Team-based activities can inspire healthy competition in the workplace, prompting the Central Adelaide Local Healthcare Network (CALHN) to invite their staff and partner organisations, Celsus, Spotless and ISS to compete in meaningful health and wellbeing activities.

And so, the CALHN Reconciliation Cup was born.

It’s not a track and field event, instead the cup aimed to build upon CALHN’s vision of reconciliation between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people and amplify its RAP criteria pillars of relationships, respect, opportunities and governance. At its heart, it aspired for all CALHN staff to learn about First Nations culture and take away something to share with others.

To help promote the cup, the first 100 people to register received a polo shirt featuring CALHN’s RAP artwork and the words ‘Ngadluku Kuma Pirrkutidli’ meaning ‘We are all part of the story” and ‘Kumangka’ meaning ‘Together”. The artwork and shirt were designed by SA Aboriginal artist Allan Sumner, a descendant of the Ngarrindjeri, Kaurna and Yankunytjatjara people, and printed in partnership with Aboriginal business Gangurru Apparel.

The cup trophy also incorporated the RAP artwork.

An extraordinary 33 teams entered.

Their task was to conduct activities and events that centred around reconciliation while at the same time also learning about First Nations people and culture.

The judging panel had a difficult task reviewing all the activities - which was a good problem to have! They used a scoring matrix related to understanding of reconciliation, unity among teams, the impact, creativity, sustainability, innovation and of course the overall effectiveness of the activities and their connection to the pillars of CALHN’s RAP.

The scoring came down to seven well deserving teams, with AFL great Gavin Wanganeen announcing SA Dental – Team Kuma as the 2023 winners.

The inaugural winners will proudly display the winners’ cup within their workspace for a year and will have the opportunity to present to next year’s winners.

Setting them apart from the other competitors, Team Kuma hosted morning teas, Aboriginal education team activities and placed resources in common areas, with activities launched during the start of National Reconciliation Week. Resources were rotated throughout sites and workspaces, including CALHN’s second Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan and books about Aboriginal culture and understanding, jigsaw puzzles and colouring books.

Cup activities allowed teams to interact and brainstorm ideas and not only helped with reconciliation but also team building and bonding. They encouraged non-First Nations people to learn more about First Nations people and gave many the confidence to start conversations with people they might normally not speak with.

CALHN’S Reconciliation Action Plan Coordinator and Ngarrindjeri woman, Glenys Sumner recounted a moment where a colleague, who had worked on the same floor as her for almost 12 months but had never spoken to or approached her, struck up a conversation about the Aboriginal-designed jigsaw puzzle in the common area that they had started to piece together. The conversation led to Glenys hearing about how the colleague’s grandchildren had been learning about Kaurna culture at school and how they share this learning with them at home.

Other CALHN Reconciliation Cup activities included Welcome to Countries, partnering with consumers artwork on Stobie poles, morning teas and activities for CAHLN staff and clients to participate in.

The cup ran from May through to August over a six-week period, extending beyond Reconciliation Week.

CALHN’s vision for the Reconciliation Cup is that it will be competed for by other local health networks and make its mark on many people across South Australia.

Click here to learn more about CALHN second Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan 2023 -2025