Reconciliation in our College community means coming together as a family and setting aside our differences. We recognise and respect the land and people of the Mamu community of which we live on. Together we are a faithful family. Our college is spiritually connected to Mount Bartle Frere (mountain in background) and the Johnstone River (waves in front). We hope that future generations will care for the land just like past generations have done.
In May 2020, Executive Director Bill Dixon introduced the Cairns Catholic Education Community’s inaugural Reconciliation Action Plan 2020 – 2021.
The plan outlines the commitment of all schools within the Cairns Diocese to reconciliation, ensuring the provision of culturally safe spaces to engage in respectful relationships based on principles of justice, equity, consultation, democracy, and respect for human dignity.
It honours the past, recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their contribution to education since time immemorial. As inhabitants of the present the plan solidifies our commitment to addressing educational disparity in education and employment between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. As we imagine the future, the plan establishes a vision where all come to respect, reflect, connect, and embrace the richness of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures, languages and spiritualities.
The 14 actions outlined in the RAP build shared understanding, shared accountability, and shared responsibility as we work towards reconciliation. As part of Action 4: Raise internal & external awareness about our RAP, the RAP working group has been working with school communities across the diocese to develop a reconciliation icon that represents their school community.
Good Counsel College is excited to unveil our RAP icon that represents GCC’s shared vision for reconciliation, developed in collaboration with students Hemi Acheson, Grace Wone, Arianna Galvin, Alexis Onaindia, and Kate Onaindia, and members of CES’s First Nations RAP working party, Antoinette Cole and Sharon O’Keeffe at our On Show open day in March.
