The Churchill Trust has launched its Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan 2026–2028, building on our first Reflect RAP. Importantly, the new plan broadens the focus beyond the Trust office to recognise the role our Churchill Fellows Associations, selection panels and wider alumni community can play in reconciliation.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have been part of the Churchill Trust story since its first round of Fellows with Max Daniels. Around 90 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Fellows have undertaken Churchill Fellowships, while more than 230 projects have explored Indigenous topics including health, culture, language, arts, education and justice.
A key focus of the new RAP is listening to and working with our Fellows. We are establishing more structured ways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Fellows to provide advice and feedback, including an ongoing co-design group to help inform our work. This recognises the value of lived experience while being mindful of cultural load and the demands placed on Fellows who contribute their time and knowledge.
We are also strengthening how Fellowships involving Indigenous peoples and knowledge are undertaken. Work is underway on Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property rights and informed consent, including clearer recognition of ownership of Indigenous knowledge and better guidance for Fellows engaging with Indigenous communities, particularly overseas. The aim is to give communities a genuine say in their participation and how knowledge they share may be used. This will help ensure Fellows engage with Indigenous communities in a respectful, informed and culturally appropriate way.
This work sits alongside broader efforts to strengthen cultural capability and improve Fellowship processes. It is also reflected in the Trust’s new Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) Framework and Code of Conduct, reinforcing expectations that everyone involved with the Trust acts respectfully and appropriately.
As Chief Executive Officer Christine Dacey says,
“As a small organisation with a national footprint, we recognise our role in supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities. This involves listening, learning, and ensuring that Indigenous voices are included in all our activities.”
Download the Churchill Trust RAP 2026-2028
