Celebrating Shared Steps Towards Reconciliation with Sydney’s Leading Girls’ Independent School

Education ProjectsYouth LeadershipConsulting & StrategyIllustration & DesignCampaigns & Activations

14 May

Written By BOHIE

Photo of the SCEGGS Reconciliation Action Plan booklet laid out, showing the cover and internal pages. The design features student artwork, warm colour palette, and clear typographic structure to support culturally sensitive storytelling.

Case Study

Overview
Design and support the creation of SCEGGS Darlinghurst Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP)

Client: SCEGGS Darlinghurst
Year: 2024
Location: Eora Nation / Sydney, NSW
Focus: Cultural consulting, editorial design, storytelling, visual communication

Designing with care: visual storytelling in support of reconciliation

Commissioned by SCEGGS Darlinghurst, this project brought together cultural consulting, editorial design, and respectful storytelling to shape the school’s official Reconciliation Action Plan for 2025–2026. Working closely with the Coordinator of Indigenous Education, with oversight from a respected Elder, and the Head of School, the RAP was crafted as a meaningful, accessible, and visually engaging document to support the school’s ongoing journey toward reconciliation.

The booklet features original artwork from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students at SCEGGS. With permission from each student, these artworks were woven throughout the design—honouring themes of journeying, community, and cultural identity. I also guided the use of media throughout the document, shaping the visual direction across still imagery and embedded video content.

Importantly, the RAP includes reflections and creative contributions from the Student RAP Committee, ensuring the voice of young people sits at the heart of the school’s reconciliation commitments. Their words bring the document to life with authenticity, leadership, and a peer-to-peer sense of purpose.

In addition to visual design, I provided copywriting and editorial support to refine key sections of the document—helping ensure the final language was powerful, culturally sensitive, and clear for broad readership across students, staff, and community stakeholders.

The final booklet was distributed both physically and digitally, and formally launched in a school-wide celebration that affirmed SCEGGS’ ongoing commitment to reconciliation in education.

Screenshot of SCEGGS Darlinghurst RAP Booklet Acknowledgement of Country

Screenshot of introductory pages featuring acknowledgements from Head of School Jenny Allum and Wiradjuri Elder Aunty Viv Freeman, alongside student artwork and welcoming design elements.

My Role

Visual design and layout of the 2025–2026 Reconciliation Action Plan booklet
Supported and refined written content in collaboration with the Coordinator of Indigenous Education, ensuring clarity, cohesion, and cultural sensitivity
Worked closely with key stakeholders to uphold the integrity and intent of the RAP
Advised on media integration including video stills, photographic treatments, and image direction
Sourced and curated student artwork from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, with permission, to honour cultural narratives through illustration

Outcomes & Impact

A culturally respectful and visually engaging RAP booklet that balances school leadership, student voice, and First Nations contributions
Original student artwork integrated into the design—elevating young Indigenous voices visually and symbolically throughout the document
Refined copy and design structure for improved impact, accessibility, and cross-generational readership
Officially launched and distributed across the SCEGGS community through a formal celebration, affirming the school’s public and ongoing commitment to reconciliation
A living document that now serves as a roadmap for action, accountability, and community engagement within the school and beyond

Screenshot of the RAP vision and commitments section, outlining the school’s goals for reconciliation. Design integrates original student illustrations with accessible layout and clear headings.

Screenshot showing the ‘Reconciliation in the Classroom’ spread, detailing how SCEGGS teachers embed First Nations perspectives in curriculum. Layout includes callouts, illustrations, and section dividers.

View the whole booklet here

What the Clients Said

“Bohie demonstrated a deep understanding of the nuance and significance of reconciliation, ensuring that every design choice was respectful and meaningful. What surprised and supported me most, however, was her sharp eye for language. She helped refine and strengthen my words so that the message became clearer, more powerful, and perfectly fit for purpose. Her ability to balance design with storytelling and cultural sensitivity was remarkable.” — Co-ordinator of Indigenous Education, SCEGGS Darlinghurst

youth leadershipstudent voiceYouth engagementVisual storytellingBohie BlackwoodInclusionYouth VoiceReconciliationCultural ConsultingVisual CommunicationEditorial DesignStorytellingInclusive EducationFirst Nations PartnershipsCommunity EngagementEducation Strategy

BOHIE

Based in Braidwood, NSW, BOHIE creates art, illustration, public space murals, and creative workshopping experiences that explore wonder and connection to each other and to the natural world.

She works alongside educational institutions, government agencies, community focus groups and stewards of the natural world to design change-making campaigns for each creative project. Bohie utilises a research-based methodology to find inspiration for her artworks, resulting in 2D images which are laden with deeper stories and symbolic meaning.

This narrative driven conceptual development injects her unique authenticity and grass-roots integrity into the public arena, which she sees as a conscious challenge to public advertising. In a time of rapid change, extreme instability and a globally recognised feeling of imminent threat, Bohie’s art provides messages of hope and empowerment for a changed future.

https://www.bohie.com.au