Community Reconciliation

What is the Reconciliation Movement and how can I get involved?

Reconciliation is a peoples movement. It represents the hopes and aspirations of many Australians who desire justice and equity for Indigenous peoples in this country.

The NSW Reconciliation Council is the representative body for reconciliation in NSW. The Council is made up of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians working through a range of groups and organisations to address the "unfinished business" of reconciliation - recognition of rights, promotion of economic independence and social justice for Indigenous people.

One of the key roles of the Council is to provide support to those working at the local or regional level to advance reconciliation. NSW based volunteer community groups whose primary aim is reconciliation can register to become a Reconciliation Group which is part of the Council�s network.

The network of these groups is often also called the People's Movement for Reconciliation. Networks exist in each state and territory.

There are currently over 50 registered Reconciliation Groups in NSW, the majority of which are based in regional and remote NSW. Some Reconciliation Groups in the NSW network have only a few members and some have several hundred. Registered groups are classified as either:

Local Reconciliation Groups (LRGs), for groups based in a particular community
Regional Reconciliation Groups (RRGs), for groups that operate across a larger area and
Sectoral Reconciliation Groups (SRGs), for groups that operate in a particular sector, for example groups with membership limited to youth, women or Indigenous people.

Examples of Reconciliation Groups include church groups, community committees attached to local councils, incorporated not-for-profit organisation and elders groups.

How can I get involved?

You can get in touch with the Reconciliation Groups in your region by downloading the Reconciliation Group Contact List or by visiting the webpage of one of your locally based Reconciliation Groups, listed below.

During Sorry Day (26th May), Reconciliation Week (27th May until 3rd June) and NAIDOC Week (2nd to 9th July) over 100 events are held across NSW involving Reconciliation Groups. To find out about events in your area contact the NSW Reconciliation Council office for an event calender.

Community groups can also register to become part of the Reconciliation Group network. It does not cost anything to register. By registering groups gain access to a range of benefits including the Council�s Small Grants program, public liability insurance for events and free subscription to the Council�s newsletter. Reconciliation Groups make up the voting membership of the Council, and each year delegates from the groups elect the Council�s Board at the Annual Reconciliation Conference. Groups which register with the Council commit to act consistently with the Council�s aims, but otherwise remain independent and responsible for managing their own affairs.

For information about registering and a copy of the Reconciliation Group Registration Form click HERE.

If you are interested in starting your a Reconciliation Group in your local area please contact the office on nswrc@daa.nsw.gov.au.

Individuals can also offer their support for reconciliation activities by becoming a NSW Supporter of Reconciliation. For more information visit the About Us webpage.

Renew or update current Reconciliation Group registration

Current Reconciliation Groups who wish to renew or update their registration information can do so with our Renew or update membership form .

Finding your local Reconciliation Group/s

In NSW Reconciliation Groups are represented by region. There are 6 regions.

Please note, this section is a little out of date but will be updated to include recently joined RGs soon. For the most recently updated list of groups click HERE.

Otherwise click on your region on the map below to get in touch with all the RGs in your region or your Regional Representative on the NSWRC Board.