Dark Lightning: Reconciliation Action Plans alignment

About the learning community

This peer learning series is about helping First Nations leaders and practitioners feel more confident and capable when it comes to navigating RAPs and the world of social enterprise. It’s a space where people can build their skills, share what’s working (and what’s not), and learn from others who’ve faced similar challenges. More than anything, it’s about connection, creating a trusted group where people can swap ideas, push back when needed, and support each other to do this work in ways that are strong, grounded, and culturally aligned. 

This learning community will explore the following:

• RAP obstacles and opportunities.
• Non-Indigenous organisation approaches to RAPs.
• Embedding reconciliation with a cultural lens/implementing reconciliation objectives across all areas of an organisation’s operations.
• Building confidence among First Nations enterprises to influence how RAPs are written and realised.
• Shifting focus from transactional implementation of RAP activities to evolving deeply relational ways of doing and being.
• Creating networks of people and organisations that Indigenous organisations can trust, push back on and share power with.
• Create an easy-reference framework/pathway for Indigenous and non-Indigenous social enterprises - whether or not they have a RAP - to identify and align opportunities to engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses and communities.

About the convenor

Dark Lightning is an Aboriginal-owned and led creative consultancy based on Gadigal Country. They specialise in cultural storytelling, place-based design, and community engagement, often working at the intersection of social innovation, First Nations knowledge systems, and large-scale public infrastructure.

This learning community will be supported by:

• Binowee Bayles (Community Facilitator and Aboriginal Business Advocate)
• Tim Moriarty (Creative Director and First Nations Procurement Consultant)
• Shannon Valantine (Client Relations and Cultural Strategy Lead)

Together, they hold strong relationships with Aboriginal enterprises, government agencies, and design networks, and bring an approach grounded in deep listening, co-creation, and the principle of Country-led change.

How will this learning community work?

Three online sessions (Nov 2025 - May 2026), each 90 minutes, co-facilitated by Dark Lightning.

Each session will focus on a key question or theme, including:

1. RAP alignment in practice.
2. Procurement and partnership opportunities.
3. First Nations-led models and ecosystem change.