular resonance for ACT ATOD services in recognition of the need for deliberate actions to address the specific needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities affected by ATOD.

The Reconciliation Working Group seeks to support ATOD programs to specifically take action within their organisational development context of reconciliation. This means that all programs can participate in this process regardless of where the organisation is in terms of existing Reconciliation Action Plans.

Through the Reconciliation Working Group each ATOD program will develop a workplan to implement ACTCOSS’ Cultural Awareness Self-Assessment Toolkit (http://www.actcoss.org.au/publications/Publications_2009/2109PAP.pdf). This toolkit, developed with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and Reconciliation Australian, maps with Reconciliation Action Plans.

This process will also enable the sector to identify some ATOD specific actions that relate to field, such as implementing the Indigenous Risk Impact Screen which is the only validated comorbidity screening tool for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia.

The group’s work will be facilitated by both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and other facilitators through ACTCOSS and supported by ATODA.