Australia’s first research into the root causes of disadvantage was officially released to a crowd of 140 guests at the WA Museum Boola Bardip in August.
The report is the culmination of a three-year collective action project conducted by researchers from the Centre for Social Impact at UWA, with project partners including the WA Council of Social Services, Ruah, Anglicare WA, Wanslea, Jacaranda, Centrecare, Uniting WA, and Mercycare.
It captures the experiences of more than 400 disadvantaged WA families to assess what current efforts to alleviate disadvantage are working, what is not working, and what needs to change.
The report, which was made possible with funding from Lotterywest, includes 10 calls to action, from challenging the stigma of disadvantage and investing in prevention and early supports; to amplifying the voices of people with lived experience in designing policy and programs that impact them and ensuring all Australians have access to income that allows them to meet their needs and live with dignity.
The challenge now is to take action.
Take a journey into disadvantage and learn more from the shared stories of lived experience through Welcome to Our World.