Rising Program: A place-based model for reconciliation in Western Australia
With the aim of empowering regional communities across Western Australia, the Rising Program has reimagined reconciliation as a journey grounded in place, shaped by the unique context, voices and priorities of each community. The program is built around the five dimensions of reconciliation; strengthening race relations, advancing equality and equity, and supporting historical acceptance through truth telling and local knowledge. Built around these foundations, Rising enables reconciliation to move beyond symbolism into meaningful, place-based initiatives and action driven by community priorities.
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Great Southern Pilot – Place-based model in action
In partnership with
The Great Southern pilot demonstrates how Rising can be adapted and expanded to support reconciliation efforts across Western Australia and beyond. Community-led governance structures ensure that decision-making is done by, and with local people—on their own terms—reinforcing local voices, self-determination and community participation.Â
Reconciliation Australia and Reconciliation WA have partnered to deliver a national first, Place-based Reconciliation Pilot. This Reconciliation pilot aims to co-design, co-decide, and co-deliver on a plan that harnesses the ambition and capacity of the Great Southern region to advance reconciliation through a place-based approach, and support Goreng, Ganeang and Menang Noongar peoples’ self-determination.Â
The Pilot seeks to engage the Great Southern community in a grass-roots movement to:Â
- Describe their unique reconciliation landscapeÂ
- Co-design, co-decide and co-action a bespoke place-based reconciliation frameworkÂ
- Define and measure progress towards place-based aspirations and outcomes.Â
The pilot will have active support from Reconciliation Australia and Reconciliation WA throughout development and implementation, and this pilot will operate alongside the RAP Program and individual organisations’ RAPs to harness collective impact to meet community-led priorities.Â
The Great Southern region is currently in Opportunities (since Nov 2025), building on the foundations set through Respect and Relationships.  The Place-based RAP set to launch in 2026. Â
Invite us in to your region, or get involved in place-based reconciliation
The Journey: Canvas to Rising Program
Respect Rising is Reconciliation WA’s state-wide program, designed to advance place-based reconciliation in Western Australia. Our journey has been shaped by a commitment to deep listening, genuine co-design with communities and partners, and advancing at the pace of trust. It is Aboriginal-designed, led and delivered, and puts community back at the centre of the reconciliation movement.  The program has naturally evolved over time to respond to the community’s changing needs. Â
Respect Rising began as a state-wide scoping initiative to develop our regionalisation strategy. Funding from Lotterywest enabled Reconciliation WA to produce a state-wide Canvas – a body of community engagement work of over 1400 voices from all ten regions, helping us to understand the reconciliation landscape in WA. Through Little Yarns and Big Yarns, we connected Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people and communities in respectful and culturally safe dialogue to hear the voices and stories across our state.  Â
The October 2023 Voice Referendum elevated the community call for healing, trust building and deeper dialogue, shaping the program and the need for connection. Â
Key priorities for community that emerged from this work included – education, truth telling and historical acceptance, empowerment and self-determination, health and wellbeing, collaboration and relationship building, and social justice and reform. Â
These outcomes underpin RecWA’s 2025-2030 Strategic Plan and direction, and the work also informed our regionalisation model – a place-based approach to reconciliation – the Rising Program.  The Rising Program is a response to calls from the regions to develop reconciliation efforts and presence in place. The first iteration commenced in the Great Southern Region as a place-based pilot – co-designed, co-led and co-delivered Goreng, Ganeang, and Minang Noongar peoples. Â
We’re aiming to roll this model out across all regions in our state by 2028; the Great Southern (Pilot), South-West, Wheatbelt, Mid-West, Gascoyne, Kimberley, Pilbara, Perth, Peel and the Goldfields. State-wide expansion would mean supporting locally led, culturally relevant reconciliation actions driven by self-determination and community priorities.Â
The Canvas included (statistics as at July 2025):Â
- 53 engagements across Western Australia, including Big Yarns, Little Yarns, Elders Yarns, Ad hoc Yarns and community briefings (41 in person, 11 online) Â
- 1,919 participants, of which 837 identified as Aboriginal – representing 43.6% of total participants Â
- Strengthened partnerships with over 220 organisations across the State including 37 delivery partners.  This includes corporate, government, education, and community stakeholders for cross-sector engagementÂ
