This article was originally published in October 2016.
With more than one million Australians affected by poverty and severe hardship, the issue of poverty is a significant one for the nation. Not only does it lead to devastating consequences for families and communities, it also plays a significant role in entrenching deep and persistent disadvantage across generations.
Anti-Poverty Week 2016, taking place from 16-22 October, is designed to raise awareness and understanding about the causes of poverty amongst the general public and encourage conversations, research, and action aimed at addressing these problems.
This year during Anti-Poverty Week, the Life Course Centre will join with our partners to participate in a range of events. In Melbourne, we will partner with the Brotherhood of St Laurence to present research results on the importance of addressing inequalities in early childhood education. We will also support the Wesley Mission Queensland in launching their Red Bag Appeal, a drive to collect non-perishable food items and Christmas treats for families facing homelessness and isolation. This year LCC will also be acting as a collection point for this appeal.
The frontline work our partners deliver is making great strides towards reducing poverty in this country.
The research undertaken by Life Course Centre researchers is aimed at building the evidence base that service delivery organisations need to expand their work and extend its impact. For example, we are investigating:
- the value of linked government welfare payment data to understanding disadvantage
- the opportunity that mentors have to shape children’s life aspirations
- the power of parenting skills to lift whole communities out of disadvantage
- the influence that family structure has on children’s development outcomes
- the impact that disadvantage has on children’s lifelong decision making
This research is helping us to identify critical life turning points that lead to disadvantage, and is critical to developing effective interventions to help people overcome disadvantage and realise their life’s potential.