Vicsport First Nations RAP and Policy Support Project
Sport and Recreation Victoria, delivered through Vicsport
Who funded the project
Karabena Consulting worked with Vicsport to support Victorian sport organisations receiving Sport and Recreation Victoria funding to strengthen their First Nations commitments. By 2027, medium and large sports were expected to have a Reconciliation Action Plan, while smaller sports were expected to have a First Nations Policy or commitment statement.
Professor Kerry Arabena delivered practical education and coaching online and face to face. The sessions supported organisations to understand the purpose of RAPs, First Nations policies and commitment statements, and to begin developing documents connected to governance, workforce, participation and community engagement.
Project commencement was scheduled for early 2026 following advice about the Aboriginal Treaty context in Victoria. This allowed the work to begin with care and stronger sector readiness.
Summary
Support medium and large sports to develop Reconciliation Action Plans.
Support smaller sports to develop First Nations Policies or commitment statements.
Work with Vicsport and Sport and Recreation Victoria to clarify what a useful First Nations Policy can include for smaller organisations.
Build sector understanding of cultural governance, reconciliation commitments, practical accountability and respectful First Nations engagement.
Strengthen readiness across funded Victorian sport organisations before the 2027 requirement.
Project Aims
Preliminary scoping with Vicsport and Sport and Recreation Victoria.
Advice on appropriate timing, including holding delivery until early 2026 due to the Aboriginal Treaty context.
Two face-to-face workshops: one focused on RAP development and one focused on First Nations Policy development.
Four online workshops across March and April to support follow-up learning and document development.
Interactive coaching for Category 3 and 4 sports developing RAPs, and Category 1 and 2 sports developing First Nations Policies or commitment statements.
Practical discussion of governance, leadership, cultural safety, partnerships, implementation and accountability.
Help desk style support for organisations refining their documents.
Methodologies
Outputs
Face-to-face RAP development session for medium and large funded sport organisations.
Face-to-face First Nations Policy development session for smaller funded sport organisations.
Four online sector workshops delivered across March and April.
Education content explaining the difference between a RAP, a First Nations Policy and a commitment statement.
Practical guidance for organisations beginning or strengthening their First Nations commitments.
Advice to Vicsport and Sport and Recreation Victoria on First Nations Policy structure and intent.
Ongoing coaching and help desk support in the lead-up to the 2027 requirement.
Participating sports gained clearer understanding of expectations attached to RAPs, First Nations Policies and commitment statements.
Medium and large sports were supported to begin or refine RAP development in ways connected to governance and implementation.
Smaller sports were supported to develop proportionate First Nations Policies or commitment statements suitable to their size, capacity and role in community sport.
Vicsport and Sport and Recreation Victoria received First Nations-led input into consistent sector support across funded organisation categories.
The project helped create a common baseline across the funded Victorian sport sector before the 2027 requirement.
Organisations were encouraged to move beyond symbolic statements and consider the behaviours, relationships and governance practices required to make their commitments real.
Project Outcomes
First Nations sport; Reconciliation Action Plan; RAP; First Nations Policy; commitment statement; Vicsport; Sport and Recreation Victoria; cultural governance; sector education; implementation support