National Reconciliation Week gives all Australians a chance to improve their knowledge of our shared histories and cultures. Many people are looking at how to support local reconciliation projects and might attend public events or participate in our powerful Reconciliation Week Webinars.

There is no right or wrong way to get involved, whether you’d love to attend a storytelling event to hear the lived experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, watch performances, attend an art exhibition, or join a reconciliation walk. We’ve put together a brief list of ideas and suggestions to inspire your action during National Reconciliation Week and ensure your allyship continues to play an important role for the remainder of the year.

How Can I Participate in National Reconciliation Week?

This year’s theme, ‘Bridging Now to Next,’ focuses on the connections between Australia’s past, present, and future. It invites us all to step forward as a connected society, working for a brighter tomorrow while holding space for the traumas and disparities of the past. 

Reconciliation isn’t a one-time event or a journey that involves only Indigenous communities. Instead, it’s a process that requires everybody to commit to a national effort. From the 27th of May to the 3rd of June, many events will be hosted to amplify the importance of reconciliation and ensure there are greater opportunities for involvement. These dates hold great significance, marking the 1967 referendum, when laws recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were first made possible, and the High Court Mabo decision, when the principle of native land titles and ownership became a reality.

Participating in a way that is accessible to you, perhaps online or in the community, ensures you contribute to reconciliation. As an overarching aim, reconciliation is focused on developing a nation of mutual respect, where collaborative relationships exist between First Nations and non-Indigenous people.

Planning Your Own National Reconciliation Week Event

Hosting an event on any scale is an act of allyship. This can be of great benefit to communities with no existing reconciliation projects or access to National Reconciliation Week events for people to attend.

It’s important to recognise that First Nations people bear a significant burden of responsibility during this time, and that contributing resources and volunteering to help is often welcomed. However, Elders and Aboriginal speakers may be juggling pressures, and you should approach any request to contribute to your event with respect without assuming they will wish to, or have the capacity to, become involved.

Embracing Traditional Aboriginal Culture, Art, and Food

Many well-attended National Reconciliation Week events centre around art, culture, performances, storytelling, dance, and exhibitions. You can attend and absorb the experience to enhance your knowledge of First Nations beliefs and customs.

Another good way to contribute is by actively supporting Indigenous businesses in your area, from hiring educators to lead cultural awareness workshops to sourcing catering from a local Aboriginal business or buying goods and services from companies led by First Nations community members.

Hosting Reconciliation Groups and Discussions in Your Business

Reconciliation is all about conversations, and if you can’t attend an organised event, you can hold dialogues within a team or group, asking whether speakers from within your workforce or the community would be willing to share their lived experiences. Business leaders might also choose to schedule an update to their Reconciliation Action Plan during National Reconciliation Week, ensuring they are moving forward progressively and continuing to foster open communications.

Supporting or Volunteering for Local Indigenous-Led Businesses and Organisations

Many reconciliation projects are community-led and rely on volunteers and financial support, all of which are excellent opportunities for allies to make themselves present. You might opt to volunteer some of your free time, connect with new people within your community with whom you may not have interacted before, or hold fundraising activities and events to raise much-needed finances to help not-for-profit reconciliation organisations continue their work.

Organising Cultural Awareness Training in Places of Work and Education

Finally, National Reconciliation Week is a time for reflection and learning. If you do not yet have a Reconciliation Action Plan within your workforce or school, or have not engaged in cultural awareness training before, this is the perfect time to do so.

We offer a range of Yarning Circle workshops, webinars, and in-person sessions for organisations and groups of all sizes, providing learning in a non-judgmental way to help more Australians see how they can contribute to reconciliation.